Siamese Algae Eater - Sae

[paw-paw 0]

Has anyone kept true SAEs with goldies before? What happened?

Cause I know they are great algae eaters and they also do not stay small ( they grow to 14 cm) as ottos so are not in danger of being eaten by goldies, right? and they are from the cyprinid family as well,,,

I am talking about SAEs and not CAEs (chinese algae eater)

THX!

[paw-paw 0]

Anyone?

[Chrissy_Bee 144]

The guy at my lfs is extremely helpful usually, but when I asked him he was bent on selling me a 'flying fox'. I really didn't like the look of it, it was too big. Then a search online turned this up:

This fish is often sold as the SAE (Siamese Algae Eater), which is not a very good thing since the two have distinctly different characteristics. The "Flying Fox" will stop eating algae at older age and become hostile towards other fish, even of its own kind, while the SAE lives peacefully and eats algae throughout its life cycle.

....sounds very pleco-like to me.

Here's some info I found a few months ago when I was looking for a good algae eater. So it seems like a true SAE would be ok, but you have to be very careful and make sure you get the right species. However I have never kept or known anyone who kept SAE's with goldfish, so you might want to wait and see if anyone else responds who has more experience.

Edited December 8, 2008 by Chrissy_Bee

[Hidr 4,961]

The SAE's that are sold in pet shops get aggressive with age and don't eat algea after they are grown.

[paw-paw 0]

Hidr - what do you mean the SAEs that are sold in shops? I know they also sell flying foxes and similar, but here they also sell true SAEs...

I know that flying foxes are aggressive but it is ussually said for the true SAEs that they are not aggressive. But I can't seem to find anywhere if tehy would be OK with goldfish...(Cause I know plecos are not aggressive but can't be kept with goldfish, but SAEs don't have such lips so they couldn't attach to goldfish, right?)

[stevey87 0]

I think you're better off with Otto cats.

[omgitzandy 0]

I had SAEs before i had no problem but once in a while the Goldies would chase one or two

[toadie 0]

Yeah go otocinclus much safer. There are success stories for SAE but they are noted for getting aggressive as they get larger.

[ANGELMB15 93]

Big Mistake I did buying one!!! He seemed like he was compatible, but after a few weeks he killed one of my fish and injured another, thats when I got rid of him. He did eat the algae, but he was way too aggressive. From my experience I would not recommend one!!!

[omgitzandy 0]

But oto cats are to small my fish might eat them

[saix88 1]

http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/comfish.html

If you want to put a fish with your goldfish and don't see it on that page, DO NOT PUT THEM IN!

[cooper 0]

Hey I have a couple things to add to this post since I have had positive experience with both siamese algae eaters and fancy goldfish together.

1. When identifying a "true SAE" it is fairly simple to differentiate between a chinese algae eater or a false siamese. I'm not going to go into too much detail besides the major identifying feature: the black horizontal stripe must extend onto the caudal fin. There are some very helpful sites if you just simply google siamese algae eater which will make it easy for you to pick out true SAE's

2. True SAE's are the only species that will effectivly combat red (brown) algae growth.

3. They do not get aggresive with age like their Chinese counterparts.

4. They are fairly solitary fish and do not bother or get bothered by my goldies in my 55gallon tanks or even the smaller 29.

Hope this helps a little.

[paw-paw 0]

THX

Just to let you know. I have 4 SAEs in my tropical tank right now, havent tried putting them with goldies yet. But as far as I can tell they are not one bit aggressive (have them with guppies and glass cats) so probably should be OK with my goldies. Will try them and let you know how it works.

[cooper 0]

yea they should be just fine

[Guest Vari]

I was thinking about putting a SAE in a tank with goldfishes also - since I have lots of live plants and algae is a bit of a trouble the apple-snails can't handle. Can anyone here - who said that they'll try it - comment on this? Would it be a good idea or not? How did it go for you guys?

[Lupin 11]

If you are referring to the Crossocheilus species, I do not see anything wrong with combining them with goldfish. These are absolutely peaceful fish that will not bother anyone.

