# BBA destroyer!



## Hypoxic (Mar 20, 2017)

Dropped 4 of these secret weapons into my tank and the war against BBA has finally turned in my favour. WOW! Not a scrap of BBA anywhere in my tank and they’re still looking for it! They even destroyed the hair algae! And, bonus, they have such a cool personality. My GF scolded me for buying them, but they quickly became her favorites in the tank, especially when they’re all “parked” on the rock together. Like in the photo:


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## ipkiss (Aug 9, 2011)

They truly are when you find the right ones -- and it looks like yours is one of the right ones.

Here's a few shots of mine ... sadly, only one left now. The last pic had all 3 "parked" as you described. Was a great day.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

Wow! That would be amazing to find somebody to eat the stuff. I'm not up on the algae eater group so what name do we have for this fellow. Siamese? Not flying fox? I like Chinese (gold) algae eater for their ugly little faces as they get older but they don't do much for BBA, that I can notice.


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## Hypoxic (Mar 20, 2017)

Yes Siamese Algae Eater. Someone here said that they were the ones to get. I can’t remember who suggested it, but kudos mon ami! A really good looking fish, the neons seem to try and hang out with them.


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## ipkiss (Aug 9, 2011)

@PlantedRich

Crossocheilus siamensis or possibly Crossocheilus langei (thanks @KrypleBerry)

Aquaticscape.com

Hard to find in the midst of all the confusion and mislabeling. Even our very own plantedtank has had numerous discussions: 

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/21-fish/199693-true-siamese-algae-eater.html

Other references: 

Will the Real SAE Please Swim Forward? Epalzeorhynchus and Crossocheilus et al.; or Minnows as Biological Algae Controls; In Search of the Elusive SAE's (Siamese Algae Eaters)
and
https://www.fishlore.com/aquariummagazine/may08/siamese-algae-eater-id.htm

In my research, think there were quite a few variants of Crossocheilus, but as long as you stay in that genus, they're fairly good about algae scouring. Like all other fish, I'm sure they realize over time that it's much easier to join in with the food rush during feeding time, but I still see him do the occasional tank scour.


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## Hypoxic (Mar 20, 2017)

I downloaded a photo on my phone and went to the LFS. I didn’t expect to find them here, but as luck would have it, they had just received a shipment and the SAE was on the list. So I compared the photo with their stock and walked out with 4 + 5 kuhli loaches.

Haven’t seen the kuhlis since I dropped them in the tank. I think they’re buried in the Anubias somewhere. But I see the 8 year old kuhlis more often. Guess the younger ones annoy them.


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## KrypleBerry (May 23, 2017)

Crossocheilus Langei is one of the more common offered for sale that eats BBA and other algaes. Best kept in groups of 4 or more as they are highly social and can become aggressive and territorial if kept solo as they age. If offered enough food they will forego algae all together and eat prepared foods. Crossocheilus oblongus looks similar but has a taste for mosses and fine leaved plants more than algae. Crossocheilus siamensis is pretty rare find in the US. Flying foxes are aggressive little snots and ime never touch algae but bully tankmates away from food drops.

Photo below crossocheilus langei


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## Hypoxic (Mar 20, 2017)

Parked on the rock.


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## Maggie321 (Jan 4, 2018)

I sound like a ding bat, what's BBA? I know it's a type of algae but what kind? I have had planted tanks for years. (Sorry for butting in)

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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

That would be Black Beard Algae! Ugly mean stuff that can get totally gross if given a chance. And not only does it become gross but it can be nearly impossible to get off stuff even after it is killed. Once it grows inside tubing like intake plastic, you have a fight to get it off! Think the worst beard you've ever seen and then made out of tar!!


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## CRS Fan (Jan 14, 2010)

The best BBA eaters are Crossochelius reticulatus (they are also known as a silver flying fox). They will decimate a BBA infestation. The will eat BBA their entire life. They do not get lazy and accustomed to prepared food like SAE’s. 

