Siamese Algae Eater: Complete Guide to Care and Species (2023)

They are not the most colorful animals in your aquarium, but experienced aquarists know the true value of the silver-gray colored striped fish known as theSiamese Algae. These aquatic eating machines are some of thebest algae eaterson the market, so check out our complete guide and see why they are ideal for densely planted tanks!

Inleiding tot de Siamese algeneters (SAE)

You don't have to wait for an outbreak to add an algae eater to your community aquarium, and one of the best options for peacefully planted tanks is the active and unstoppable Siamese Algae Eater orSAE(sexCrossocheilus). They are very easy to care for, and theirshark-like appearanceadds a nice touch to your tank.

Natural history and habitat

“Siamese Algae" is thegeneric namefor agroup of closely related bottom-feeding fishnative to Southeast Asia. Wild populations are found in rivers and streams in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, but can also live in flooded areas during the rainy season. Unique populations exist throughout the region.

SAEs are members of the family Cyprinidae and, like othersminnowsand carp, arescavengers that feed mainly on plants and algaein the wild. As omnivores, they readily consume insects, larvae, and eggs, and they enjoy snacking on any fish fry or dead animals they come across.

Pet store fish are usually caught as juveniles from native populations before being sold in the aquarium trade. There is not much information about the behavior and habits of wild fish, which leads to the following challenge:identify which species you are actually purchasingunder the name SAE.

Species of Siamese algae eaters in the aquatic trade

There are two issues you will face when looking for a group of SAE's for your tank. First, there are several species often sold as SAEs (or under generic common names such as Asian or Siamese Flying Fox) that look like juveniles, butunrelated and have different care and dietary requirements:

• The Chinese Algae Eater or CAE (Gyrinocheilus aymonieri) is semi-aggressive and grows much larger than true SAEs.
• De territoriale Flying Fox (Epalzeorhynchos kalopterus) look almost identicalbut are not very interested in eating algae. Unlike true SAEs, they have dark colored pelvic, anal and dorsal fins.
• De Valse Siamese Algeneters (Garra cambodgiensis) is another mimic that is often mislabeled in pet stores. You can distinguish them by thefaint diagonal stripes on their dorsal fins, which lack SAEs, and their body or lateral stripe, whichfades at the caudal peduncleinstead of stretching to a fork in their tail.

What species is my algae eater and why are their names so confusing?

The second problem has to do with how scientific names evolve, and how confusing it can be when similar species occurshare the same habitats. True SAEs are part of the genus Crossocheilus, and there isat least 17 closely related and nearly identical fish in this genus found throughout the region.

Because they are caught young (see Breeding) and have overlapping natural ranges, it is not unusual to collect juveniles from several species at the same time. Pet stores are alloweddon't even know what kind they gotin a shipment unless specified by the distributor!

• You couldsee different types in a generic SAE orC.siamensistank, especially in big box pet stores, although aquatic specialty stores should be more informed.
• Shops usually identify SAEs asCrossocheilus siamensis, but that particular species (which has no barbels at all and has a fringed, V-shaped upper lip)is very rare and almost never seen in the USaquatic trade.
• Recently, some have started using itC. elongatedas the scientific name for SAE, but that term is only correctly used for a separate population of fish with blue and yellow colorsnative to the islands of Javathat have never been imported into the US.
• Fish-store tanks labeled asC. Siamensis(or less often,C. elongated) are much more likely one of the unrelated mimics listed aboveor a more common (or undescribed) speciesCrossocheiluslike theC. langeiofC.atrilimes.
• There is also a rarer variety known as theReticulated Siamese Algae(Crossocheilus reticulatus) which have a regular speckled pattern on their scales and lack the lateral stripe.

Does it matter what kind you get?

It depends. Not all SAE-like fish are friendly or prefer to eat problematic algae. If you get the wrong type of fish, they may outgrow your tank, bully your other fish, and eat your aquatic plants, and they probably won't do much to control your algae growth either.

• CAEs can attack other fish, Flying Foxes are territorial and False SAEs don't like to eat algae.
• C.atrilimesare SAEs, but are not effective in algae control and prefer to eat Java moss and plant leaves.
• C. langei, ofRed Siamese Algae, are friendly community fish andexcellent consumers of algae. They like to chew on tough hair or filamentous algae and are one of the few fish to eat the dreaded fishblack beard(or red) algae! They are one of thembest types of SAEget it if you can!

