What is a flying fox?

[sarah5775]

I have no algae eaters or bottom feeders in my 29 gallon. I talked to the guy at the fish store about getting something, since algae is out of control, and, well, I'd like a lower level fish.

He suggested a flying fox. What is this fish? I can't find any information about it online. My algae control choices are limited- a pleco gets too big, chinese algae eaters turn mean (been down that road) when I had four ottos they didn't make a dent, plus they were impossible to keep alive, so I don't want to go with them....could someone give me some info on this fish and advice?

My tank has 5 black longfin tetras
1 grown platy
1 grown molly
2 baby mollies (one of which I plan to keep)
5 1/2 inch or 1/4 inch platys (will keep two or possibly three of them)
1 surviving otto

running an AquaClear 50.

What are my options? Is a flying fox the way to go?

 

[rich311k]

Mollys are pretty good on hair algae removal. A bristle nose pleco may be just what you are looking for. Good hard workers and not to big. A fish will not solve the problem if it is that bad.

 

[sarah5775]

Oops, forgot to add my three 1 1/2 inch gold barbs.

 

[Zagz]

A flying fox fish IMO would not be good in your tank. It grows aggressive as it grows older and sucks on the slime coat of other fish. A true SAE is better at algae eating. As mentioned by Rich, solving the problem of the algae is better than getting a fish to try and correct the problem. Black mollies are excellent on hair algae IME.

Links to the Flying fox.

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/fox.htm

http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_fox.php

 

[sarah5775]

The algae really got bad when I left for a week and left the lights on. Before that it was unsightly, now it is out of control. I went an algae eater/bottom feeder anyway, just because I would like one- but what else can I do to reduce algae? Would keeping aquarium lights mostly off for a week do it? I have java moss, would it survive? I heard it is low light.

So a flying fox is out- what do you recommend instead Jagz? Would you go with the bristlenose too?

I don't think a SAE is an option because I've never seen one in the lfs.

 

[Zagz]

I love bristlenose plecos and have several. Black mollies would work in your tank as well. Does the tank have any direct sunlight on it? You could do a black out for the tank, depending on how bad the algae is. From what I understand about java moss, I don't have it, it is very very hardy and should be fine without light for a few days.

 

[sarah5775]

I already have three young mollies (one 2 inch golden one and 2 1/2 inch black ones) and I see them nibble at algae sometimes but they don't seem to make a dent.

What is a blackout, simply having the lights out for a week? I have 2 plays and my molly in breeder boxes, (no fry yet) will they be ok with the lights out?

No direct sunlight.

 

[theotheragentm]

I don't think a SAE is an option because I've never seen one in the lfs.

Where are you located? Maybe someone can recommend a place with some. I have a store that labels them as Flying Foxes, but they're SAEs.

 

[sarah5775]

Northern NJ. Morris County. I could try asking at the privately owned fish store in Denville. They are usually more knowledgeable than the Petsmart and Petco.

 

[Zagz]

A black out is when you keep the lights off in the tank, & cover the tank to allow no light in. It is a drastic measure. Try keeping the lights off for a few days and see if that makes a dent in the algae. Do you know what kind of algae you are suffering from? The fish will be fine without the lights on.

 

[sarah5775]

Mostly green on the sides of the tank. A little brown too. No blue-green slime, I nipped that in the bud Some hair algae, which I don't mind, the mollies like to snack on it- I've even seen the platys do this. Mostly its the green and brown algae that's the problem.

Will try keeping the lights off for a few days.

Still, what about the algae eater?

 

[Zagz]

Bristlenose pleco is a good choice. I scrape the green algae off the side of the tank with a razor blade. Works great when I have had the lights on too much and get an outbreak.

 

[rkilling1]

A flying fox fish IMO would not be good in your tank. It grows aggressive as it grows older and sucks on the slime coat of other fish.

That would be a CAE (Chinese Algae Eater). A flying fox is normally only aggressive to it's own kind. (Just like most algae eaters)

Here is a nice article that discusses all the different types of algae eaters normally confused with the SAE:

http://www.thekrib.com/Fish/Algae-Eaters/

 

[Zagz]

A flying fox fish IMO would not be good in your tank. It grows aggressive as it grows older and sucks on the slime coat of other fish.

That would be a CAE (Chinese Algae Eater). A flying fox is normally only aggressive to it's own kind. (Just like most algae eaters)

Here is a nice article that discusses all the different types of algae eaters normally confused with the SAE:

http://www.thekrib.com/Fish/Algae-Eaters/

Based on the webpages listed and personal experience, the flying fox also has been noted to eat slime coats of fish as it gets larger. The CAE most definately does eat the slime coat of fish, I was not confusing the two. The SAE does not eat the slime coat of fish.

 

[evercl92]

how about rubberlip or clown pleco?
malaysian trumpet snails?

clean up the algae that you can.
simply leaving the lights off for a few days probably won't get it done. You'll need to wrap the tank so that no light, no ambient light gets to the tank. You can feed your fish (lightly) at night, but be sure that the tank doesn't get light for at least 3 days. You'll want to do a hefty (~50%) water change to help rid the tank of dead algae. Otherwise it will rot, and become food for any algae that remained.

 

[sarah5775]

The guy at the fish store recommended clown plecos too. They are getting some in next week. They sound like a good bet to me, what do you all think? How many for a 29 gallon tank? I am thinking two. Are they also aggressive to their own kind, or will two be ok?

BTW, I have kept the lights off for two days and the algae already seems to be better. I will keep the lights off for a few more days and see if it clears up even more. If it doesn't, I will try the total blackout thing.

Thanks for all the advice!

 

[tkos]

Fish will only resort to slime coat eating if they are starved. That is not an aggression thing in its own right. Flying foxes don't eat much in the way of algae and get territorial, not so much aggressive. CAE's turn to slime coat eating and aggression as they rely less on algae as they age and are rarely given a proper diet. The same can be said of many plecos as well.