Do SAE's/Flying foxes actually eat algae?

[meese-a-mew]

Do SAE's/Flying foxes actually eat algae?

I'm thinking of buying a couple of them but do they actually eat algae off of plants?
I heard that they really don't do anything.
Is this true?

 

[Rodeo one]

I just bought 3 Flying Fox & they def made a difference with my BBA.



They re also fun to watch, they school together & play? I really like them.

 

[camwhite]

i have about 4 in my tank.
They do it a lot of the algae, you will still get some on the plant but they do eat it.
as Rodeo One said, they are fun to watch
mine like to swim under and over the leaves and do twists and sometimes chase each other for fun.

But to answer your question. Yes the do eat the algae but sometimes not all of it

 

[bshenanagins]

SAE's will help but won't solve the problem. They do good job of keeping it at bay or when it's on it's way out.

 

[meese-a-mew]

Ok thanks for your opinions

 

[mrvincent]

Yes, siamensis are GREAT algae eater. It will only not eat green spots algae.

 

[meese-a-mew]

So they do eat hair algae?

 

[Rivercats]

When both species are young they both eat most types of algae, including hair algae but as they mature they both get large, and normally lose their interest in algae altogether. It's actually better for the tank for you to find the reason your getting algae and correct it as algae eaters shouldn't be used to try to control algae problems. Try turning lights down to 6 hours running time daily until algae is gone and then slowly raise the photoperiod after that. Usually 8 hours is all you need unless you have low light which can often be run longer hours.

Then is the tank planted? If so do you use liquid carbon or CO2? What about ferts?

What type lighting do you have and how long do you run it daily?

Do you know your nitrate and phosphate levels?

Many types of algae, like hair algae can be easily spot treated with hydrogen peroxide 3% to kill it off.

 

[meese-a-mew]

When both species are young they both eat most types of algae, including hair algae but as they mature they both get large, and normally lose their interest in algae altogether. It's actually better for the tank for you to find the reason your getting algae and correct it as algae eaters shouldn't be used to try to control algae problems. Try turning lights down to 6 hours running time daily until algae is gone and then slowly raise the photoperiod after that. Usually 8 hours is all you need unless you have low light which can often be run longer hours.

Then is the tank planted? If so do you use liquid carbon or CO2? What about ferts?

What type lighting do you have and how long do you run it daily?

Do you know your nitrate and phosphate levels?

Many types of algae, like hair algae can be easily spot treated with hydrogen peroxide 3% to kill it off.

Tank has an Anubias nana plant and ludwigia and I think dwarf hair grass.
I use excel and flourish.
I have a fluorescent tube that is 14w and a LED light tube that says that each led is 2 watts and there are 12 led's. They run for 11 hours I think.
Nitrates is 0. I don't know about the phosphates.

 

[Rivercats]

Your running lighting way too long. Cut down to 6 hours daily until the algae is gone. In a planted tank you should have 10-20ppm nitrates and 1-3ppm phosphates. Are you doing any ferts? Low nutrient levels actually favor algae so you need to get some Seachem Phosphorous (phosphates) and Seachem Nitrogen (nitrates) and start using them as directed. It would also help to get an API Phosphate test kit and start testing your nitrate and phosphate levels weekly before a WC to see if your dosing enough, too much, or just right.

I don't see DHG in the picture. But something else that helps would be dosing Excel, liquid carbon daily at 1ml Excel to every 5 gallons of tank water.

 

[meese-a-mew]

Your running lighting way too long. Cut down to 6 hours daily until the algae is gone. In a planted tank you should have 10-20ppm nitrates and 1-3ppm phosphates. Are you doing any ferts? Low nutrient levels actually favor algae so you need to get some Seachem Phosphorous (phosphates) and Seachem Nitrogen (nitrates) and start using them as directed. It would also help to get an API Phosphate test kit and start testing your nitrate and phosphate levels weekly before a WC to see if your dosing enough, too much, or just right.

I don't see DHG in the picture. But something else that helps would be dosing Excel, liquid carbon daily at 1ml Excel to every 5 gallons of tank water.

That is an old pic and I am dosing excel already.
I will lower the amount of time my light is on for.