# Identification help....



## Shannara (Sep 20, 2007)

I found this guy at an LFS and want to find out if he is a true SAE or not. He is so tiny I am having a hard time finding the key characteristics but his fins all seem to be colorless and transparent. I can't tell if the black stripe continues into his tail...I see a little black on the tail but its faint. I am not sure if the distinct characteristics will develope more with age...or what. 

Any input as to what you all think would be appreciated.

Video of the lil guy....click to open:


Thanks,
Shannara


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## Gump (Oct 26, 2006)

Otocinclus affinis, not CAE.


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## Shannara (Sep 20, 2007)

Do you mean SAE or CAE? I know its not a Chinese Algae Eater. I looked up Otocinclus affinis and it doesn't look much like that though....it doesn't have a suckermouth like the Otocinclus.

I want to make sure its not a Flying fox, Epalzeorhynchus kalopterus or a "False siamensis", Epalzeorhynchus sp.

Shannara~


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## cullens089 (Jun 19, 2007)

looks like a flying fox


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## Jet (Sep 11, 2006)

That's not an Oto. Best guess since it's so small, would be a False SAE or Flying Fox. Doesn't look like a true SAE.


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## Shannara (Sep 20, 2007)

> looks like a flying fox


What did you see that characterized it as a Flying Fox?



> Doesn't look like a true SAE.


What are you not seeing for it to be an SAE?

I was looking at this website as a reference on distinction:

http://www.thekrib.com/Fish/Algae-Eaters/


Not the best picture but he is so small its hard to keep a focus on him:










On a side note I have been watching him eat the black hair algae I showed pics of in the freshwater plants area. From what I read only the SAE's eat this stuff....so it makes me think I got the right thing...but I wanted to be sure. 

Shannara~


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## Jet (Sep 11, 2006)

Shannara said:


> What are you not seeing for it to be an SAE?


Little things like there's a white band between your fish's stripe and top colouring, whereas on SAEs the band meets the greyish colour at the top of the fish with no gap. The black band on your fish looks smooth at the edges, whereas on an SAE it would be jagged. I can't see any evidence of the stripe continuing into the caudal fin.

How big is the fish? Looking more closely I would defnitely lean towards False SAE over Flying Fox.


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## Shannara (Sep 20, 2007)

It's really tiny...barely an inch...and there is a light black strip in the tail it’s just so hard to capture on my camera. In the video it looks like a band above the black stripe but honestly if you look at that pic I posted it's a bit more accurate...in the sense that when I am looking at him I don't see an extra band. 

He is just so tiny it’s hard to tell if he is a false or not. His fins are all clear and transparent like the websites I've read says they are supposed to be. Would a false SAE eat the black hair algae though?

I hate that these lil guys are so hard to differentiate.

Shannara~


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## Shannara (Sep 20, 2007)

Okay I finally got some good pics of him with the flash on....you can see his lil black strip in his tail now. I caught him while he was eating the algae off my plant:



















See this makes me think SAE....but I want to confirm from others who have actually seen this fish or even have one.

Thanks all for your input though...I do appreciate it.

Shannara~


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

Shannara, that fish is a true SAE, not CAE, not flying foxes and any other fish for that matter because I have been keeping this lot for quite some time now.


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## Shannara (Sep 20, 2007)

Oh Hurray!!! LOL. At least all of my antics of staring at that tank for so long in the store wasn't in vain. They actually had them labeled correctly AND they were only $1.99 each...this is great!

What identified the lil bugger for you?

Thanks again for the help everyone.

Shannara~


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## The-Wolf (Mar 15, 2007)

I dissagree it is not a true SAE it is an _Apareiodon affinis_Darter characine


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## Falina (Feb 25, 2007)

On first look I thoguht definitely SAE, but now I think The-Wolf might be right instead.


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## Shannara (Sep 20, 2007)

I have been looking at pics of the Apareiodon affinis and its band is thinner and less vibrant than the SAE. The bands on the fish I have is thicker like the SAE...I agree they look similar but on a side by side comparison such as on the below website...you can see how faded the Apareiodon affinis look.

http://www.aqua-global.de/Info-Ecke-Dateien/Algenfresser.htm

Shannara~


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## The-Wolf (Mar 15, 2007)

I stand, well sit actually, corrected.
now I'm fully awake it is an SAE


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