Best way to tell em apart

[Sky042]

in the store tanks. I can never tell which one is which so I'm afraid to buy them.
However the algae in my 46G gets bad sometimes and I'm tired of scraping.

 

[Nospherith]

Basically, Siamensis (True SAE) have colorless transparent fins and a single black band running along the lateral that extends into the caudal fin. False SAE's/Flying Fox have 2 bands running along the lateral: one black and a beige band above it. The bands do not extend into the caudal. Their fins are also a beige color.

The Chinese Algae Eater has a sucker mouth, the SAE does not.

Siamensis (True SAE):

Flying Fox:

Chinese Algae Eater:

http/www.thekrib.com/Fish/Algae-Eaters/

 

[Sky042]

The things I've been seeing labled as algae eaters have had a brown line down the side but it's more of a series of dots than a solid line. and they do appear to have a sucker like mouth.

 

[terrorist_124]

it's a CAE IMO

 

[Nospherith]

Chinese algae eaters tend to be more aggressive as they mature.

If you trying to get the algae off the glass, then plecos would probably be better because SAE's dont eat off the glass.

 

[rdd1952]

Here's another good site that details algae eaters.