Is This A True Siamese Algae Eater?

[betta fish]

Bought this little chap yesterday for my tank that is infested with black beard algae, but is he a true SAE? the tank he was in was labelled Siamese Flying Foxes!

 

[fishkeeper694]

looks like one x

 

[IcQb]

Yes, I would also agree with you and fishkeeper694

 

[lilfishie]

Looks like 1 to me

 

[golfzzin]

Id say yes, looks like mine when i first had them, they grow fast!!

 

[ultimatebob]

kinda hard to tell from the pic, but the difference is in how far the dark line extends back. the dark line keeps going into the tailfin in kallopterus(flying fox). it stops at the base of the tail in siamensis(siamese algae eater).

 

[betta fish]

I always thought it was the other way around? the dark line extends into the tail of the Siamese Algae Eater, and not the flying fox? the dark stripe does extend into the tail of this one, it was in a tank labelled Siamese Flying Foxes and when I said to the chap could I have a Siamese Algae Eater he did say flying fox! but to me it IS a true algae eater going by all the research I've done online but it is confusing, no wonder people find it difficult to find one

 

[ultimatebob]

it turns out, there is more than 2. this should help you id your fish:http/www.aquatic-gardeners.org/cyprinid.html

 

[betta fish]

Mine looks identical to the first fish, black stripe runs into tail and no colour in any of the other fins

 

[ultimatebob]

after looking at your pics, and the description, i think your fish is a true sae indeed. notice that the dark mark does go into the tail(like the flying fox), but sharpening into a point at the end of the tailfin. seems like no matter how much i think know, i learn something new everyday.

 

[betta fish]

Great stuff glad you agree, yes it's true there is always something new to be learnt each day even with things we all thought we knew about

 

[Blubble37]

yep definitely a SAE! they grow quite fast but will chow down on algae nicely

 

[gearhead65]

Sure is!! Flying fox has black on the fins, not the SAE. I love my SAEs. Cool fish.