I have seen may post about false SAEs, But my fish store may be going the
other way. Six months ago I ask them what they have that eats hair algae.
She sold me two flying foxes about 2 to 3 inches long. The ate the hair
algae in no time. From the descriptions on the web and other post I believe
them to be SAEs. They have clear fins. The black stripe goes to the end of
the tail, and they eat flake food.

One has since died due to me being stupid and misadjusting my CO2 before
work (the only Casualty of 100ppm CO2). So I went back and ask for a
Siamese algae eater. They did not have any, so I ask about flying foxes.
She showed my a tank of Thai Flying Foxes very small about an inch to maybe
and inch and half. for $4.99 each. Once again clear fins and stripe to
back of the tail.

This is a very knowledgeable fish store so if they were SAEs I would think
they would mark them as such.

Did I get lucky are these SAEs? Is a flying fox much less of an algae
eater?

Thanks
Scott

On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 18:22:43 -0500, "Scott Rogahn"
wrote:

I have seen may post about false SAEs, But my fish store may be going the
other way. Six months ago I ask them what they have that eats hair algae.
She sold me two flying foxes about 2 to 3 inches long. The ate the hair
algae in no time. From the descriptions on the web and other post I believe
them to be SAEs. They have clear fins. The black stripe goes to the end of
the tail, and they eat flake food.


Here's a close-up of one of my adult SAEs.
http://dev1.cfxc.com/chuck/sae_closeup_med.jpg


Chuck Gadd
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua

On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 18:22:43 -0500, "Scott Rogahn"
wrote:

I have seen may post about false SAEs, But my fish store may be going the
other way. Six months ago I ask them what they have that eats hair algae.
She sold me two flying foxes about 2 to 3 inches long. The ate the hair
algae in no time. From the descriptions on the web and other post I believe
them to be SAEs. They have clear fins. The black stripe goes to the end of
the tail, and they eat flake food.

One has since died due to me being stupid and misadjusting my CO2 before
work (the only Casualty of 100ppm CO2). So I went back and ask for a
Siamese algae eater. They did not have any, so I ask about flying foxes.
She showed my a tank of Thai Flying Foxes very small about an inch to maybe
and inch and half. for $4.99 each. Once again clear fins and stripe to
back of the tail.

This is a very knowledgeable fish store so if they were SAEs I would think
they would mark them as such.

Did I get lucky are these SAEs? Is a flying fox much less of an algae
eater?

All the flying foxes eat algae, it's just that the "false" flying fox
looks somewhat different than the true SAE.

My LFS had "flying foxes" for 2.99. Traded 40 adolescent cherry barbs for 4
SAEs. The picture Chuck posted is indeed the marvelous SAE. Aside from the
black stripe going through to the end of the tail, SAEs have small barbles
on each side of their "nose". Look at the pic Chuck sent and you can see
the left barble (from the SAE's perspective)

DJay,


"Scott Rogahn" wrote in message
...
I have seen may post about false SAEs, But my fish store may be going the
other way. Six months ago I ask them what they have that eats hair algae.
She sold me two flying foxes about 2 to 3 inches long. The ate the hair
algae in no time. From the descriptions on the web and other post I
believe
them to be SAEs. They have clear fins. The black stripe goes to the end
of
the tail, and they eat flake food.

One has since died due to me being stupid and misadjusting my CO2 before
work (the only Casualty of 100ppm CO2). So I went back and ask for a
Siamese algae eater. They did not have any, so I ask about flying foxes.
She showed my a tank of Thai Flying Foxes very small about an inch to
maybe
and inch and half. for $4.99 each. Once again clear fins and stripe to
back of the tail.

This is a very knowledgeable fish store so if they were SAEs I would think
they would mark them as such.

Did I get lucky are these SAEs? Is a flying fox much less of an algae
eater?

