# SAE Groups?



## urville (Sep 20, 2004)

I bought what the LFS labeled as a Flying Fox Simensis. But after checking several sites and many pictures I feel safe saying this is a true SAE. He isnt very Hyperactive, but he is a HARD HARD worker for such a little guy. He is constantly eating away at this brown stringy stuff in my tank.

I want to get a few more despite the 5.98 price. Do they do well in groups. i have read differeing info. I think between him the cherries and my otos I should have an easier time being algae free.

Ian


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

They do best in groups and are actually a pretty nice schooling fish if you don't have any plants they might damage. The only thing you really want to avoid is only having two. In that case, the bigger one will eventually dominate and harass the smaller one.


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## csfish (May 19, 2005)

I have three SAE's in a 50gal goldfish tank- two are the size and shape of small submarines (ok, about 6") and the third is catching up. Their antics are fun to watch while they chase each other around the tank and they have a neat way of "resting" on their fins. Besides being excellent algae eaters, they're a nice contrast in appearance and behavior to the goldfish. Highly recommended.


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## urville (Sep 20, 2004)

i will buy two more then. Interesting though. you said if I dont have any plants for them to damage? I'm fully scaped but he is very gentle thus far.
Ian


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## Erirku (Oct 5, 2004)

I've heard of SAE's being notoriuos of eating really rare plants. Ex: moss, HC. But I haven't had a problem with them. The only time they ate my HC, was when it wasn't growing, but once the HC took off, they never bothered to eat it. Oh, I forgot to mention, they did eat my Downoi, so watch out for that.


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## csfish (May 19, 2005)

If you give your SAE's the occasional algae wafer, zucchini chunk, and pile of bloodworms, I'm sure they'll leave your plants alone. Mine have never damaged any of my plants.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

> If you give your SAE's the occasional algae wafer, zucchini chunk, and pile of bloodworms, I'm sure they'll leave your plants alone


I used to feel that way about mine until about a month ago when they started eating and tearing up anything with soft leaves. Mosses and Rotala wallichii everyone knows will be eaten by sae's, in my case they also started to destroy my Rotala rotundafolia, Bacopa australis, Blyxa japonica and L. aromatica.  They are now living in the lfs. Until this point I had been a fan of these guys. Perhaps the lesson to be learned has to do with their age. If at all possible, get juveniles because when they get older and senile, look out. Two days ago I came home to a sea of floating australis leaves and they were busily going at it in the bush.


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

They like to jump so keep a cover on the tank.


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

Yes, I used to really like SAEs as well. A couple of years went by...Then they got older... And bigger...

Started chasing and harassing other fish. Then decided that all the work I do to keep the plants healthy was to provide a salad bar to SAEs. And yes, they were the real SAE, down to the black stripe going all the way through the tail.

Spent three wet and frustrating hours one day trying to catch them without ripping up every plant in the tank.

The LFS was glad to take them from me.

And I really, really don't think I'll ever keep them again!


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## Mnemia (Nov 23, 2004)

Mine has NEVER touched my plants except to eat a little bit of some really fine-leafed stuff when I went on vacation and left my tank without feeding for a week. Normally he's the greediest fish in the tank for basically any food I add (including baby brine shrimp, algae wafers for my shrimp, bloodworms, or Omega One flake), and doesn't touch the plants if fed well. Unfortunately he's also stopped eating as much algae as he used to since becoming a full-sized adult. No biggie, since he's still a very enjoyable fish to have.

I get the feeling, from observation, that they generally eat stuff with tiny, frond-like leaves the most often (probably similar issue to the R. wallichi).


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## urville (Sep 20, 2004)

I read alot about what you guys are saying and it was stated in many places that what you have may not be true SAE's but either Flying foxes or CAE's. I dont know obviously cause i'm not you, but just a thought. But this is the kinds of behaviour, expecially with age, that was described ofthese other fish everywhere i looked.
Ian


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

Yes, that is very typical behavior of Flying foxes, and not true SAE's. The FF's also have the stripe going all the way through the tail. I don't know if that's the case with those of you who have had problems, but I've never seen that from my true SAE's, which are quite old and large now. The only thing they've ever touched in my tank is Java moss - no big deal there.....

Here's a link to one of the better articles on how to tell them all apart.
http://www.thekrib.com/Fish/Algae-Eaters/

Urville, you're right, they do like company, so if you get 2 or 3 more they'd be happy.


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

Nope, mine were not the Flying Fox. They fit the description of the true SAE perfectly.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Keeping SAE's in groups will keep them from picking on other fish/shrimp, they do have a habit of doing so if keep as a single fish.

Here is another link for ID'ing a true SAE... http://www.petresources.net/fish/article/sae.html


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## Mnemia (Nov 23, 2004)

I'm 100% positive mine is a true SAE. He's quite big now (2 years old), so it's easy to tell.
He doesn't pick on other fish excessively, but my gouramis can stand up to him somewhat so I don't know how a single SAE would do with tiny tetras or something.


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## csfish (May 19, 2005)

Very curious....perhaps, because my goldfish have eaten almost every plant that I've ever tried in their tank, I've never noticed any damage done by SAE's. I've never kept any fine-leafed plants (because of the goldfish), still I've never witnessed any destructive behaviors by the SAE's in the 3 years I've had these fish. I see them "nibble" at the goldfish once in awhile, but the GF don't seem to be bothered by them. They're also darn hard to catch in a planted tank with nets, until I read an article on how to make a plastic bottle fish trap. I had them within minutes after setting up the trap.


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## cferrell (Oct 5, 2005)

I've had SAEs up to about 4-5" and I've never had an issue with them eating other plants. Could they potentially just be really hungry? I know I have read stories where people didn't feed enough and the SAEs eventually died from starvation. They will eat algae, but they also tend to need other foods when they get bigger and as the tank gets cleaner.

I had read stories where people have had a few SAEs eat some plants in their tanks, but I've had at least 15 of the guys and never had an issue. They are a schooling fish, so get at least 3 if you can. It will also take them a while to get to 4" or more if you get them as little fish. A couple years for me.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

In my case, they fit all descriptions for true sae's. So, I guess the motto is YMMV.


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