oto or chinese algae eater

[Bryan]

Can somone tell me what i have here please.

 

[Phantom Thief]

I'm pretty sure that's a CAE.

P.T.

 

[modernhamlet]

Agreed. CAE.

 

[SirMinion]

Certainly nota notto. er.. not an otto

 

[Phantom Thief]

I'm pretty sure it's a CAE because of the pattern around the stripe, and the brown spots on the tail.

P.T.

 

[Bryan]

not what I wanted to here.
COULD they have eat'n my little baby cardinals (or harassed them to death, never found the bodies though)?
guess I'll have to try and trap them.
They do a good job cleaning the tank though.

 

[Zenn]

Thats IS a Chinese Algae eater, i have not doubt there, trust me, i have experience with those dam critters!

CAE are easy to identify through them having a type of zigzag pattern on there strip, or small black spots running along the black stripe along their bodies, also they have a large sucker mouth, that when against the glass, you can see into their mouths and they have two small holes in their mouths...

If you didnt know already, CAE are alright when they are small, but as they grow up they get agressive, and sometimes so aggressive they will attack anything fish around they if given the chance...

I had experience, but very bad experience after my favorite swordtail had her stomach taken out by the chinese algae eater

:'(

 

[sylvia]

CAE 100% .They grow to 10 inches and become very aggressive slime-coat-suckers and fish-eaters as they mature They have a zig-zag line as well as a noticeable gold line above this stripe ans small black dots on the caudal fin. The black stripe doesn't extend into the caudal fin.

Otos have a smooth black stripe that thins out towards the penduncle and then becomes a large-ish spot at the penduncle which extends somewhat into the caudal. They also don't have that very noticeable golden tinge and don't grow larger than 2 inches or have dots on the tail. They are also sociable and peaceful algae eaters which the CAEs are obviously not.

 

[Nauplii]

algea eater trust me i work in a fish shop lol

 

[jmelnek]

Otto imposter...RUN!!!

 

[sylvia]

LOL!

 

[Zenn]

lol, i got confused between a Otto and a Siemese algae eater myself, i am still after a little otto, i think they look adorable...

 

[sylvia]

SIAMESE algae eaters are fine. It's the CHINESE that cause problems. Telling them apart is quite simple - SAE have completely colorless fins (no blotches or flecks like the oto and no spots on the tail like the CAE) The dorsal is also much wider at the base than on an oto and they have a very even black line with a light golden-cream line above it and a brown-grey top half. They are also more 'torpedo-shaped' and have smaller eyes compared to their body size than otos do. SAEs are related to 'sharks' so they also don't possess the sucker-type mouth like the CAE does or oto catfish do. Over-all the most obvious difference is the lack of ANY markings on the fins which both otos and chinese algae eaters posses but SAEs do not. Otos are destinguishable from CAEs mainly because they do not possess a zig-zag stripe.