Crossocheilus Oblongus - Siamese Flying Fox

[three-fingers]

Siamese flying fox

I've just taken home 3 of these little guys from work for 68p each, and was just wondering if anyone has any experience with them?

They seem very social with each other, and seem to form a shoal just like tetras (when I first put them in they were sticking together tightly, exploring their surroundings).

They have eaten some of the brown diatom algae in my tank, and brine shrimp.

However I've not found much solid information on the internet about them, I've only presumed them to be the same as Siamese algae eaters but to eat less algae (was told this at work).
My worry right now is that they will become aggressive towards each other as they grow up, like a few other species regularly mistaken for the Siamese algae eater. The krib seems to thing that is "probably" the case, but I've not seen any info from anyone with experience with these guys.

Thanks, any input appreciated .

 

[steelhealr]

Check out the TFF Index above. I have posted on the false siamensis, and rdd posted on the Crossocheilus siamensis....they can be mislabelled at the lfs. Check out the posts and if you have a real one, you can be the first to add the post AFTER you get some experience with it. Look forward to pix. SH

 

[three-fingers]

Thanks steelhealr.
On closer inspection, I'm not entirely sure what I have.
Since I've put them in, they have 'coloured' up again. Originally the stripe didn't run through the tail (but was visible on one of them), I can now identify one of them as a definate Crossocheilus siamensis as the stripe is reticulated and extends through the tail.
One still appears to be Crossocheilus oblongus, the stripe doesn't extend through the tail and the stripe is barely reticulated if at all.
The other one has a reticulated stripe, but I don't think it extends through the tail.
Adding to the confusion, fishbase' images of Crossocheilus oblongus don't match descriptions, but look exactly the same as what I have.

They are all young at <1.5", so maybe the markings will change as they grow?

At the moment I think I have two species though.

I may be able to take some decent pics this evening, I tried last night but to no avail (my camera is the Konica Minolta Dimage e500, rumoured to have single-handedly brought down Konica Minolta )

 

[three-fingers]

This is the best pic I can get of them at the moment, they are so fast I had to use the flash, which washed out the colours and makes my background look nasty. Excuse the algae btw . So has anyone here any thoughts? C.oblongus or C.siamensis?

 

[steelhealr]

Other helps...false has very pink lips, yellow fins and a blue spot at the insertion of the first pectoral fin. SH

 

[three-fingers]

OK two of them are certainly real Siamese algae eaters - Crossocheilus siamensis.
One of them may be C.oblongus, but I'm going to have to wait to find out as it's more like a cross between the descriptions of C.siamensis and C.oblongus.
But I'm pretty happy I've got at at least two real Siamese algae eaters (and they are eating my algae very efficiently).