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Mayaca and SAEs (fwd)
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 10:21:38 -0600 (CST)
From: amc2 at ix_netcom.com
To: Aquatic-Plants-Owner at ActWin_com
Subject: Mayaca and SAEs
>I have _definitely_ seen the SAEs eating the Mayaca but I have not
>observed them in the act of eating Rotala rotundifolia which is the
>Rotala species that is being devoured.
>
>Anyone else keeping SAEs with Mayaca? These are adult fish, not juveniles.
The Mayaca is the only plant in my 500 liter tank that is not thriving! I
have 6 or 8 SAEs (6-9cm). I was thinking it was a plant competition thing,
but now you have me wondering. I will have to start watching my SAEs more
carefully. There is hardly any algae... I guess they are looking for a
suitable substitute.
Neil:
I have observed the SAE's working on Najas as well -- actually cleaning
it; and because the plant is relatively soft, some parts of the plants
(the leaves) get eaten. The have a voracious appetite, and when there is
nothing to eat they may work on these soft leave plants.
My solution is still the cucumber. They love it and still work on the
algae that may be forming on the plants. My SAE's are about four inches
or a little larger; 12 of them in a 70 gallon aquarium. I slice a
cucumber lenghtwise; weight it down and leave it in the aquarium three
days. Then, just replace it.
Stangely enough, when the Najas leaves are at the surface, the SAE's do
not eat the leaves. They just clean them. It seems as though they have
too much trouble working the suface of the water and the leaves that are
there. Quite an interesting fish! Do yours eat any Mayaca that
has reached the water surface?
Merrill