# Group Otocinclus order. Make your interest known now!



## JRJ (Feb 9, 2005)

*Group Otocinclus or SAE order. Make your interest known!*

I'm going to order 50 Otocinclus cats from A&E. If you have real interest in going in with me list how many you want on this thread or forever hold your peace. The more we order, the less they cost. Right now, they should be about $1.10ea. I'm making the order on Monday. If you post after Sunday night you may loose out.

For those of you who don't know much about them you can go to: http://www.otocinclus.com/

Russ


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## Rob Tetrazona (Jun 21, 2005)

I'd like to give Oto's another shot, but I'm sure they'd all end up dead before long. I'd be interested in a future True SAE order if somebody has a source, because they supposedly eat red algae like BBA and I know I have a lot of BBA!!!


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## JRJ (Feb 9, 2005)

*SAEs*

Rob,

I'd rather order SAEs, if we could find a source. I've been looking. The only place I can find them from is Arizona Aquatic Gardens. They charge $2.99 for fish under 3/4" and 4.99 for fish between 1" - 1.5". The price isn't that bad but the shipping could be.

What'd you think?

-Russ


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## Simpte 27 (Jul 16, 2004)

Shipping won't be 2 bad if enough people go in on it. I figure it will run about $40.00 for shipping. Not too bad with 4 or more people ordering.


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## JRJ (Feb 9, 2005)

Well this sounds promising. Shall I change the name of the thread to SAE something?

-Russ


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## Troy McClure (Aug 3, 2005)

I'd be interested in six SAEs.


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## Rob Tetrazona (Jun 21, 2005)

We should be able to find some in the area somewhere. 

Russ, what LFS's have you called so far? Let's get a running list of places we have called. I'd like to save us the shipping cost if possible. 

Erik, can the Montfort Heights store quote us on an True SAE order?


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

A couple of words of caution with SAE's:

1) In my experience, they do well with algae when they are young. However, once they get a taste for fish food, they will rarely go after the algae. You have to keep them hungry by limiting feeding of fish food. I have noticed the same with Cherry Barbs. It is easier for them both to feed on flake or other food than it is to "hunt" for algae but it is also very easy to limit feeding them  

2) It has been "claimed" that SAE's will eat fine leaved plants like Rotala wallichii, possibly Rotala sp. 'Vietnam' and maybe some other fine leaf plants. I did not keep any of these plants when I had SAE's so I cannot say for sure on these claims. My tank was mostly algae free when I kept them though. 

3) They are very difficult to catch once you decide you no longer want them. The only way I could catch mine when I moved was to drain the tank completely! Then again, most fish are fairly hard to catch in planted tanks  There are a few DIY traps that may work, but I've never tried them.


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## ctmpwrdcamry (May 23, 2005)

I do like the idea of having some SAE however i hear they do not go well with discus. They do eat less algae as they get bigger, but as Matt said that can be curied with starvation


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## JRJ (Feb 9, 2005)

I haven't experienced SAEs eating less algae as they get bigger, but mine were always fairly small. 

I most definitely have experienced them stripping leaves off Rotala wallichii, so Matt's caution needs to be heeded if you're fond of that plant or other very fine leaved plants.

Matt's also correct on catching them. In my experience they are the world's fastest freshwater fish.

-Russ


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## Rob Tetrazona (Jun 21, 2005)

I'm still not scared. 4 should probably be enough for me.


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## Simpte 27 (Jul 16, 2004)

I'll take 10. I can always add them to the 6 I have now. Do we know what kind of oto they are?


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## JRJ (Feb 9, 2005)

Rob,

I checked Aquatics and Exotics, Just About Pets, House of Tropicals, Aquarium Adventure, and I even tried the Tri-county Jack's. Everyone says that they haven't been on their lists for a long time.

-Russ


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## Troy McClure (Aug 3, 2005)

I'll ask my cousin on Monday about what he might be able to order in, although there is absolutely no guarantee what he orders is what the supplier will ship. Sometimes they send true SAEs, sometimes they send the false siamensis....


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## Rob Tetrazona (Jun 21, 2005)

I'm game for whatever works out best for the group whether we have them shipped to us or not. A can't believe AA can't get them. I've seen them in there tanks this past year at $6 a pop.


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## Simpte 27 (Jul 16, 2004)

I was told SAEs are hard for stores to get in towards the winter and really aren't readily available until spring again.


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## ctmpwrdcamry (May 23, 2005)

Its that way for alot of fish. I used to try and keep clown loaches, but they would always get ick. Talking to the DM for AA explained the temperature differences and all the changes they go through in the winter. On top of that, with Christmas, many shipping companies higher more, untrained people. This leads to packages not being handled as well which also adds stress to the fish.


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## Rob Tetrazona (Jun 21, 2005)

Here's your SAE trap:

http://www.floridadriftwood.com/fish_trap.htm


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

rwoehr said:


> Here's your SAE trap:
> 
> http://www.floridadriftwood.com/fish_trap.htm


I have seen a similar version but using a 20 oz bottle instead. I think it was on the Apisto forums. I have never tried it but it seems like it would work, especially if you baited the trap with some food!

Good to see you around again Dineen


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## EcleckticGirl (Jul 26, 2005)

I'll take 4 Otos if you're still doing that order. I prefer the guys that stay small.


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## Rob Tetrazona (Jun 21, 2005)

MatPat said:


> I have seen a similar version but using a 20 oz bottle instead. I think it was on the Apisto forums. I have never tried it but it seems like it would work, especially if you baited the trap with some food!


When I was a kid, my brothers and I would steal my parents Mason jars out of the basement, put a tin foil funnel inside the opening, put a piece of string a little bit inside, then screw the lid on without the metal disc seal and headed to the creek. The creek was 3-4 feet deep in some parts. We'd tie a piece of styrofoam to the end of the string not in the jar and drop the jars in the creek pointing upstream. We didn't use any food and caught tons of minnows.


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## JRJ (Feb 9, 2005)

rwoehr said:


> Here's your SAE trap:
> 
> http://www.floridadriftwood.com/fish_trap.htm


I tried it, baited it and everything and the fish wouldn't go in. I think they were laughing at me. [smilie=m:

-Russ


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## JRJ (Feb 9, 2005)

*Starting new threads*

Since this thread evolved or devolved (Devo) into a confusing variety of posts about both Otocinclus and Siamese Algae eaters I'm going to start 1 new thread for each. Please check these for info on the species you're interested in.

-Russ


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## ctmpwrdcamry (May 23, 2005)

Would an SAE fit into the tube of a pop bottle? Looks small in comparison


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## JRJ (Feb 9, 2005)

rwoehr said:


> When I was a kid, my brothers and I would steal my parents Mason jars out of the basement, put a tin foil funnel inside the opening, put a piece of string a little bit inside, then screw the lid on without the metal disc seal and headed to the creek. The creek was 3-4 feet deep in some parts. We'd tie a piece of styrofoam to the end of the string not in the jar and drop the jars in the creek pointing upstream. We didn't use any food and caught tons of minnows.


I did the same thing without funnel, styrofoam, etc. We would put a small wad of soaked bread in it and jerk it up quickly after a couple of minutes.

I tried a similar method in my tank to no avail.


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

JRJ said:


> Since this thread evolved or devolved (Devo) into a confusing variety of posts about both Otocinclus and Siamese Algae eaters I'm going to start 1 new thread for each. Please check these for info on the species you're interested in.
> 
> -Russ


I'm going to close this thread so no one else can post and maybe not get either the Otos or SAE's that they may want.

I will make your Oto and SAE threads stickies until after the meeting so they don't get lost


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