# Gold Siamese Algae Eater for BBA?



## JohnsTank (Jul 16, 2016)

Having heard so much about the Siamese algae eater, I went in search for this at a nearby LFS. While Petko does carry the SAE, they are temporarily out but do you have something called a Gold Siamese Algae Eater and just wondering if this fish will work as well on my BBA?

So I've been on the look out for a regular ole Siamese Algae Eater but luck at Petsmart, Petco or Walmart. Here was what I did find. I don't believe anything below is what I'm looking for. I based this on a great article on telling the difference *here*.

At Petco:


















Gold Chinese Algae Eater:









At Petsmart:


















At Walmart:


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

Tha is a chinese algae eater.... which it does very little of. It gets quite big, and you need more than one as they are social, and like to play a rough game of leapfrog...even with other fish if none of its own species is found. Adding fish to deal with a temporary problem , is not a good solution.


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## Waters (Oct 15, 2012)

I actually used a school of about 12 to totally clean my tank during the new tank algae explosions (after it cycled of course). They did a tremendous job cleaning everything from my hairgrass to the powerhead. They do get large and are known to stop eating algae as they get bigger (mine never lost the appetite for algae). They will also try to eat the slime coat off of larger fish (again, as they get bigger) but will leave most small fish alone.


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## pauliewoz (Sep 22, 2015)

I don't think those will touch BBA. 

I'm actually surprised by the description from Walmart. It's pretty accurate.

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## fishman922 (Oct 26, 2016)

If you want to get a Siamese Algae Eater you should probably look up some LFS's that are not petco, petsmart, or walmart. A small "mom and pop" type of fish store is more likely to have them. I lived in Denver for years and the only place I ever found one was in a small mom and pop type store. (Although their fish selection was WAY better than a petco etc...). I have also seen them in my current state of residency only in another mom and pop type store. I would check the local pet store tab.

As an expensive side note you can order them online, although that makes for some extremely expensive fish sometimes... 

I had some tough luck finding them about 8 years ago, ordered them online ($60 for three fish!) had them about 2 years and then when i had to move (across the country) the LFS had just gotten some for the first time! Well they added my three to their collection... Oh well.

As a side note: true SAE's are supposed to eat BBA and my tank had some of it before i added them and non after... so there is that.


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## JohnsTank (Jul 16, 2016)

So oddly enough, while I was talking to the fish department head at Petsmart today, he told to try a couple of the other Petsmarts that are about 10 miles from his. I called both of them and in fact, one actually had the Siamese Flying Fox which is the other name for the SAE. It sure why all the stores don't carry the same fish but I picked it up and it is the real deal! Hope he likes BBA!


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## pauliewoz (Sep 22, 2015)

JohnsTank said:


> So oddly enough, while I was talking to the fish department head at Petsmart today, he told to try a couple of the other Petsmarts that are about 10 miles from his. I called both of them and in fact, one actually had the Siamese Flying Fox which is the other name for the SAE. It sure why all the stores don't carry the same fish but I picked it up and it is the real deal! Hope he likes BBA!


Actually the flying fox is not the same as an Siamese algae eater. And I'm not sure that they will touch BBA. But hopefully PetSmart just mislabeled them and it is indeed a true SAE.

Here is how to tell them apart.










http://njananoob.blogspot.ca/2013/02/identifying-algae-eaters.html?m=1


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## BettaBettas (Aug 21, 2016)

I had a chinese algae eater, he grew to one foot long and killed all my fish. not the best fish for fish owners, at all.


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## Econde (Oct 13, 2015)

The petsmart in my town had them labeled properly. I went for the Siamese algae eater, they're pretty peaceful other than being quick to move. They hide in the morning and night but graze on the algae during the day when the light is at its brightest.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

Definitely the best choice out of the 4.


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## JohnsTank (Jul 16, 2016)

pauliewoz said:


> Actually the flying fox is not the same as an Siamese algae eater. And I'm not sure that they will touch BBA. But hopefully PetSmart just mislabeled them and it is indeed a true SAE.
> 
> Here is how to tell them apart.
> 
> ...


OMG! Say it isn't so! Son of a b! That is what I get for listening to these employees and not doing my own homework! I'm so frigging mad right now! Mostly at myself. 😡


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