My apple snails prefer to eat only hair algae so they're not really efficient algae eaters.

[paw-paw 0]

HI!

sorry i did not reply for such a long time....

i did put my 4 SAEs with my goldies and they are absolutely fine together! i keep the tank at 21 C, which is a bit low for SAEs but they don't seem to mind at all. actually I see them a lot more now that they are in the tank with goldies. They used to be very shy ans skittish, probably because they were the biggest fish in the tank. But now they swim in front of the glass, hang out with the goldies...ok, so they do not eat out of my hand like the goldies do, but I love them. they are constantly grazing on my plants eating off the algae, not bothering my goldies on bit.

So i would say go ahead and put them in, if you like them.

Just - they like to be in little (or big) gropus, two is always a bad number, better have at least 3...Tho, they do get quite large, so that is something you have to keep in mind when geting them!

OH, and be sure to buy the right species - not the CAE, not false flying fox, not flying fox. And there is also more species of SAEs - I have C.atrilimes which are the smallest, there are also C.langei, ....many, many very similiar species, some seem to eat the plants, some more bearded algae....

[Lupin 11]

The Siamese algae eaters can thrive on that range easily. Where they live, the water tends to be cooler than most of us expect.

My previous SAEs including one that was nearly 5 years old love to absolutely eat on my hands. Once they get accustomed to seeing your goldfish handfed, they will eventually follow. It tickles on the skin.

Edited January 27, 2010 by Lupin

[koko 14,363]

Again I cant State this enough... If the fish is small enough to fit into the goldfish's mouth, it will. I have had this happen to my fish Dede and it had to kill the SAE.

so please be careful its at your own risk!

[paw-paw 0]

well SAEs grow to be up to 15 cm long - so they are not a small fish by any means...I mean yes, goldies get bigger, some even a lot bigger but they are not actually very predatory so cannot eat a fish half its size...

that is why I don't wanna try ottos in my goldie tank cause they are, in my opinion way too small...

Tho I must say my SAEs were quite big already (10 cm) when I first put them in with goldies. Yeah, wouldn't recommend adding babys you get in the store directly in the tank with goldies (except if the goldies are still small) - but they do grow very, very fast (mine grew in just like 6 months from tiny babies)!

Edited January 28, 2010 by paw-paw

[koko 14,363]

But see thats the problem most of them you get from the LFS are babies and if you put them in a tank with goldfish that are 4-5" long they could eat them....

I just saying to everyone, be careful of what you add into the tank with goldfish. They can and will try to put things in there mouths. They are like 2-3 year kids, wanting to taste everything.

[Serjape 0]

http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/comfish.html

If you want to put a fish with your goldfish and don't see it on that page, DO NOT PUT THEM IN!

But that list is certainly not the be-all end-all. For instance, genreally ALL pletos will eventually attempt to suck the slimecoat off your goldfish.

[Serjape 0]

Hey I have a couple things to add to this post since I have had positive experience with both siamese algae eaters and fancy goldfish together.

1. When identifying a "true SAE" it is fairly simple to differentiate between a chinese algae eater or a false siamese. I'm not going to go into too much detail besides the major identifying feature: the black horizontal stripe must extend onto the caudal fin. There are some very helpful sites if you just simply google siamese algae eater which will make it easy for you to pick out true SAE's

2. True SAE's are the only species that will effectivly combat red (brown) algae growth.

3. They do not get aggresive with age like their Chinese counterparts.

4. They are fairly solitary fish and do not bother or get bothered by my goldies in my 55gallon tanks or even the smaller 29.

Hope this helps a little.

Any chance we could get you to post a few pics of your true SAE?

[Serjape 0]

Again I cant State this enough... If the fish is small enough to fit into the goldfish's mouth, it will. I have had this happen to my fish Dede and it had to kill the SAE.

so please be careful its at your own risk!

So true...

[johann_pond 39]

As long as they are true SAE's they wont become agressive ans will always eat algae. CAE's will only eat algae until they mature and at that point become agressive.