Linwood
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I bought 8 SAE from a local small LFS.
I first did a lot of reading to make sure I (thought) I could recognize them, and think they are real SAE. And they behaved like it, and are doing fine - tank just plain clean of staghorn and hair algae of various sorts, and almost all BBA (didn't have a lot but most is gone). And extremely entertaining to watch (I have 6 in one tank, 2 in a smaller).
However... was back at that same LFS and his tank from which I got the fish now was labeled "Flying fox". Same fish, new label. I asked about it -- he said "flying fox and SAE are the same". I realize they are not, but now I'm worried about how he came to get them, and if I am mistaken on identification.
Oh... one more thing ... they are farm raised down in Florida, and I've heard SAE do not breed in captivity. I mentioned that and he said "hormones", which I guess is possible.
Anyway... any experts that can tell me if what I have is "True" SAE?
Incidentally -- my main clues are the stripe going through the tail, the transparent fins, and only one pair of barbels. And behaviorally they seem to match descriptions - less aggressive than I've read of others.
The color is more accurate in the first; the second got a real reflection off the flash in the bottom scales, but the second shows the mouth parts better.
So... true SAE?
I first did a lot of reading to make sure I (thought) I could recognize them, and think they are real SAE. And they behaved like it, and are doing fine - tank just plain clean of staghorn and hair algae of various sorts, and almost all BBA (didn't have a lot but most is gone). And extremely entertaining to watch (I have 6 in one tank, 2 in a smaller).
However... was back at that same LFS and his tank from which I got the fish now was labeled "Flying fox". Same fish, new label. I asked about it -- he said "flying fox and SAE are the same". I realize they are not, but now I'm worried about how he came to get them, and if I am mistaken on identification.
Oh... one more thing ... they are farm raised down in Florida, and I've heard SAE do not breed in captivity. I mentioned that and he said "hormones", which I guess is possible.
Anyway... any experts that can tell me if what I have is "True" SAE?
Incidentally -- my main clues are the stripe going through the tail, the transparent fins, and only one pair of barbels. And behaviorally they seem to match descriptions - less aggressive than I've read of others.
The color is more accurate in the first; the second got a real reflection off the flash in the bottom scales, but the second shows the mouth parts better.
So... true SAE?