Size and appearance of SAEs

Your Siamese Algae Eater's size should be between 5 and 6 inches long when fully grown. They are usually sold as juveniles at about 1.5 to 2.5 inches in length. It is difficult for beginners to identify the exact species or sex until they are fully grown at 3 to 4 years of age.

SAEs have long, streamlined brownish to silver-grey bodies with a black lateral line that runs longitudinally from the opercle near their gill cover through the fork in their caudal fin (tail). Other features include:

• finsare usually opaque, although some varieties may have a light brown tinge around the edges.
  • If your fish is more colorful or has dark colored fins, so be itprobably a mimic species or a less common SAE in theCrossocheilussex, and not algae destructionC. langei.
• SAEs have a wide sucker-like mouth and unhinged jaw, and some species have one or more delicate barbs on the sides of their snouts.
  • The rarely seen C.siamensis has no barbells, but the popular C.langei has two pairs, and in C.atrilimes the maxillary barbells are not visible but present.
• You can also differentiateC. langeiof the less usefulC.atrilimesspecies by the black spot around their anal opening and the greater distance between their opening and anal fins.

Lifespan

On average, SAEs can live in an aquarium for about 10 years, although wild fish are unlikely to survive that long. Most fish are probably sold around 1 to 2 years of age.

Behavior and temperament

SAEs are active fish that are constantly on the move. Young fish often hang out in the middle of the tank, butAdult fish spend most of their time on the bottom. Because they don't have a swim bladder, theycannot maintain buoyancyin the water when they stop moving, leading to some interesting behaviors:

• Resting fish rest on their pectoral fins on the broad leaves of plants such as Amazon Swords, or on driftwood or slippery rocks at the bottom of your tank.
• With their suction mouths, they adhere to the aquarium and the furnishings while scraping away algae and biofilm.
• If your fish stop moving, they will immediately sink to the bottom of the tank!

They are also social fish that like to school in groups, although they also do well alone. To avoid bullying issues it is best to have at least 5 SAEs in your school as they create a social hierarchy among themselves. So get one fish, or at least 5, and avoid small groups of 2 or 3.

SAEs are a great option for planted community tanks with other active fish, but they can be tight with slow swimmers or fish with long fins. Avoid keeping semi- or aggressive fish, or species that are territorial such as cichlids orRedtail sharks. SAEs can cause a lot of stress to other bottom feeders due to their constant activity.

How to care for your Siamese Algae Eater

The good news is that it's very easy to care for your SAEs and in most cases you don't need to make a lot of adjustments to your tank to accommodate them.

Tank setup and habitat requirements

What is the best aquarium setup for SAEs? They are not very picky, so let's talk about their basic requirements:

Aquarium size and shape

Since SAEs spend most of their time in the lower parts of your tank, they do best in tanks that are tall rather than tall. They are very active and can jump out, so ahood or lid is needed to keep them safe. I recommend at least a 20 gallon aquarium for a single SAE and about 10 gallons per additional fish. A 55 gallon tank is ideal for 5.

Substrate

To prevent injury to your SAE, it's best to have asmooth surface without jagged edgeswhich can damage their abdomen or delicate barbs. Go for soft sand or aquatic soil in your aquarium, or use a mix of small, round pebbles and larger smooth stones. Avoid the rough aquarium gravel.

Water and temperature parameters

SAEs are not sensitive to water hardness and so adapt well over a wide range of parameters for a long timebecause they are consistent. They prefer waterpH between 6.5 and 8, although they can tolerate a pH as low as 6.0. The most limiting factor is their temperature preference. SAEs have a narrow range and prefer their waterjust under tropical conditions between 75 and 79°F, so you need a heater.

Filtration and aeration

While SAEs do well in a tank setup such as a riverscape, withstrong currents or breakwaters, they don't need such high flow rates.

• They do best in well-filtered andvery clean drinking waterwith a high oxygen content, and they don't like itstagnant or stagnant conditions.
• They prefer to swim in currents, so agood hob or jerry can systemis their ideal type of filtration.

Lighting, Plants and Decorations

SAEs do well in tanks with low, moderate, or bright light, but approx12 hours a day of moderate light is close to their natural conditions. The ideal SAE tank would have densely planted areas with slow growing plants as well as Amazon Swords andfast growing tender plantslike Hornwort (they will snack on the Hornwort).

