Sae Advice

[alex1]

I was trying to find some siamese algae eating fish(sorry I have forgotten their correct name) in my LFS today. He said he did not stock them but could order some if I wanted.
He also said that they only eat algae for about the first 6 months of their life and after that they only eat the food given to the other fish. Is this correct?
I do not have a huge algae problem but it would be nice to have a couple to gobble up what I do have.

 

[The-Wolf]

SAE(Siamese algae eater)Crossocheilus siamensis will always eat algae; the information given to you is for the CAE (Chinese algae eater)Gyrinocheilus aymonieri

This link will explain the differences between all species that are confused.
http/www.thekrib.com/Fish/Algae-Eaters/

 

[alex1]

Thanks, I thought so but he would not agree with me. He tried to sell me some of his chinese algea eaters saying they were a much better choice!
I must say it was a rather difficult conversation as he spoke really fast German and I had to concentrate to converse with him.
We also had a bit of a disagreement about the EI method of ferts, but that is another story.

 

[oldwhitewood]

Sounds about right! I have a lot of 'discussions' with aquatic store retailers, sometimes I just think to myself "you are totally wrong" but I don't often say it. I've had a lot of bad experiences when I kept marines, in a couple of shops which shall remain nameless I was given totally conflicting information, and a few times livestock wouldn't be sold to me. The marinefishkeeping world, where retailers are concerned seems very arrogant to me. I only hope that planted tanks become as popular so we can be snobbish to people

But yeah spot on info about the siamese algae eaters, the chinese ones, they get labelled as sucking loach here, are useless. I used to keep them years ago before I found out about ottos and subsequently SAE's I remember one in particular developed a big red swollen belly and became lazy and agressive to it's tankmates.

 

[zig]

My most recent conversation with an lfs owner was about setting up a substrate for a planted tank, he advised me to get a bag of peat moss and add a 2 inch layer to the bottom of the tank and then get another 2 inch layer of rockwool (the stuff plants come potted in) and put this over the peat moss and then add a little gravel on top, and that was it, works everytime he assured me!!

 

[shrimply]

My most recent conversation with an lfs owner was about setting up a substrate for a planted tank, he advised me to get a bag of peat moss and add a 2 inch layer to the bottom of the tank and then get another 2 inch layer of rockwool (the stuff plants come potted in) and put this over the peat moss and then add a little gravel on top, and that was it, works everytime he assured me!!

And have you tried it. It may work. Of course testing your water for CO2 would be difficult but does anyone actually use peat for aquarium plants. I know it is far to strong to be used on its own for garden plants. Are aquatic plants the same. It sounds rediculas but then again you could be surprised.

If I had loads of money I would love to set up a test tank for every unusual peice of advice I was given the results might be interesting.

My aquatic shop has only given me good advice I honestly can't complain with anything he has told me.

 

[Anita]

Hi pied piper

Here's another link for you, with a couple of colour pictures down the bottom of the page

http/aquatic.uk-life.org.uk/index.php?showtopic=13747

Anita...