Siamese Algae Eater Information:

The Siamese Algae Eater, or the Siamese Flying Fox, is one of the most common aquarium fish, and they are easily available in almost all pet stores.



They are usually kept in the aquariums because of their algae eating habits. They constantly keep feeding on the algae, therefore helping in keeping the aquarium clean and algae-free.

Unfortunately, a lot of pet stores sell False Siamese Algae Eaters instead of the real ones. Both the Siamese Algae Eater and the False Siamese Algae Eater appear almost exactly the same.



They are often also shipped together and sold together as one species. However, there are some basic differences in their appearance that can help a seasoned aquarist tell them apart.
Though both the Siamese Algae Eater and the False Siamese Algae Eater perform the same function in the fish tank, the Siamese Algae Eater is much better of the two. This is because the False Siamese Algae Eater disposes of much less algae then the real one.



The False Siamese Algae Eater is also much more aggressive than the real one. This makes the False Siamese Algae Eater not a good choice for an aquarium that has many different kinds of fish.

Though large and hardy fishes, the Siamese Algae Eaters are known to stop swimming while feeding. They need to swim in order to stay afloat. If they stop swimming, they can sink to the base of the aquarium and ultimately die. The Siamese Algae Eaters are hardy; however, it is recommended that extreme conditions be avoided in the aquarium. To keep your Siamese Algae Eaters happy, keep them in an aquarium that has both densely and sparsely planted areas. These fishes have particular preferences for plants too. When young they need plants with narrow leaves; however, as they mature, they need to have at least one broad leafed plant in the aquarium. They use the broad leaves of the plant to rest on them.

Though the Siamese Algae Eaters feed primarily on algae, they are known to consume duckweed. Moreover, although they can survive as the only one of their species in an aquarium, it is best to keep them in schools. They are very calm and are friendly with the other fish. However, it is recommended to keep them away from fishes with long fins as they are prone to biting long fins on another fish. The fish should never be kept in water that is hard.