You will also need open areas where your SAE can swim and shallows (if kept in groups), and interesting places to explore and hide. Using stones and driftwood decor, you can create caves and provide different surfaces and textures for the growth of algae and biofilm for your fish to consume.

Maintenance

Algae eaters have no specific maintenance requirements. It just depends on the needs of your plants and the type of filtration system you use. Use high quality filter media and perform regular water changes and vacuuming to reduce debrisaccumulation of toxinsin your aquarium, which can especially affect the SAEs on the bottom.

To feed

It's not difficult to feed your SAEs as these fast swimming scavengers will help themselves with any leftover scraps. While they are also likely to consume plant leaves, algae and biofilm in your tank, your closed system tank cannot naturally provide them with a good and balanced diet, so you will need to supplement it.

Although these fish are omnivores,too much proteinin their dietcause constipationand can lead to other problems. I feed my SAEs one meal a day and fast them one day a week to mimic their natural feeding habits:

• It is best to feed them a high quality commercial dietsinking algae wafers and spirulina pellets; these sinking diets will distract them while your top level fish grab the floating food.
• You can also offer treats of freshly blanched veggies like spinach, peas, and cucumbers in place of the waffles a few times a week.
• Replace their usual meal once a week with a protein treat such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, or mosquito larvaeDaphniaEggs.

Tank mates

Siamese algae eaters are not aggressive and will get along with a wide variety of fish. Thebest tank matesbecause these algae eaters are differentpeaceful community speciesthat use areas that avoid SAEs, although they also get along with non-territorial bottom feeders such asCorydora'sInloaches.

Short-finned schooling swimmers make ideal SAE companions, so think fishtetras, minnows, danios, guppy's, platy'sInmollies, gourami, Infriendly barbslike theGold, CherryInRosaline Torpedo. They also do well with invertebrates such as snails and small freshwater shrimp.

Do not keep your SAEs with semi-aggressive fish such as Tiger Barbs or territorial sharks and cichlids. Also, as they can bite slow swimmers with long tails, it is best to avoid sunfish or discus fish with SAE, although I have kept them successfully with amale Betta fishin a large community aquarium.

Fucking

As far as I know, no one in the US has ever succeeded in naturally breeding SAEs in an aquarium or pond. Most fish are caught in the wild as juveniles and shipped to pet shops around the world. We know very little about their breeding requirements and spawning behavior other than that they are egg layers.

There are reports of some fish being bred in captivity in Asiathe use of artificial hormones to induce spawning, but no details about this method have been published. Since these hormones are not something a home aquarist has access to, don't expect your SAEs to spawn in your tank.

Health problems of SAEs

Siamese Algae Eaters are usually healthy fish and they don't have many specific diseases or health conditions that they are prone to. Like all aquarium species, they are sensitive to their water parameters and prefer very clean water, and high ammonia or nitrate levels cause a lot of stress and can lead to illness.

A common problem with SAE is constipation and obesity from feeding a rich diet high in protein, so be sure to give your fish plenty of plant foods and fresh vegetables. Watch for signs of bacterial, viral, or fungal infections and be sure to do soquarantine new plants and animalsbefore adding them to your community.

Setting up your SAE tank: equipment and stock list

What do you need to design a great planted aquarium ideal for a Siamese algae eater and other friendly community fish? For a single SAE and a small planted community you will need:

• 20 to 30 gallon (or larger) aquarium, preferably an elongated aquarium with a tight-fitting hood or lid
• Lighting fixture
• Heating
• HOB or jerry can filter system
• Sand, aquatic soil or smooth pebble bottom
• Variety of live plants including a mix of fast and slow growing species
• Decor such as rocks, driftwood, sticks and branches
• A bottle of water conditioner

To feed your SAE you need:

• Commercial sinking algae wafers or spirulina pellets
• Fresh vegetables
• Occasionally treat food such as bloodworms, mosquito larvae or brine shrimp

Optional equipment you may find useful includes:

• An air pump and air stone
• CO2-diffusorone/offertilizer for your aquatic plants
• UV disinfectant

Snelle feit over Siamese algeneters

Conclusion

As you can see, SAEs are one of the best strains for algae control and are an ideal option for aquariums with lots of plants. The Red SAE is a very voracious eater! Do you have (or are you planning to add) Siamese Algae Eaters to your planted community? We'd love to hear about your setup, so leave a comment below or follow us on social media!