 |
|
| Home | Marine Aquariums |
Freshwater Aquariums |
Planted Aquariums |
Brackish Systems |
Ponds,
lakes & fountains |
Turtles & Amphibians |
Aquatic Business |
Aquatic Science |
Ask the WWM Crew a Question |
| Please visit our Sponsors | ||||
Siamensis and Black Ghost Knife Fish,
incomp. 4/7/2011 dead SAE 8/27/09 Siamese Algae Eater Question, beh. 7/6/08 Hi, Two of my Siamese algae eaters constantly do this strange thing where they look like they are attacking each other, but no harm is being done. When they do this, they take turns - one looking like the aggressor and the other the just rotating while being "attacked". They do this for about 10-15 minutes each time. I have four SAEs in my tank, but it's only the largest two who do this. Should I be worried about this behavior or is this normal for them? Thank you, Lydia <Hello Lydia. What you describe is very normal indeed. Crossocheilus siamensis is a schooling fish in the wild, but when kept in very small numbers (such as four) the stronger fish will chase the weaker fish. This happens with other schooling fish sometimes, most notoriously Tiger Barbs. In any case, the solution is simple: buy at least two more specimens, and you should find they settle down and school together properly. Occasional chases will still happen, but not enough to worry about or to stress any one fish. Cheers, Neale.> Siamese Algae Eaters as Betta Companions... No 10/22/07 Hey, all! <Tori> My roommate and I are planning our first aquarium, and she really loves the male Betta fish. I'd like to get an Eclipse 5 gallon tank, and I'm looking at getting some algae eaters as well. I know that Corys make good Betta companions, but I've heard positive things about Siamese Algae Eaters, namely that they're not as aggressive as the Chinese ones and are smaller. Would these be all right to get, or should I stick with the Corys or some Cherry Shrimp? <These latter are far better companions/choices... Along with maybe large non-hermaphroditic snails. SAE's require much more pristine, larger conditions...> Also, would it help my fish to get along better if I bought a tank that is longer as opposed to taller, so that bottom feeders would have more space? <Yes... much better for all> (I'm looking at the Eclipse Hexagon versus the Eclipse Corner.) Thank you! ~ Tori <Thank you! I like the way you think! Bob Fenner> Siamese Algae Eaters killing Shrimp? 10/14/07 Hi, Great Site! I recently purchased 2 Siamese Algae Eaters (as far as I can see the are the real ones, not just flying foxes etc) to add to my 70L tank. The tank had one overly curious Zebra Loach, some Neon Tetras and two large-ish Amano Shrimps. Before buying the SEA's I checked whether they would cause any problems with anything I had in there, just in case, and nothing came up. They're only small at the moment, about 2.5 cm. So I bought some. The next morning after putting them in the tank I noticed one of my Amano Shrimps laying dead in the entrance to a pipe that I've laid under the gravel for the loach to hide in, his lair if you will. And the other shrimp was hiding on the ground and struggling to move (later that evening I found him half eaten at the front of the tank). Is it possible that these two SAEs killed both my shrimp that were if anything a cm bigger than them? Failing that how about my Zebra Loach? He was always chasing after them, but mainly around feeding times when they were partial to nicking his pellets. But they had been fine for the year or so that I had them together for. Thanks in advance for your help in solving my mystery! Andy <Andy, SAEs, and indeed most small Crossocheilus/Epalzeorhynchus-type fish are relatively harmless towards shrimp. Many "Amano" style aquaria mix the two animals together. On the other hand, Loaches are dedicated invertebrate feeders, and many species are equipped with strong jaws expressly modified to crush shells. Shrimps are especially vulnerable at moulting times, and it may well be that your Loach had ignored them until one particular moulting event where "he had a bit of a nibble" and found the results were tasty! Cheers, Neale.> Crossocheilus denisonii in a
community aquarium 8/23/07 Hello WWM crew!