Thanks
Scott

I think you've got SAEs. My LFS labels theirs Thai Flying Fox as well, but
they are true SAEs. I used the term SAE once while talking to the owner,
and he chuckled and said he doesn't hear that term very often but it was
correct. Thailand used to be called Siam, so the names are practically
interchangeable. I guess the fish are listed as Thai Flying Fox on the LFS
order form, so that it what they label them in the store. And, "flying fox"
sounds a little more sexy than "algae eater", so it's kind of marketing
thing as well. Otocinclus and plecostomus could technically also be called
algae eaters, but they're usually not. The bottom line is that we need to
be able to identify our fish (and plants) visually and not necessarily rely
on the labels at the stores. I recently picked-up a breeding pair of
Nannacara for $10 that were in an unlabeled tank. By the way, these are
great fish for planted tanks; kind of shy, though.

Jody

"Scott Rogahn" wrote in message
...
I have seen may post about false SAEs, But my fish store may be going the
other way. Six months ago I ask them what they have that eats hair algae.
She sold me two flying foxes about 2 to 3 inches long. The ate the hair
algae in no time. From the descriptions on the web and other post I
believe
them to be SAEs. They have clear fins. The black stripe goes to the end
of
the tail, and they eat flake food.

One has since died due to me being stupid and misadjusting my CO2 before
work (the only Casualty of 100ppm CO2). So I went back and ask for a
Siamese algae eater. They did not have any, so I ask about flying foxes.
She showed my a tank of Thai Flying Foxes very small about an inch to
maybe
and inch and half. for $4.99 each. Once again clear fins and stripe to
back of the tail.

This is a very knowledgeable fish store so if they were SAEs I would think
they would mark them as such.

Did I get lucky are these SAEs? Is a flying fox much less of an algae
eater?

Thanks
Scott

Jak Crow wrote:
All the flying foxes eat algae, it's just that the "false" flying fox
looks somewhat different than the true SAE.

And the flying foxes are aggresive, vicious fish.


--
Victor M. Martinez

http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv

Scott Rogahn wrote in message
...
I have seen may post about false SAEs, But my fish store may be going the
other way. Six months ago I ask them what they have that eats hair algae.
She sold me two flying foxes about 2 to 3 inches long. The ate the hair
algae in no time. From the descriptions on the web and other post I
believe
them to be SAEs. They have clear fins. The black stripe goes to the end
of
the tail, and they eat flake food.

One has since died due to me being stupid and misadjusting my CO2 before
work (the only Casualty of 100ppm CO2). So I went back and ask for a
Siamese algae eater. They did not have any, so I ask about flying foxes.
She showed my a tank of Thai Flying Foxes very small about an inch to
maybe
and inch and half. for $4.99 each. Once again clear fins and stripe to
back of the tail.

This is a very knowledgeable fish store so if they were SAEs I would think
they would mark them as such.

Did I get lucky are these SAEs? Is a flying fox much less of an algae
eater?

Thanks
Scott



LFS's may or may not be correct all the time. They often use the same name
as the wholesaler used, and given their volumes, may not have had a chance
to research them.
To check the differences in these fish, look at:
http://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/cyprinid.html

Jim

On Wed, 18 Jun 2003 12:59:05 +0000 (UTC),
(Victor M. Martinez) wrote:

Jak Crow wrote:
All the flying foxes eat algae, it's just that the "false" flying fox
looks somewhat different than the true SAE.

And the flying foxes are aggresive, vicious fish.

Eh. I have some other fish that keep them down

Thank to all who replied.

My big one looks just like the photo posted by chuck, except chucks dorsal
fin seems to has a golden tint, mine is clear.

from the description at
http://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/cyprinid.html

The distinguishing marks looks to be one pair of Barbels when the false ones
have either none or 2 pair. both of mine have one pair.

One other the replies stated "And the flying foxes are aggressive, vicious
fish" My big one has never been aggressive. I have only had the little one
for a couple of days. he spends most of his time hiding, so I can say he is
aggressive.

All in all I here by proclaim them both TRUE SAEs.