Good luck on the hunt!

Stuart


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## ipkiss (Aug 9, 2011)

@CRS Fan, interesting! Have you had any experience with them?


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## theDCpump (Jul 22, 2016)

I'm not a rocket scientist, but I think the gobies eat the B.Beard algae as well.
The males have all the good colors.
Not much algae makes it past these little guys.
The dwarf species get the size of a Bic pen clip on the cap.


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## CRS Fan (Jan 14, 2010)

ipkiss said:


> @CRS Fan, interesting! Have you had any experience with them?




Yes plenty. They are the go to fish in the Metro Vancouver area. They were dubbed the “BBA Monster” at one time.

Best regards,

Stuart


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## KrypleBerry (May 23, 2017)

theDCpump said:


> I'm not a rocket scientist, but I think the gobies eat the B.Beard algae as well.
> The males have all the good colors.
> Not much algae makes it past these little guys.
> The dwarf species get the size of a Bic pen clip on the cap.


I keep stiphodon sp. Gobies as well but have never seen one touch bba. They graze biofilm nearly exclusively and will go after things similar to an otocinclus or sewellia loach.


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## rwong2k (Dec 24, 2004)

CRS Fan said:


> The best BBA eaters are Crossochelius reticulatus (they are also known as a silver flying fox). They will decimate a BBA infestation. The will eat BBA their entire life. They do not get lazy and accustomed to prepared food like SAE’s.
> 
> Good luck on the hunt!
> 
> ...


Yep i agree. I keep 1 to 2 in my planted aquariums and theyre spotless. The other day i moved a dragon stone with bba and hair algae from.my shrimp tank. 3 days later its clear and clean. Here are two photos from a few days ago. Almost all clean. Ill check again tonight, caught a cold yesterday























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## Hypoxic (Mar 20, 2017)

Interesting looking fish. Never seen one before.



theDCpump said:


> I'm not a rocket scientist, but I think the gobies eat the B.Beard algae as well.
> The males have all the good colors.
> Not much algae makes it past these little guys.
> The dwarf species get the size of a Bic pen clip on the cap.


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## Kubla (Jan 5, 2014)

CRS Fan said:


> The best BBA eaters are Crossochelius reticulatus (they are also known as a silver flying fox). They will decimate a BBA infestation. The will eat BBA their entire life. They do not get lazy and accustomed to prepared food like SAE’s.
> 
> Good luck on the hunt!
> 
> ...


I guess you need a pretty big tank. Max size 6.75"


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## CRS Fan (Jan 14, 2010)

You can get them small and then pay it forward once the BBA is gone. They will get the job done either way!

Best regards,

Stuart


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## cybercat (Jun 25, 2011)

CRS Fan said:


> The best BBA eaters are Crossochelius reticulatus (they are also known as a silver flying fox). They will decimate a BBA infestation. The will eat BBA their entire life. They do not get lazy and accustomed to prepared food like SAE’s.
> 
> Good luck on the hunt!
> 
> ...


Wish we had these here in the USA. I have never seen them for sale.


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## CRS Fan (Jan 14, 2010)

They are often on suppliers list. I would suggest checking with an owner of an independent pet store to see if they can bring them in.

JM2¢


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## rafini (Oct 25, 2015)

I have one.
This is when I got him, He's currently just under 5"

Totally peaceful with smaller fish and does a great job keeping plant leaves free. I have some nice looking anubias leaves thanks to this guy.

Mine came in with flying foxes, apparently they are a common contamination as they occur alongside closely related species in the wild.


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## KrypleBerry (May 23, 2017)

rafini said:


> I have one.
> This is when I got him, He's currently just under 5"
> 
> Totally peaceful with smaller fish and does a great job keeping plant leaves free. I have some nice looking anubias leaves thanks to this guy.
> ...


 They also call these silver flying foxes (may have something to do with why they ship together).


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