# SAE and Java moss



## Faruk Gençöz (Nov 4, 2005)

Some people say SAEs eat java moss, some says the opposite. I got many SAEs in each of my aquarium and it is impossible for me to grow up java moss in them. My SAEs always eat java moss. SAEs have an endless type of appetite. They eat whatever comes from the feeder. When they do not find something to eat they graze algea and the moss. But some people show pictured evidences that they do not touch the moss. This makes me question the SAE-Java moss relationship. 

Could it be possible that we are talking about different type of SAEs and different type of Java moss?


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

There appears to be a good variability in sae's and their 'salad bowl' personalities. Some people report that they don't touch any of their plants, including the mosses, others the opposite. Also the older they get, the more likely they are to eat what you don't want them to.


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## Faruk Gençöz (Nov 4, 2005)

When they were younger they were again eating the moss. They did not change their eating habits in my aquariums. They are quite effective in controlling the red algea even they are 2 years old.

Possible differences between SAE, flying fox, false SAE etc. can be one explanation why some eat moss and some do the opposite. The other explanation is that moss types are quite variable. May be they eat selectively one type and that is the one I own. It's hard to identify exactly what it is but my moss seems to be V. reticulata (erect moss).










And my SAEs seem to be real SAE.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

Wow, they're quite tame, aren't they?

You're right, they are true SAE's. Mine devour every bit of Java moss in the tank too, but leave most everything else alone.

I also have some false Siamensis (one that's often confused with SAE's) and they never touch the moss, so that could be part of the difference in experience people have.


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## Faruk Gençöz (Nov 4, 2005)

JanS said:


> I also have some false Siamensis (one that's often confused with SAE's) and they never touch the moss, so that could be part of the difference in experience people have.


This is a wonderful info for me. Thank you. Are your SAEs tame too?


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

fgencoz said:


> Are your SAEs tame too?


No, mine are nothing like yours in the photo. They're not shy, but the don't swarm me like that, either. Do you have some sort of tasty algae growing on your hand?


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

This isn't the best photo (ignore the algae and glass...), but here's a pic of one of my False Siamensis. One of the big obvious differences is that the dark line stops at the base of the tail, rather than running all the way through it.

As they age, the difference becomes more obvious, but when they are small, they are often confused. In fact, these guys were some that I special ordered as true SAE's, and I even gave the store the scientific name but they ignored it. This is what I got, and they swore that they are all the same, including Flying Foxes....[-X Not that they are bad fish; they eat every bit, or more algae than the true SAE's do.


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## Faruk Gençöz (Nov 4, 2005)

Yesterday I put another type of Vesicularia in SAE's tank. During the first day they were not interested in the moss. We'll see what will happen in a couple of days.

Your fish looks great. So does your question. "Do I have some sort of tasty algae growing on my hand?" Wow, am I an *algeaman*?


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## matthewburk (Sep 27, 2005)

My SAE's are also all over my hand and arm when doing maintainance.


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## oceanaqua (Oct 24, 2005)

I have the same problem, I could not grow Java moss at all. I think its because the java moss are collecting detritus and they are looking for something to eat and their suction just rip the leaves out of the Java moss.


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## Gumby (Aug 1, 2005)

I have 2 SAE in my 125 gallon tank and they do not touch any of my species of moss. However, they LOVE to destroy Rotala walachii completely. Strangely enough, they don't touch Rotala sp. 'Vietnam'.


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## Faruk Gençöz (Nov 4, 2005)

Gumby and oceanaqua,

Could you please send the pics of the types of moss you have? I assume that both of you have real SAE.


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## oceanaqua (Oct 24, 2005)

I have remove the SAE a long time ago, apparently they were very simple to catch with a bait. My moss are now thriving. The moss type I remember are Java moss and Christmas moss, my SAE are real, their black line extend far beyond to the tail, they are fat too.


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## Faruk Gençöz (Nov 4, 2005)

oceanaqua said:


> I have the same problem, I could not grow Java moss at all. I think its because the java moss are collecting detritus and they are looking for something to eat and their suction just rip the leaves out of the Java moss.


I guess not. In the photo below you can see where and how SAE eats the moss. Especially the tips are gone. The tips must be the most fresh and the most clean parts and they are selectively gone.They don't eat the mature part of the stem but they selectively eat the leaves on that part. This selection, I think, is related to sense of taste.


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