<Hello!> I have a 65 gallon tall planted tank (dimensions are
30" Tall, 28" Wide, and 18" deep), it has been running
for about 6 months and I am considering adding a small group of
Crossocheilus denisonii. The current inhabitants are: 8 Female Betta
splendens 5 Melanotaenia lacustris 9 Brochis splendens 3 Caridina
multidentata 5 unidentified algae shrimp, the LFS called them
"Blueberry shrimp" overall brownish with a little blue tint,
especially on the belly, overall the size and body shape looks exactly
like the Amanos and a few ghost shrimp <Very nice selection of
beasties. I'm a great fan of Brochis spp., a sadly overlooked but
very rewarding fish.> The Bettas came from an earlier smaller tank
that got converted to salt water, they have been living happily
together for almost a year. They don't bother each other or any of
the other inhabitants, although they like to play with the Corys
sometimes, following them around on their scavenging and mimicking
them, its kind of funny to watch really... (I don't believe they do
it because they are hungry, as they get as many bloodworms as they can
eat in a few minutes every other day, and they get to snack daily on
some of the micro pellets for the Melanotaenia lacustris. Plus they
usually take a bite or two out of the wafers for the Corys as they are
sinking to the bottom'¦) <I've had similar experiences
with female Betta, and consider them rather jolly animals, and much
more fun (and easier to keep) than the males.> I eventually plan on
rounding out the stocking with a group of 30-50 Paracheirodon axelrodi,
and perhaps a handful of Carnegiella strigata as replacements to the
Bettas if I decide to move them back into a smaller Betta only tank
(but they seem to be enjoying the community tank, so I am leaning
towards leaving them...) The cardinal's I plan on adding weekly in
groups of 10 until I get a dense enough shoal, I will also be adding a
second canister filter around the time I start adding the cardinals....
<Very good. I love Hatchetfish (we have similar tastes in fish, I
suspect) and have found them to be quite entertaining animals. Not long
lived though, 3-4 years seems about the tops. But definitely
"something different".> Anyway my main question is would
one or a small group of Crossocheilus denisonii be appropriate in this
community? I have read conflicting reports on their temperament ranging
from them being extremely docile for Barbs and enjoying being housed in
small schools to them being highly aggressive towards their own kind
and everything else in the tank. I am going for a peaceful community
here, but I would like a few larger fish as the centerpiece for the
aquarium, and I don't think I can keep up with the water change
regimen for discus... so if Crossocheilus denisonii is not a good
candidate for this setup I would love to hear a few suggestions for me
to research for something that will be eye catching and reach a size
around 4-6" that will be peaceful in a group of 1-5 in this
community. <Crossocheilus denisonii is a difficult fish in many
ways. For a start, it's a subtropical fish, and in tropical tanks I
suspect by analogy with other subtropical fish you're not going to
see this fish at their best. Lifespan is probably less, too. Anyway,
while they work with Rainbowfish, clown loaches, plecs, and other
robust species of similar size, I wouldn't trust them with small
tetras, Betta spp., or shrimps. They're basically on par with
something like a red-tail shark.> I also have three other quick
questions: one; how many algae shrimp would be appropriate for a tank
this size? <As many as you want.> two: when I first added the
rainbows there were three, and they did nothing but hide for a week, I
figured that the group was too small and added two more, within 20
minutes all 5 were out in the open and schooling around, but one of the
original three became dominant rather quick, he chases the other 4
around on a semi regular basis, but doesn't seem to pick on any one
more than the others, this behavior is typically the worst around
feeding time. Is this anything I should be overly concerned with? my
LFS will exchange him for another one if I want, or I have been
thinking of adding 2 more to increase the group to 7 (and maybe down
the road increasing it to 9) would that have any effect of the
behavior? <Not 100% typical behaviour for rainbows, but not unknown
either. Adding some more *females* may help calm things down. But
otherwise, don't worry too much.> and my last question: I have
had a small amount of blue-green (I think) algae showing up on some of
the leaves of some of the plants, I think the cause was lack of
circulation in the bottom of the tank, I added a powerhead and that
seems to have done the trick, it is gone from the plants that were only
lightly affected, but a few have some patches that are not going away.
none of the plants were expensive, and most were given to me by
friends, and I have no problem throwing them out and replacing them if
that is the best course of action, but I would appreciate any
suggestions on how to alleviate this that you have, I would like to get
it under control (as in completely out of the tank'¦ as I
understand it Blue-green algae is BAD) before I add any new fish.
