You can supplement their diet with algae wagers, flakes and pellets, larvae, brine shrimp, and bloodworms The Polychaeta, also known as the bristle worms or polychaetes, are a paraphyletic class of annelid worms, generally marine. Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions called parapodia that bear many bristles, called chaetae, which are made of chitin. As such, polychaetes are sometimes re…Polychaete
What to know before purchasing a Siamese algae eater?
- Overview Typical Behaviour Appearance Typical Size Lifespan Difference Between Siamese Algae Eater and Siamese Flying Fox
- How to Care for Siamese Algae Eater Setup and Environment Aquarium Size Tank Conditions Siamese Algae Eater Food and Diet
- Best Tank Mates
- How To Breed Them?
- Should You Get Siamese Algae Eaters?
- Conclusion
Should I get a second Siamese algae eater?
- CAEs may attack other fish, Flying Foxes are territorial and False SAEs don’t enjoy eating algae.
- C.atrilimes are SAEs, but are not effective at algae control and prefer to eat Java Moss and plant leaves.
- C.langei, the Red Siamese Algae Eater, are friendly community fish and excellent consumers of algae. ...
What is the lifespan of an algae eater?
What is the life span of algae eater fish? The average Chinese Algae Eater lives for about ten years. As a result, they are better suited to aquarists who are willing to make a reasonable commitment.
How to care for an algae eater?
How to Care for an Algae Eater
- Care Specific to Type. When it comes to algae eaters, one size doesn't fit all. ...
- Housing the Plecos. The plecostamus or "pleco," is a prehistoric-looking algae eater available in three varieties, for three different tank sizes and and setups.
- The Siamese and Chinese Algae Eaters. ...
- Small Tank Dwellers. ...
Can I keep one Siamese Algae Eater?
Keeping Siamese Algae Eaters Together You can keep more than one Siamese algae eater in the tank. They show off their best behaviors in schools of at least 4-6. This doesn't mean that you need to keep them in a school though, they do well when kept singly or in pairs too.
What do you feed algae eater fish?
What do algae eaters eat? Algae eaters move along the sides and bottom of the aquarium scraping off algae with their sucker mouths. They can also feed on commercial pelleted food. Choose spirulina pellets or algae discs of the appropriate size.
Do Siamese algae eaters eat vegetables?
Algae eaters also need other foods. While algae eaters subsist mainly on algae and decaying plant matter, in order to be healthy, they require a vegetable supplement to their diet.
What algae does Siamese Algae Eater eat?
Siamese algae eaters enjoy eating green hair algae to an extent that some fishkeepers cultivate that on purpose. However, you should be supplementing its menu with commercially bought algae wafers, live food, catfish pellets, and meaty foods as well.
How do I know if my algae eater is getting enough food?
After you provide food for your pleco, watch and see if your pleco gobbles it down. If your pleco immediately begins to munch on the food, they may be overly hungry and need to be fed more often. If your pleco ignores the food, they may need to be fed less often.
Do I have to feed my algae eater?
Do algae eaters need algae wafers? The main reason why many aquarists opt for algae eaters in their tank is right there in the name – they eat algae that appears in the aquarium. However, these fish are not self-sufficient when it comes to their diet, so you'll still have to feed them daily, hence algae wafers.
Do you need to feed Siamese algae eaters?
This fish likes various tropical algae that fortunately will grow inside an aquarium (since it should be mimicking a tropical environment). Most fish experts recommend that these Siamese algae eaters also be fed a diet mixture of fish food that includes some protein and natural plant-based foods.
Do Siamese algae eaters eat at night?
Things to remember when feeding your Chinese algae eater: Feed daily. They typically feed at night.
Will Siamese Algae Eater eat Java moss?
Don't bother with Java, they'll definitely get eaten.
Do Siamese algae eaters stop eating algae?
7:3710:40S.A.E. Are Still Good For Algae Control After Growing Big - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipActually become territorial and aggressive when they get older. And these fish definitely lose theirMoreActually become territorial and aggressive when they get older. And these fish definitely lose their desire. For algae.
Do Siamese algae eaters eat baby fish?
Siamese algae eaters are primarily herbivorous but will consume protein sources occasionally when given the opportunity. These protein sources include guppy fry and other small fish babies, if any wander in their vicinity.
Are Siamese algae eaters sensitive?
Siamese algae eaters are usually healthy fish, and they don't have many specific diseases or health problems they're prone to. Like all aquarium species, they are sensitive to their water parameters and prefer very clean water, and high ammonia or nitrate levels cause a lot of stress and can lead to illness.
Background and natural habitat
SAEs originate from the rice paddies of Southeast Asia, where they live in slow moving rivers, canals and flooded forest areas. SAEs are still kept by farmers there t oo control algae in the rice paddies, which is their natural habitat.
Appearance
Although there are many Siamese algae eaters kept in aquariums today, they come from different geographical locations and therefore show some physical differences:
Siamese algae eater vs flying fox vs Chinese algae eater
The Siamese Algae Eater is a freshwater fish and can live in a temperature range of between 74F (23C) to 82F (28C).
Tank setup
It’s best to keep your SAE in groups of 5 or more fish, with 7 being the minimum. They are not schooling fish, but they will feel safer in larger numbers. A single SAE may get frightened and try to jump out of the tank when there is no room for swimming. Also – if you notice one fish hiding for some time – it might be sick.
Water conditions
74-82 Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature for Siamese algae eaters, but they can survive in a wider range of temperatures.
