# Shrimp vs SAEs



## mattguzi (Nov 14, 2006)

I have a decent colony of Red Cherry Shrimp (30+) and 6 maturing SAEs. They seemed to be getting along fine for a while, but lately I've periodically caught the SAEs eating adult Cherry Shrimp. I haven't been able to tell if the SAEs are killing the shrimp or if they're just cleaning up another fish's work. Most of the time I see them hanging out right next to the shrimp and ignoring them. And I still have a decent amount of young shrimp in the tank.

So my questions are 
1) have others had this issue with SAEs eating their shrimp and what did you do about it?
2) how many SAEs do I need for Algae duty in a 75 gallon tank?
3) if I have to decide between SAEs and shrimp with is the better tank cleaner?

Thanks for your help,
Matt


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I had SAE's and got rid of them. They get big and quit eating algae. I wouldn't trust them with Cherry shrimp. I know they will eat frozen foor. I have also seen them eat live brine shrimp. They also eat delicate leaved plants like Rotala wallichi. I would get cories, khuli loaches, plecos, etc. They are great a leftover food and such. I do have to say that I have 2 flying foxes and golden algae eaters. They don't eat my wallichi. but I don't think they do much for algae either. Great algae eaters = garas, amano shrimp, ottos, bristlenose plecos....


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## bibbels (Nov 30, 2008)

I can attest to the fact that SAE's eat shrimp since I've seen them eat my RCS.

That's interesting about them eating R. wallichii. I'll watch for that though I've noticed no obvious decrease in the amount I have.


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## galettojm (Oct 4, 2007)

I don´t have small shrimps like cherry shrimps. I have only 2 to 4 cm long ghost shrimps from Parana river.

I have two _Crossocheilus siamensis_. One is 5 years old and the other is almost 2. I have never seen any of them eating shrimps or leaves. I will pay more attention to try to notice these behaviors.

I also have 6 _Epalzeorhynchus sp. or Garra taeniata_. I have not seen these behaviors in this fish.

Bye !

Juan


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## wmsvn (Oct 22, 2008)

I don't trust SAEs with cherry shrimp. I moved them out of my tank and added 5 otto into my 46G. In combination with the shrimp, it cleans the tank very well.


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## oblongshrimp (Aug 8, 2006)

SAE's also destroy most moss. They strip it clean.


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## tex627 (Nov 2, 2008)

at aqua forest aquarium in San Francisco i see SAE's cleaning their tanks very well. they were also left in a tank with lots of moss.

any fish besides catfish will eat shrimp. its best to keep shrimp in a tank w/o fish. the reason why you still have a decent amount of young shrimp is probably because those are the ones that could get away from the SAEs. half of your newborn shrimp are probably eaten. in my RCS tank every hatching has about 30 babies.


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## rich815 (Jun 27, 2007)

bibbels said:


> I can attest to the fact that SAE's eat shrimp since I've seen them eat my RCS.
> 
> That's interesting about them eating R. wallichii. I'll watch for that though I've noticed no obvious decrease in the amount I have.


Mine eat my R. wallichii and my R. sp. 'Vietnam'. Don't touch my mosses though....


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## Bettatail (Jan 14, 2009)

tex627 said:


> at aqua forest aquarium in San Francisco i see SAE's cleaning their tanks very well. they were also left in a tank with lots of moss.
> 
> any fish besides catfish will eat shrimp. its best to keep shrimp in a tank w/o fish. the reason why you still have a decent amount of young shrimp is probably because those are the ones that could get away from the SAEs. half of your newborn shrimp are probably eaten. in my RCS tank every hatching has about 30 babies.


agree, I saw it too, in aqua forest aquarium, there is a tank full of amano shrimps and a couple SAEs, good size SAEs.. 
they have some nice show tanks and actually the plants you buy from them are the ones they harverst from their in store plant tanks. (The anubias barteri in AFA is about 12.99 a piece, may be too slow to grow in their tank and they charge more. )

about the SAEs, I came cross an article not long ago but couldn't find it anymore. says even with the same appearance there are two close related but different species, I am not talking about CAE, False SAE, or flying fox here, since a SAE can be distinguished by one pair of Barbels from others(two pairs). SAEs with one pair of barbels actually are two species, same appearance. 
if it is true, I think the difference between these two SAEs are like the two types of killer whales, can not tell by their appearance but by what they eat.


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## rich815 (Jun 27, 2007)

Bettatail said:


> about the SAEs, I came cross an article not long ago but couldn't find it anymore.


Was it one of these?

http://fishaliciousfish.blogspot.com/

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebindex/saes.htm

.


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## Bettatail (Jan 14, 2009)

rich815 said:


> Was it one of these?
> 
> http://fishaliciousfish.blogspot.com/
> 
> ...


no, not the one I came cross before, but they are talking about the same thing. And the links you provide have more details about true SAE, thanks.


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## tex627 (Nov 2, 2008)

im pretty sure AFA had the true SAEs which explains why it didnt eat all their plants


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