<Blue-green algae isn't "bad" in the sense of harming
your fish. But it is "bad" in the sense of being difficult to
eradicate. The only practical solution is removing infected leaves or
objects on sight. Once it's established, I've not yet found a
reliable way of removing it completely. What is true is that certain
things encourage it: high nitrates/phosphates, compacted substrates,
direct sunlight for example. As ever, getting the vascular plants to
grow abundantly and rapidly is the single best way to inhibit
algae/blue-green algae growth.> Thanks for all the help! ~Bryan
<Good luck, Neale>
SAEs, Foxes... sel. 4/24/07 I am also having trouble finding places that sell real Siamese algae eaters. I've read a lot about how most fish advertised as SAEs are actually flying foxes, and based on the descriptions, this seems to be the case. <Often the case, but does it matter? They're all pretty similar, and none of them are either [a] totally peaceful or [b] going to stop algae growing in your tank. The flying fox is marginally more aggressive, but in your 55 gallon tank this shouldn't be an issue. The main thing is you avoid the notorious "Chinese algae eater" Gyrinocheilus as this is a very disruptive animal. Maybe even consider something else entirely, like a Bristlenose Plec, which will graze algae but otherwise keep entirely to itself (and mostly out of view).> I live in Ann Arbor, do you know of any places that sell SAE's in that area? <From my vantage point in Berkhamsted, England, I can't really offer any useful advice on the variety of fishes sold in your area. If all else fails, talk with your local mom-and-pop tropical fish store, and ask if they'll place a special order. Many will, particularly if these are fish that they can easily sell once you've take your pick from the batch. Cheers, Neale>
Looking For Roseline Sharks, Crossocheilus denisonii - 03/12/2006 Hi Chuck, Thanks for such a speedy reply. Question - Does the Roseline shark go by any other name? I have the Aquarium Atlas by Riehl and Baensch and was unable to find anything that went by that name. Is there another resource where I might find a photo? Need to check up on habitat requirements. Thanks again. Kerry <Crossocheilus denisonii also goes by the name Denison's Flying Fox or Denison's Barb. They come from India and like neutral water in the mid 70's. They get about 6 inches long. You should be able to do a Google search on the internet and find a photo. If not look at the Baensch Atlas Photo Index 1-5. They are actually much prettier in person than should in that particular photo.-Chuck> Pedant/ic alert! - 01/03/2006 Robert, Sorry, can't help it, but ... <Heeee!> "wherefore art thou" means "why are you" not "where are you" as commonly believed. Juliet was declaiming, "Romeo, why are you in my life?" supposedly confounding it so terribly, and not asking where is Romeo currently running around impetuously as most actors have him doing. <Yep... am semi-aware... and the pitch is sort of...> So the question, "Wherefore art thou, magical Siamese algae eaters?" could reasonably be answered, "To magically rid your tank of algae, and not because of my looks," as their usefulness outstrips their attractiveness. <Hotay... and don't mean to be so off-center... better question would definitely be "Wherefore art thou (used in the trade) CAEs? Gyrinocheilus aymonieri are the "why" fish in this situation/use> Thank-you for your page on these fish and their imposters. Most helpful, information I can sure use. Bo Ure <And thank you for the lesson in Shakespearean English! BobF> Bacterial Hemorrhagic Septicemia Hi guys, I just have a quick question, and was wondering if you could help me out? I noticed today that my Siamese algae eater has developed some red, vein-like structures around the base of its head and on its neck. They are not particularly large, but they are noticeable if you are looking at him. Aside from this, his behavior has been normal and he seems to be eating fine, and in good health. So, do you have any idea what these vein-like things might be? Thanks for answering my question, Mark <Hi Mark. Your SAE has bacterial hemorrhagic septicemia. Sounds bad, doesn't it? It's not. It's usually caused by high levels of organic material in the water. Do a few daily water changes and it should clear up on it's own. Then increase your regular water change schedule to keep things pristine. Don> Another Mean Epalzeorhynchus bicolor.... 02/02/2004 Hello I have recently bought a red tail black shark at about 1.5''. I also bought 2 Platies (one red, one yellow). I just found out that red tail sharks do not tolerate other fish with red markings. <Or many other fish, for that fact!> Unfortunately enough, this is true! The shark has bitten some scales off the right side of my platy and most of it's tail too!!! It died about 3 days after but the yellow platy is doing fine. <This aggression is not color-selective.... I suspect it is only a matter of time before you see aggression toward the yellow fellow. As they grow, Redtail black sharks tend to become quite aggressive.