Who knows how I can tell

[LizStreithorst]

Months ago when I went to my LPS and was just looking at fish as I usually do, Twee told me that a certain fish was good cleaning up the BHA. She said that it was not an SAE but I bought several because she said that they would do the job. They went to work on my BHA right away and did a great job! But now they are getting big and fat and lazy and don't work like they used to. I understand. I'm the same way except that I'm not fat.

My store hasn't been able to get a lot of different types of fish in since around the time the Covid started or the tariffs started some where. Today they had fish that looked just like my SAE but Twee said that it was a Flying Fox. It's not the name of the same looking fish I bought last time.

I've looked at what Google told me but to my eye I cannot tell the difference between my supposed Flying Fox and my supposed something else that ate the BHA. Can any give me help on how to see the difference or do I just wait and see if my BHA starts disappear?

[coralbandit]

This might help ?
https://search.aol.com/aol/image;_ylt=A0geKYmw75lfN8IA3yFpCWVH;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZ jEEcG9zAzMEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Nj?q=chinese+algae+eater+ vs+siamese+algae+eater&v_t=webmail-searchbox#id=2&iurl=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-Mx_BrZVvqwY%2FUREsIHqoUgI%2FAAAAAAAAJVY%2FNnW8jrWE SHc%2Fs1600%2FAE.jpg&action=click
You just don't want the CAE which is easy to tell by lack of barbels and the stripe does not go through tail .
Flying foxes and SAE should both eat the algae .

[LizStreithorst]

Thank you kind sir. You told me what I need to know.

[dornblaser]

Flying Foxes can get aggressive. Both Flying Foxes and SAE are omnivores and will stop eating algae as they grow, neither are great at BHA. I have some Panda Garra ( Garra flavatra ) tomorrow as my possible future algae eaters.

[LizStreithorst]

I guess the whoesaler must not be able to tell the difference either. Both times Twee sold me fish with different names that are identical. I have Siamese Algae eaters which is exactly what I want. I need to take my fat lazy adults back and trade them for more young hungry ones.

[Iminit]

I like my fat SAE and they still eat algae. Thing with SAE and flying fox when I was a kid they were opposite. Seems they switched the name. Flying foxes were the one you wanted. Now the SAE the black center line goes through the the back fin the flying fox the line ends at the fin.

[LizStreithorst]

I don't know. When my existing SAE were young and hungry I was amazed about how fast the BHA was disappearing. Then one day when they were big the algae started coming back.

[dornblaser]

I don't know. When my existing SAE were young and hungry I was amazed about how fast the BHA was disappearing. Then one day when they were big the algae started coming back.

Yes, the young ones are great. My LFS won't take the older ones.

[LizStreithorst]

I bet mine will.

[dornblaser]

I bet mine will.

That's probably because I don't have a LFS that knows me, almost all of my ordering is done online.

[captainandy]

I’ve had success using flag fish. And they are easier to catch and better looking than SAE.
In my reef I was able to treat with vodka dosing but probably a different type of beard algae.
I HATE BLACK BEARD ALGAE