Are these siamese aglae eaters?

**Xanavi** · 11th Oct 2013, 14:14

I got them from c328

**thebaldingaquarist** · 11th Oct 2013, 14:26

yes, these are SAE. Wow you have 3 SAE. how big is your tank?

**Xanavi** · 11th Oct 2013, 14:35

I have a 2ft tank. I picked the smaller ones.. about 1.5 inches. Read that they can combat bba. I've gotten some bba issues in my tank recently

**thebaldingaquarist** · 11th Oct 2013, 14:43

Originally Posted by Xanavi

I have a 2ft tank. I picked the smaller ones.. about 1.5 inches. Read that they can combat bba. I've gotten some bba issues in my tank recently

okay. Its probably too late to say this.. but 3 is overkill. I would go with 1 or none.

Have fun with the SAE. they are a good size for BBA. starve them for them to be effective.

**Xanavi** · 11th Oct 2013, 14:56

You know what? I got 4 of them!
If they were bigger, I would have gotten lesser! And I thought they enjoy the company of the same family, just like my ottos.

I just hope they can do something about the BBA. My tank got invaded by some kind of aquatic caterpillar that munched up and destroyed quite a significant amount of my background aquatic grasses. I believe BBA set in due to the decreased plant mass. It was such a frustrating period, I was coming home every day to clean up the broken pieces of plants on the surface and to hunt down these nasty pests! Was like pulling out 2-3 of them every day for a few days. The last one I saw was munching away my tiger lotus… That was 2 days ago and I hope that was the LAST one!!

**thebaldingaquarist** · 11th Oct 2013, 15:03

Originally Posted by Xanavi

You know what? I got 4 of them!
If they were bigger, I would have gotten lesser! And I thought they enjoy the company of the same family, just like my ottos.

I just hope they can do something about the BBA. My tank got invaded by some kind of aquatic caterpillar that munched up and destroyed quite a significant amount of my background aquatic grasses. I believe BBA set in due to the decreased plant mass. It was such a frustrating period, I was coming home every day to clean up the broken pieces of plants on the surface and to hunt down these nasty pests! Was like pulling out 2-3 of them every day for a few days. The last one I saw was munching away my tiger lotus… That was 2 days ago and I hope that was the LAST one!!

Actually, sae as they get larger, they become territorial. That's what's happening in my tanks... In a 2 ft tank, there is not much real estate to split..

The aqua caterpillar is interesting. What's that? Have a picture?

**Urban Aquaria** · 11th Oct 2013, 15:17

Those are really small SAE you got, usually the ones i spot at LFS are around 2+ inches... i guess you'll have more time to utilize their algae eating abilities before they grow too large.

I encountered aquatic caterpillar-like critters before too, hitchhiked in the HC mats, they popped out during plant quarantine and looks nasty. The closest ID i could find find for them online was "freshwater bristle worm", google it and see the images, quite creepy.

**Xanavi** · 11th Oct 2013, 15:18

Unfortunately I did not take any pictures.

But they are just like a miniature furry looking caterpillar, whitish and translucent, just about 1cm to 1.5cm long.
Interesting thing is that they will build a home using the leave debris and move around inside it. You wouldn’t see the entire body as it is always hiding the ‘house’ , only clinging on to the plants through the opening and camouflaged among them .To unsuspecting eye even if it is out in the open on the carpet plant, you may just think it is a piece of broken leave until you find that it is slowly moving around on its own.

**Xanavi** · 11th Oct 2013, 15:23

Originally Posted by Urban Aquaria

Those are really small SAE you got, usually the ones i spot at LFS are around 2+ inches... i guess you'll have more time to utilize their algae eating abilities before they grow too large.

I encountered aquatic caterpillar-like critters before too, hitchhiked in the HC mats, they popped out during plant quarantine and looks nasty. The closest ID i could find find for them online was "freshwater bristle worm", google it and see the images, quite creepy.

I don't think we are looking at the same critter. Mine is totally different but equally creepy and irritating!

**thebaldingaquarist** · 11th Oct 2013, 15:24

This one?
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums...ar-184453.html

Not good.. not doing work, instead looking for worms on the internet.

**Xanavi** · 11th Oct 2013, 15:39

it is friday, relax!

I have not seen any naked in all cases I came across, they are always in their 'house' . I find them by spotting odd looking leave debris in my tank.

**thebaldingaquarist** · 11th Oct 2013, 15:43

Originally Posted by Xanavi

it is friday, relax!

I have not seen any naked in all cases I came across, they are always in their 'house' . I find them by spotting odd looking leave debris in my tank.

How i wish i can...

Back to worms.
maybe can introduce some betta or dwarf puffers to settle the fish. of cos, net the shrimps out before introducing them.
Biological warfare... ROAR~!

**Xanavi** · 11th Oct 2013, 15:47

not easy. They are protected inside their 'house' and camouflaged in the dense foliage, which is why I took so long to manually eliminate them. I have neon tetras in my tank but I doubt they can do much damage. I fed some of these nasties to my african cichlids though...

**felix_fx2** · 11th Oct 2013, 16:00

after their job is done, if you still intend to keep them. reduce the headcount & control feeding.

**Urban Aquaria** · 11th Oct 2013, 16:24

Just curious... has anyone ever kept say just 1-2 full size adult SAE in a 2ft tank long term? Assuming no (or very few) other fauna so the tank bioload is still managable.

Thats one of the considerations with SAE, they are useful but once they grow too large after a few months, have to give away. Seems to be very few takers for adult SAE as most people only want the small ones to eat BBA too.

**thebaldingaquarist** · 11th Oct 2013, 16:30

Originally Posted by Xanavi

not easy. They are protected inside their 'house' and camouflaged in the dense foliage, which is why I took so long to manually eliminate them. I have neon tetras in my tank but I doubt they can do much damage. I fed some of these nasties to my african cichlids though...

Take the cichlids and place them in the wormy tank. take the shrimps and move them to the empty cichlids tank.

Right click -> Move.
I am a genius. LOLOLOLOL

**stormhawk** · 19th Oct 2013, 09:32

You might have leaf-shredding caddisfly larva or larvae in your tank, since you mentioned they make cases aka "house" out of debris.

Here's a video from Youtube of a caddisfly larva living in an aquarium: