SAE or Flying Fox/Falsies?

[garethax]

Its bothered me to the point of signing up and starting a thread >_< I bought three of these cute little buggers from a local pet store that assured me they were, and I quote. "Considered true Flying Foxes", when I asked about their behavior they said they schooled and were completely non-aggressive. So naturally I asked if they were SAE's then, since Flying foxes don't eat much bearded algae and become very aggressive... At this point I was looked at like an idiot and had the same line parroted back to me. But since they had so many of them in other tanks to try and eliminate their algae problem, plus how well they schooled, I decided they probably just didn't know the real name for them and took them at their word. However I noticed these guys turn very pale when stressed and sometimes pick at each other, though they usually stay peaceful and school around the tank in a group of two and occasionally all 3, or at night, (and or) when seemingly tired, rest propped up at a 30 or so degree angle on their fins. (If it is important they rotate who is the oddball out, its actually pretty fun to watch) And honestly I have tried for a few days now to attempt to identify whether they are real SAE's, or Flying foxes/falsies, but I am just not experienced enough by a long shot and simply cannot, for the life of me, tell!

As far as I can tell they only have two mouth Barbel-Things, I can't really see any color in their fins, and the black stripe appears jagged and is somewhat opaque in their tails (although one guy has very little black in his tail and looks somewhat different). The stripe continues rather prominently into their face to the end of their mouth. They are rather zippy and sometimes chase each other or kind of hover close to each other and bump their heads-and mouths into each other. (once again they sometimes get kind of pale when they do this or when they get stressed)
Any Advice or Help is greatly appreciated, thanks for your time!

 

[bud29]

I would be inclined to say they're true SAE's but it is tough. True SAE's only have one pair of barbels, while Flying Foxes have two, and Flying foxes have some red in their tail fins, while it doesn't appear yours do. However, true SAE's are normally not aggressive to each other, and it appears yours are being a little aggressive.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

If I had to guess it would be that they are true SAE for the fact that they have the jagged stripe through the tail and you said they have only one set of barbels.
http://www.fishlore.com/aquariummagazine/may08/siamese-algae-eater-id.htm
This site may help.

Like any fish they don't get on all the time. They will chase and pick at each other on occasion but will usually be very peaceful and swim together regularly.

 

[garethax]

They are tricky to keep up with for sure. I might sit down and watch if only one of them is ever aggressive towards the others. Its a very odd behavior, they kinda swim right next to each other and bump into one another and one will kinda peck or ram the other occasionally with its head. It is usually only one of the two who does it, but the other doesn't really even try to get away. They don't seem to cause each other any harm whatsoever though. or at least as far as I can tell.

I only see one pair of barbels, but they are so small its pretty difficult to see. (not to mention they rarely sit still)
I've actually been to that site XD, I just can't tell. They don't have the uniformity of color shown in the SAE picture there, but the flying foxes I find never have any black in the tail. On top of that the face and head doesn't seem right for any of the three pictures. The false Siamese looks a little like it, but the mouth doesn't seem quite right and mine don't have nearly as defined a gold stripe (in fact its not really defined at all, just kind of a separation between the stripe and the top color) or as dark/solid a back as the ones I see pictured. They resemble all of them so much that I just can't decide >_<

 

[Mumma.of.two]

You might just have to wait until they have settled in and grown a touch. You can always rehome them if they turn out to be the false.

 

[tamtam]

True SAE is my guess. Most obvious sign is the black extending into the tail there. Not only are SAEs and flying foxes often mixed up but so are CAEs. I was sold 2 CAEs that were suppose to be SAEs. It was also a giant pain to figure out what they actually are.

If they re only picking at each other occasionally I would say they are probably getting used to their surroundings and new school size. I bet there were a lot more than 3 in that tank before. Heck even my neons would chase each other to an extent sometimes.

 

[garethax]

True SAE is my guess. Most obvious sign is the black extending into the tail there. Not only are SAEs and flying foxes often mixed up but so are CAEs. I was sold 2 CAEs that were suppose to be SAEs. It was also a giant pain to figure out what they actually are.

If they re only picking at each other occasionally I would say they are probably getting used to their surroundings and new school size. I bet there were a lot more than 3 in that tank before. Heck even my neons would chase each other to an extent sometimes.

I am having some problems with my neons as well oiy those fish are tricky... Well thanks everyone, I guess I'll assume they are SAE's until they get a little bigger or if the get more aggressive.

 

[tamtam]

I am having some problems with my neons as well oiy those fish are tricky... Well thanks everyone, I guess I'll assume they are SAE's until they get a little bigger or if the get more aggressive.

I usually have decent luck with mine but I've lost all but 2 to an internal parasite outbreak in my tank. I actually can't locate 1 of the 2 now so i will need to start a hunt tonight if it doesn't show up.

 

[garethax]

I usually have decent luck with mine but I've lost all but 2 to an internal parasite outbreak in my tank. I actually can't locate 1 of the 2 now so i will need to start a hunt tonight if it doesn't show up.

What are the symptoms and signs of that in neon's? Can it spread? I've suddenly started losing one tetra a night (literally only at night) and I have no clue what is causing it. Two had odd looking slits on their bellies. I assumed that just meant my other fish noticed them before I did.