> I was wondering just so this doesn't happen again what species would be compatible with a red tail black shark? (if any) <Well, tank size would be a good help in determining this. Provided it is large enough, some of the moderately sized Gourami - Trichogaster trichopterus, in any of its color morphs (blue, gold, "three-spot", platinum....), Trichogaster microlepis (the "moonlight" Gourami), perhaps paradise fish (Macropodus opercularis), other moderately sized semi-aggressive fish would do nicely. Perhaps also giant Danios, or even the smaller Danios - these are extremely resilient fish.> And would it bother a ghost shrimp or snail? <Likely would eat ghost shrimp, but at the low cost, might be worth trying. Bite-sized snails will turn into snacks, but larger ones would probably be safe.> Just one more thing, should I buy a school of neon tetras or 3 guppies (two female one male). <To go in with the Redtail? Neither, IMO. If you must have one or the other, the guppies would fare much better than the very delicate Neons.> Thanks for any info, Joey. <Glad to be of service! Wishing you and your finny pals well, -Sabrina> CO2 and SAEs Hi. <Hello.> I set up a 75g plant tank last week. I have a pressurized CO2 system with a controller (Pinpoint). I have the controller set for 6.9-6.8 ph and the KH is 4.0. <Sounds good> I picked up 5 true Siamese Algae Eating fish last Sunday. They have been doing well until yesterday. They are staying close to the bottom and not really doing much of anything. There color is ok and they don't seem to be breathing hard. Based on what I read the CO2 level shouldn't be too high for them. <Hmm.... I haven't heard of these fish having any sensitivity issues with CO2; they are very, very widely used in planted aquaria that involve CO2 injection, and regarded as one of the most efficient algae eaters for such tanks. Do certainly check your CO2 and O2 levels, but I think it would be wise to look for other issues, as well. Have you checked ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? Did you quarantine the fish prior to adding them to the tank? Are the fish showing any symptoms of illness?> Please let me know if you have any opinion. <Well, it could be possible that they're just settling into a new environment, but certainly do be on the lookout for anything else amiss - test the above levels, fix if necessary. If nothing is out of whack, you might try stopping CO2 for just a couple of hours to see how they respond - though I really don't expect that the CO2 is the cause of this (unless it's way off). If they were not quarantined, I might suspect Ich or some other parasite of the gills, perhaps.> Thank you. Ken <Sure thing - hope this is just something simple! -Sabrina> Help with finding SAE's (Siamese Algae Eater) - 2/16/03 hello bob, <Anthony Calfo in your service> I live in NY and am looking for the real sae. do you have any idea where I can find & buy some ? thank you ! <no idea what the local shops inventory is around you <G> this week. But... there are several incredible aquarium clubs in New York with tens of people that surely can help. Do try the Brooklyn Aquarium Society (BAS) for regional advice on an outlet. Kindly> * note... query is in regards to this subject: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/saes.htm Re: Otocinclus/false Siamese algae eater hello: i
read your articles about these fish. i have a 29 gal with
three Otocinclus and one false Siamese algae eater. will
they be able to keep the algae under control? <Mmm, with otherwise
good husbandry (careful feeding, regular water changes...) should be
able to in a planted aquarium. Bob Fenner.> Planted tank algae, big mis-id'ed "eater" Quite a bit of string algae building up in one of my tanks and the outdoor pots. The pH on these guys seems to always creep up as well. <Related events.... the algae is rapidly photosynthesizing, using up alkaline reserve, in the meanwhile poisoning/outcompeting its "higher" kin the vascular plants. Neat eh?> No string algae in the fireplace tank. The fireplace tank has a pH that is constantly falling <Use a little baking soda here> and a large Siamese Algae eater. <Large? This species doesn't get that large... are you sure you have the REAL thing? Check here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/saesagb.htm Thought you had a stinky Chinese Algae Eater? Time to trade that bad boy in> Question: is the string algae related to the increasing pH? <Yes> Note I don't see the SAE eating it. <It won't... likely a blue green, likely not a true SAE> I have a bacterial product that is supposed to get rid of it called String Algae Treatment, S.A.T., do you think it would help? <Worth trying. Pls report back to me your results. Bob Fenner> E. kalopterus longevity? (Lifespans of captive aquatics)
Hello Robert, Sorry to bother you but I just read your article on SAE
"Will the Real SAE Please Swim Forward?" and I have a
question that you might be able to answer. I have a Flying Fox, E.
Kalopterus, that I bought in -93 or -94 (not sure which). That makes
him 8 years or so. Do you know how old these fish can get? <Know of
ones near a decade... bet some of the Public Aquariums in Europe have
had Flying Foxes this long or longer...> He is now about 14cm (5.5
inches) and he hasn't grown much in years as far as I can tell.
Thanks for your time, Steve Danielsson Stockholm <Thank you for your
input. As I say, many Public Aquariums do keep, even post longevity
records on their stocks. You might want to try perusing some of their
sites (links on the WWM Links Page) for more here. Bob Fenner> |
|
|
Features: |
|
| Featured Sponsors: |
