Sword & SAE

Hope this answers somebodys questions. This is the first time I've posted to this list.

>Sword & SAE
>The other part has to do with SAE's. I recently found a store that sells
>them. I bought one for $6, and the tank was marked "True Siamese Algae
>Eater!". I asked the workers there if they were in fact the SAE's, and they
>said yes. (I've never seen one before). The one I have is roughly 1.5
>inches, and is already eating away at my algae. How old would this fish
>be, and how big do they get?

The true SAE's are hard to find. So sometimes the high price the stores charge is worth it. They are the only thing that will eat hair algae. Mine also eat my java moss but don't bother any other plants. They grow to about 5-6 inches within a couple of years. So get them as small as you can. They are a schooling fish and don't usually bother any other fish. So you can keep more than one in a tank. Although one is all that is needed to keep the hair algae in check. Baensch Atlas volume one page 418 has some good info although the wrong picture of the fish. Check out the Aquatic Gardeners Association featured articles section for a great article by Neil Frank about the TRUE SAE's. http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~aquaria/AGA/articles.html