# BBA & SAE



## Rob P (19 Dec 2013)

I have a small piece of wood in my tank that had a covering of BBA on the branches. I've put this down to fluctuating CO2 levels as over the last few weeks i've changed a lot and had to adjust the CO2 rate a number of times. I've had BBA before and ended up having a major rework to remove some affected items permanently and also remove and scrub rocks etc. Last lot has only reappeared on the wood.

Anyway, added three small siamese algae eaters a week ago (£5 for 3 at MA) and have been watching them very keenly this last week flitting between leaves and rocks etc but not really taking interest in the wood. They are very busy, sweet looking little fish 

Couple of nights ago I saw one working up and down the wood but didn't think much of it. Got in from work last night and was absolutely amazed to see the piece of wood absolutely cleared of BBA! Squeaky clean. I was on the verge of removing the wood for a scrub, but seems i've lost a job


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## sanj (19 Dec 2013)

I wrote somthing about SAE quite a while ago:
Which Crossocheilus siamensis??? | UK Aquatic Plant Society. C. siamensensis is an erroneous name since it is not a species, but an umbrella label for at least three seperate species and only one of those is known to eat BBA (and one of the others likes moss). Unfortunately it comes down to whether you are able to discern the different physical traits between the species which is not that easy, although I think I am usually able to make them out.


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## Rob P (19 Dec 2013)

Nice article Sanj 

Can you tell by appearance at all? Here's a couple of mine... 

(They look like Mr Naughties lol, however I don't have any moss and they definitely eat BBA!)


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## sanj (19 Dec 2013)

It sounds like you had the right ones anyway from your description of their behaviour. Dinky babies are even more difficult, I would normally first look at the snout, it is more abrupt on the C.atrilimes than the above photo. Then the colour above the black line. In the photo there is no obvious lighter band running along the top of the black one which is more intune with C.langei.


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## Rob P (19 Dec 2013)

Yay!


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## NatureBoy (1 Jan 2014)

Hi all, After about two days researching the "true" SAE or as I think Sanj has rightly narrowed it down to crossocheilus langei, I went out on the hunt for them, I was back in the midlands and found them at "Friends in Soggy Homes" in Birstall, Leicester, a nice old school LFS with healthy fish that I used to go to as a kid. 

I've bought four of them and they are settling in ok but no bba snacking as yet, I may film them when they settle into an algae munching routine. A nice fish though as they shoal together


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## Yo-han (1 Jan 2014)

Don't feed your tank and sooner or later they'll start eating BBA (and moss when BBA is gone). As soon as they learn to eat fish food, they are useless IME.


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## Manrock (1 Jan 2014)

Yo-han said:


> As soon as they learn to eat fish food, they are useless IME.


I always have them in my tank and they keep the BBA away even though they also take fish food (and lots of it). They just always seem to be hungry! I once lost my last one and couldn't get any replacements - within two weeks the BBA was back! Some may say that this shows my tank is not being run properly but I say biological warfare rules!
I look at the tail for ID - does the black band clearly continue into the caudal/tail fin and end in a point or not quite reach the very end of the tail? If it does then I take it to be a SAE instead of a Flying Fox. This rule has always worked for me but I've never encountered a 3rd spp.


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## NatureBoy (1 Jan 2014)

Manrock said:


> I always have them in my tank and they keep the BBA away even though they also take fish food (and lots of it). They just always seem to be hungry! I once lost my last one and couldn't get any replacements - within two weeks the BBA was back! Some may say that this shows my tank is not being run properly but I say biological warfare rules!
> I look at the tail for ID - does the black band clearly continue into the caudal/tail fin and end in a point or not quite reach the very end of the tail? If it does then I take it to be a SAE instead of a Flying Fox. This rule has always worked for me but I've never encountered a 3rd spp.


 
how big have yours got to?


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## Manrock (1 Jan 2014)

NatureBoy said:


> how big have yours got to?


They get to about 6" and then start to bulk out more as they mature.


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## Ian_lawton (1 Jan 2014)

to give you an idea of size the discus u can see is about 4-4 1/2 inch


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## Rob P (2 Jan 2014)

Mine are fattening up quite quickly! I'm aware they can grow to 6 inches and think 3 in 125 litre with quite a few other fish will be pushing my stock (they were 3 for a £5 or £2.50 each @ local MA, go figure...), but as long as they are small they can keep busy 

As noted, they do actively come up for flake, pellets & live foods but they are always working the decor/plants.

Blitzed my small piece of BBA covered wood overnight (after settling in for a week), less impact on brown algae which is all I have left to deal with...


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## Manrock (3 Jan 2014)

Rob P said:


> less impact on brown algae which is all I have left to deal with...


Ottos will deal with that!


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## plantbrain (3 Jan 2014)

They are also VERY hard to catch once they get big.
They are effective on BBA, but..........they maul Rotala wallichii and perhaps a few other plants.
I'd focus more on you good horticulture and CO2, trim and remove the BBA before it gets started.

Then you do not need them and the plants do better.


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## NatureBoy (4 Jan 2014)

well day 2 and they got stuck in with the algae, a chew of hair algae here a chomp of bba there, all good...then they discovered the joys of sifting through mud and spent day 3 ever so gently silting the water up and avoiding all algae related duties. Not having that, so today went out and got a handful of oak leaves (have wanted to give it a try since reading BigToms post Go get some leaves! | UK Aquatic Plant Society)
I put down a layer over the patch of bare soil and hey presto no more dirt sifting going on. they are back to algae eating.
On a plus point the bleeding hearts are loving the new addition of old leaves.


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