Solve An Old Fish Id Mystery

[stanleo]

I bought this fish when he was 2 inches long at a reputable LFS and they were calling it a siamese algae eater. They said they were peaceful and ate algae. 
 
All was fine when he was small but then the fish grew up. He became increasing aggressive to everything in the 29gl. I did some research and decided he was a Chinese algae eater and not the Siamese one. He was six inches long so I had to give him up to the LFS.
 
Now I have discovered the flying fox and the more I am reading i am thinking that what I had was a flying fox. I am pretty sure that now I know it was not a chinese algae eater. I have narrowed it down to being either the siamese algae eater or the flying fox. I have a good pic of my fish, a good pic of a flying fox and a good pic of a siamese algae eater. You be the judge
 
This is my fish
 
   
 
This is a flying fox
 

 
this is a siamese algae eater
 

 

[Wills]

Siamese Algae Eater - the lateral stripe runs into the tail fin.
 
Wills

 

[Lillefishy]

Siamese algae eater, they do better when kept in groups

 

[stanleo]

could that be why he kept chasing everybody?

 

[Lillefishy]

Possibly, there is someone here that keeps a group of them, I forget who, & has no problems with them being aggressive as any aggression is kept amongst themselves

 

[Byron]

Agree.  There is indeed much confusion over the "Siamese Algae Eater" but what you have is the species correctly termed for the hobby SAE.  
 
This is not the "true" species, just to confuse matters.  The "true" fish is Crossocheilus siamensis, which was described in 1931 by H.M. Smith and this name is often used for the hobby SAE.  But this fish is probably unknown in the hobby, since the holotype (means the collected wild fish used to identify and name the species) is the only specimen of the species known.  The hobby SAE is actually Crossocheilus langei, described in 1850 by P. Bleeker.
 
And just when you thought it couldn't get more confusing...the species C. siamensis fish was actually described prior to Smith's as C. oblongus, so the species "C. siamensis" does not actually exist at all as a distinct species.  And we're not done yet.
 
There are several near-identical species within Crossocheilus, and they are occasionally seen in the hobby. Their usefulness as "algae eaters" is variable, depending upon the species. Then there are two other fish often confused with the SAE, known as the False Siamese Algae Eater, Garra cambodgiensis, and the Flying Fox, Epalzeorhynchos kalopterus. Both of these regularly appear in the hobby, but neither will handle brush/beard algae like the common SAE. The False SAE can be distinguished by the dark lateral band that ends at the caudal peduncle whereas on the subject fish this band continues into the caudal fin. The Flying Fox has white-edged red and black coloured fins, not clear fins as in the subject species.
 
As others have correctly noted, this fish is best in a group of six or more, and it will form a distinct hierarchy within the group.  It will attain six inches, and without a group frequently gets a bit nasty.  Another example of Loiselle's comment below my signature.
 
Byron.

 

[CoryFever]

Byron is always bringing good information to the table
 

Agree.  There is indeed much confusion over the "Siamese Algae Eater" but what you have is the species correctly termed for the hobby SAE.  
 
This is not the "true" species, just to confuse matters.  The "true" fish is Crossocheilus siamensis, which was described in 1931 by H.M. Smith and this name is often used for the hobby SAE.  But this fish is probably unknown in the hobby, since the holotype (means the collected wild fish used to identify and name the species) is the only specimen of the species known.  The hobby SAE is actually Crossocheilus langei, described in 1850 by P. Bleeker.
 
And just when you thought it couldn't get more confusing...the species C. siamensis fish was actually described prior to Smith's as C. oblongus, so the species "C. siamensis" does not actually exist at all as a distinct species.  And we're not done yet.
 
There are several near-identical species within Crossocheilus, and they are occasionally seen in the hobby. Their usefulness as "algae eaters" is variable, depending upon the species. Then there are two other fish often confused with the SAE, known as the False Siamese Algae Eater, Garra cambodgiensis, and the Flying Fox, Epalzeorhynchos kalopterus. Both of these regularly appear in the hobby, but neither will handle brush/beard algae like the common SAE. The False SAE can be distinguished by the dark lateral band that ends at the caudal peduncle whereas on the subject fish this band continues into the caudal fin. The Flying Fox has white-edged red and black coloured fins, not clear fins as in the subject species.
 
As others have correctly noted, this fish is best in a group of six or more, and it will form a distinct hierarchy within the group.  It will attain six inches, and without a group frequently gets a bit nasty.  Another example of Loiselle's comment below my signature.
 
Byron.