Thanks again
Scott


"Scott Rogahn" wrote in message
...
I have seen may post about false SAEs, But my fish store may be going the
other way. Six months ago I ask them what they have that eats hair algae.
She sold me two flying foxes about 2 to 3 inches long. The ate the hair
algae in no time. From the descriptions on the web and other post I
believe
them to be SAEs. They have clear fins. The black stripe goes to the end
of
the tail, and they eat flake food.

One has since died due to me being stupid and misadjusting my CO2 before
work (the only Casualty of 100ppm CO2). So I went back and ask for a
Siamese algae eater. They did not have any, so I ask about flying foxes.
She showed my a tank of Thai Flying Foxes very small about an inch to
maybe
and inch and half. for $4.99 each. Once again clear fins and stripe to
back of the tail.

This is a very knowledgeable fish store so if they were SAEs I would think
they would mark them as such.

Did I get lucky are these SAEs? Is a flying fox much less of an algae
eater?

Thanks
Scott

On Wed, 18 Jun 2003 19:49:01 -0500, "Scott Rogahn"
wrote:

My big one looks just like the photo posted by chuck, except chucks dorsal
fin seems to has a golden tint, mine is clear.

Yup, I think the color may have been slightly skewed toward yellow in
my pic.



Chuck Gadd
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua

Make that can NOT say he is agressive

"Scott Rogahn" wrote in message
...
Thank to all who replied.

My big one looks just like the photo posted by chuck, except chucks dorsal
fin seems to has a golden tint, mine is clear.

from the description at
http://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/cyprinid.html

The distinguishing marks looks to be one pair of Barbels when the false
ones
have either none or 2 pair. both of mine have one pair.

One other the replies stated "And the flying foxes are aggressive, vicious
fish" My big one has never been aggressive. I have only had the little
one
for a couple of days. he spends most of his time hiding, so I can say he
is
aggressive.

All in all I here by proclaim them both TRUE SAEs.

Thanks again
Scott


"Scott Rogahn" wrote in message
...
I have seen may post about false SAEs, But my fish store may be going
the
other way. Six months ago I ask them what they have that eats hair
algae.
She sold me two flying foxes about 2 to 3 inches long. The ate the hair
algae in no time. From the descriptions on the web and other post I
believe
them to be SAEs. They have clear fins. The black stripe goes to the
end
of
the tail, and they eat flake food.

One has since died due to me being stupid and misadjusting my CO2 before
work (the only Casualty of 100ppm CO2). So I went back and ask for a
Siamese algae eater. They did not have any, so I ask about flying
foxes.
She showed my a tank of Thai Flying Foxes very small about an inch to
maybe
and inch and half. for $4.99 each. Once again clear fins and stripe to
back of the tail.

This is a very knowledgeable fish store so if they were SAEs I would
think
they would mark them as such.

Did I get lucky are these SAEs? Is a flying fox much less of an algae
eater?

Thanks
Scott

"Scott Rogahn" wrote:

From the descriptions on the web and other post I believe
them to be SAEs. They have clear fins. The black stripe
goes to the end of the tail, and they eat flake food.

Just to add one more data point to the great replies you've had so
far, I got some good photos of my SAEs a few days ago, and have
updated my web site (URL below) with the new pictures. I also got a
*very* good picture of one of my Peacock Gudgeons.

It's about time I had some luck with the camera!


--
www.ericschreiber.com

For what it's worth, I bought 'dwarf flying foxes' then scratched my head
about them. They've grown no bigger than about 1.5 inches. Territorial
with their own kind yes, but peaceful to other fish for the most part.
Never seen them sucking slime of another fish. Beat up each other big time,
but not to the death (or serious injury) - though in a heavily planted tank,
so one with less plants they might end up with serious health problems!!!

Mine don't seem to be true SAE's, but they are doing a good job of keeping
down the algae. They seem to like the short brushy stuff - don't touch
blue-green algae/cyanobacteria, but can't blame them for that!!! - and
coupled with my bristlenose and otocinclus? I have very little algae at all.

Oh, when I compared pics, they look most similar, but not exactly, like the
standard flying foxes. Definately resemble the SAE/CAE's less.

Velvet