Tank mates
Temperate siamese algae eaters usually live together with other fish since they don’t have many natural predators and can survive in most of the tank conditions. They are too big to be eaten by cichlids and will only be attacked if another fish wants their food or territory.
Diet
You should feed your siamese algae eaters a wide variety of vegetables and meat. They usually eat most types of lettuce, spinach, peas and other leafy greens that are rich in vitamin A.
Where do Siamese algae eaters come from?
This family contains carp too, which are closely related. They originated from Southeast Asia, including Thailand and Malaysia, but now they’re bred across the world for the aquarium trade.
How many Siamese algae eaters can you keep in a tank?
You can keep more than one Siamese algae eater in the tank. They show off their best behaviors in schools of at least 4-6.
Why do Siamese algae eaters stop eating?
Sometimes Siamese algae eaters will stop eating algae in favor of the other foods you give them if you keep adding too much. They can eat a lot, they would eat all day if you let them.
How big do Siamese algae eaters get?
Siamese Algae Eater Size and Appearance. True Siamese algae eater have a long, narrow body that reaches up to six inches. They’re usually a pale grey or gold with a black stripe that spans from the head to the tail.
Why are algae eaters so popular?
The reason they’ve become so popular is that they’re one of the best algae eaters available. They move around a lot, so they cover the whole tank quickly. While the movement helps with the algae, it keeps your tank active and interesting too. Lots of other algae eaters don’t move much ( like nerite snails ).
What fish are good for beginners?
Since they’re peaceful, these fish are ideal for beginners to add to their community aquarium. One thing to look out for is the Siamese flying fox which looks almost identical to the algae eaters and as a result, they are often confused.
How to tell if a fox is an algae eater?
The easiest way to work out which species you are looking at is to check for flaps in the corner of the mouth. Flying foxes have them but algae eaters don’t. However, this is nearly impossible to check when the fish are alive and swimming around, so you can make an educated guess by looking at the color.
What is a Siamese Algae Eater?
The name Siamese Algae Eater refers to algae eating fish in the Crossocheilus genus.
6 Fun Facts About Siamese Algae Eaters
In addition to the Flying Fox, there are two other algae eating fish that are similar to this one: the Chinese Algae Eater and the False Algae Eater. False Algae Eaters are almost identical to this fish, while the Chinese Algae Eater looks very different and is much more aggressive.
Can You Breed Siamese Algae Eaters?
There are many reasons why breeding Siamese Algae Eaters is not recommended.
Siamese Algae Eater History and First Sighting
Crossocheilus oblongus was the first species to be discovered in 1823 by Kuhl and van Hasselt.
Summary
The Siamese Algae Eater is not the most remarkable looking fish but it is certainly one of the most helpful.
What is a Siamese algae eater?
This is where the Siamese Algae Eater comes in. They’re a unique fish and incredibly popular for their abilities to efficiently clean most of the algae within a tank.
What fish can you avoid?
Avoid other aggressive fish that are known to attack other fish such as bettas and cichlids.
What to do if a fish becomes aggressive?
If you do happen to notice that they become aggressive, immediately remove them from the situation. They aren’t well-equipped to be fighting other fish and may become seriously hurt. Hopefully, you won’t run into this issue.
Can a Siamese algae eater be kept alone?
They’re ideal in large groups but will do well when kept by themselves as well. No matter how few or many fish are in your tank, the Siamese Algae Eater fits right in without an issue.
Is a Siamese algae eater social?
Siamese Algae Eaters are social, especially when you have them paired with others of their species.
Siamese Algae Eater Facts & Overview
Appearance
- True Siamese algae eaters have a long, narrow bodythat reaches up to six inches. They’re usually a pale grey or gold with a black stripe that spans from the head to the tail. You might find that the stripe begins to fade; this could be during a mating display, times of stress, or a way to camouflage themselves (which is less common in the aquarium). There are no differences betw…
Habitat and Tank Conditions
- In the wild, you will find Siamese algae eaters in the densely planted rivers and streams of Southeast Asia. These are the same habitat preferences of closely related Asian Carp. These tropical waters are slightly acidic and don’t tend to have a fast current. Under the surface, you will find lots of plants, rocks, and logs that provide shelter. An algae eater’s time is split between hidi…
Diet
- The main part of their diet is in their name. In the wild they would eat algae, plant matter, and vegetation but they’re not just herbivores. They’re scavengers so they will eat whatever they find, including dead fish and insects. It’s easy to provide for them in the aquarium, they are not fussy and will eat most things you add to the tank. This in...
Care
- There aren’t any specific diseases that these species are prone to, but that doesn’t mean they won’t get ill at some point. Most diseases give off signs, some are more obvious than others. For example, the common Ichthyophthirius multifiliis parasite (generally known as “ich”) causes small white dots around the body. Lots of diseases have treatments and medicines that you can buy w…
Breeding
- It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to breed these fish yourself, even though they mate in the same wayas lots of other fish. They’re only known to breed in farms with the aid of hormones. Simply sexing them is hard enough and needs a keen eye. Females are about 30% larger once fully matured. Spawning could probably be triggered by changes in water conditions (temperature, p…
Are Siamese Algae Eaters Suitable For Your Aquarium?
- Whether you’re new to fishkeeping or you’ve been doing it for years, you shouldn’t have a problem keeping Siamese algae eaters happy and healthy. They’re peaceful and hardy so less likely to fall victim to beginner mistakes. If your tank contains plants, peaceful fish, and has enough free space, they will thrive. In return, your aquarium will look cleaner and more lively.
Siamese Algae Eater FAQs