It is a SAE that is for sure, i had to debate over Pet at home about them selling them one time, so i know about them being mistaken for other speices such as the chinese algae eater, but mine seem to not mind being single in a tank or together in that matter, But SAE even in shoals tend to chase one another, however will not hurt one another or so i learnt from this book that has information upon them, i also checked and there's a fact sheet that also says the same thing about them... Now i recon i have a odd ball here, because this one seem to be getting violent and i have reason why, but this SAE has lost the use of it tail by means i have no clue how, but the other is as gentle as a young puppy and so i might do a switch between the two tanks, because the SAE wont go for swordtail and besides these swordtial will attack back if he goes for them....
I guess i am going to have to use a old ice-cream tub, of spread tub to catch my little critters, because i have a planted tank and there are large slat rocks in my tank too that provide safety area for him that he dives into, the last time i had to fish him out i had no choice but the net, and it took two hour to catch him with nothing more than a lid of a huge tub and a net, it was not fun for either of us two