# Algae eaters for soft water



## sepehr (Oct 6, 2010)

I have amano shrimps and RCS and the PH is around 6.6-6.8. SAE wouldn't mind soft water either. For 30 gallons, you should get two IMO as they will grow large.


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## kamikazi (Sep 3, 2010)

do SAE get aggressive or stop eating algae after time? 

Would bolivian rams eat amano shrimp?


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## Tyger (Dec 9, 2010)

*Siamese Algae Eater (Crossocheilus siamensis)*

Kami,

If you really have SAE (Siamese Algae Eaters), no; however, this _is not true_ of other similar looking algae eaters. Chinese Algae Eaters are notrious for quickly becoming large, aggressive, carrion eaters as they age. If you run a google search, you can find a bunch of articles that can help you distinguish between them (e.g., Article 1 & Article 2). It takes a little looking to make sure you are getting what you think you are getting as even fairly good LPS mislabel them. I have two that have grown fairly rapidly though still remain peaceful, hover, and rest on their fins (hallmarks of the species).












kamikazi said:


> do SAE get aggressive or stop eating algae after time?
> 
> Would bolivian rams eat amano shrimp?


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## kamikazi (Sep 3, 2010)

Tyger said:


> Kami,
> 
> If you really have SAE (Siamese Algae Eaters), no; however, this _is not true_ of other similar looking algae eaters. Chinese Algae Eaters are notrious for quickly becoming large, aggressive, carrion eaters as they age. If you run a google search, you can find a bunch of articles that can help you distinguish between them (e.g., Article 1 & Article 2). It takes a little looking to make sure you are getting what you think you are getting as even fairly good LPS mislabel them. I have two that have grown fairly rapidly though still remain peaceful, hover, and rest on their fins (hallmarks of the species).


very helpful thanks!


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## davesnothere (Oct 21, 2008)

I had a small algae issue on my tank, bought 2 Otos on Sunday, now my tank is clean. I am surprised how fast they cleaned up. Whatever little is left on leaves, they are working diligently cleaning every last bit. I was told by my LFS not to buy SAE 'cause they stop eating algae when they grow. I never had SAE, not sure this is true or not. 

I would never have another planted tank without Oto.


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## msawdey (Apr 6, 2009)

i own otos, SAEs and bushey nose plecs.. Let me tell you.. they are one awesome algae eating force. 

What was said about the SAEs is somewhat true, but mine still graze and do a great job. They will eat the food, but they are naturals at grazing.


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## sepehr (Oct 6, 2010)

I haven't come across a fish that eats BBA which is the hardest algae to get rid off. Ottos eat brown & diatoms and SAE tend to eat that plus hair algae. SAE are good algae eaters ONLY if they don't get enough flake food.


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## sepehr (Oct 6, 2010)

kamikazi said:


> do SAE get aggressive or stop eating algae after time?
> 
> Would bolivian rams eat amano shrimp?


If they're true SAE they won't get aggressive but if they develop a taste for flake or live food then there's a good chance they will ignore algae all together.

If you put adult amanos in the tank first then after sometime you introduce rather young rams to your tank then there will be a good chance they'd get use to each other as the rams grow. My friend used to have three German Rams with his RCS and they got along fine...at least with the ADULT RCS. However, I've also heard from some ppl here that adult rams will hunt down and eat shrimps.


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## drbotts (Apr 10, 2011)

^ I had this problem with SAE. They developed a taste for flake and I lost all that I had bought them for. I also had RCS and whenever I dropped a wafer in for them, well... good luck of it ever hitting the bottom for the feeding frenzy began. 

I'm interested to know whether or not someone has found a way to overcome this.


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## sepehr (Oct 6, 2010)

drbotts said:


> ^ I had this problem with SAE. They developed a taste for flake and I lost all that I had bought them for. I also had RCS and whenever I dropped a wafer in for them, well... good luck of it ever hitting the bottom for the feeding frenzy began.
> 
> I'm interested to know whether or not someone has found a way to overcome this.


You mean the other fish eat the algae wafers before the RCS get a chance at it? I think it depends on the type of fish you got. For example, I drop a couple of algae wafers for my otos but since the RCS out number the otos 10 to 1, after a while the otos get overwhelmed by the feeding frenzy and leave the wafers all to the shrimps. My tetras ignore the ALGAE BASED wafers all together. But in your case, you got SAE which larger and more aggressive than otos so that's why the RCS's don't get a chance to get a bite to eat.

So IMO, it'd be good idea to drop several algae wafers (not the meaty based wafers) in different corners of the tank...maybe this way, both SAE and shrimps will get a piece of the wafers and other fish will ignore the wafers since they're made of algae.


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