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American Flags: Revisted (again)



I know, I know. I'm getting tired of hearing about them, also. Anyway,
that's what this post is about. Maybe if we can get the information in
one place, we can reduce the number of repetitive posts.

Anyway, I'm the guy that's been advocating the use of American Flags as
algae eaters for the last couple of years. With interest and
availability at an all time high, I thought I'd see if there would be
any interest in my posting a paper of sorts, covering the pros and cons
of keeping them in planted aquariums. What I propose to do is, share my
experiences and the information that I've gleamed from other sources.
Also, I'd like to include links to sites about breeding, etc.  Plus, I'd
like to hear from you. What kind of experiences have you had with them?
Good, bad, whatever. Are yours like mine, peaceful and gentle, or are
they more like rabid Pit bulls, better suited to guarding junkyards. 

If you have an experience you'd like to share, please e-mail me
privately, and use the questionnaire below as a guideline. I'd like to
use your name and e-mail address, if you rather I didn't, please
indicate. 

Tank size.   
Water parameters (temperature, PH, etc.). 
Lighting (MH, Fluorescent, wattage, brands, etc.).  
Livestock: species, quantity, and size (juvenile/adult).    
Number and size of Flags (adults are 2 1/4"-2 1/2").    
Ratio of males to females.    
Did you add them at start up (hope not).    If not, when. 
Did they take care of the algae.   
What type of algae did they eat.   
What type didn't they eat.   
What did you feed them after the algae was gone.   
If they ate any of your plants, which ones. (There's a form of
aggression that I call plant nipping, where they, usually the dominant
male, takes a bite out of a plant and spits it out, not eating it.
Please refer to this under aggression.)   
Do they show any form of aggression towards other fish (other than the
males staking out, and defending a small territory).  If yes, towards
what species and sex.  
Any fin nipping, again, toward what species and sex. 

That's all I can think of at the moment, I'm sure I'll come up with 5 or
6 more, ten minutes after I post this. If you care to add anything that
I've not included, by all means, do so.

Augie Eppler
Green Cove Springs, Fl      Where it's already July.  
augiee at bellsouth_net