[ray-the-pilot]

I finally couldn’t take it any more! My Siamese Algae Eaters were just not eating algae and devastating my plants! I went to my LFS and traded my three SAE’s for three Oto Cats. I know that this was not an equal trade on a cost basis but I hate SAE’s. They are nasty and aggressive. They attack other fish and devour certain plants.

Is my experience common?

 

[ray-the-pilot]

This is interesting? Some people seem to have no trouble with their SAE and others do.

In my case, I am certain that I have True SAE's because I researched them before I bought them and went to a place that advertised them as True SAE's and they physically fit the description of True SAE’s.

At first the three I had in my 50 gal tank seemed tame enough and acted as I expected. They chased each other and did some displays. As they grew they became more aggressive toward other fish, especially at feeding time. They were very aggressive when I fed them algae tablets and aggressively chased other fish way. I believe they were in a mating mode but I could never verify any eggs because they typically went into the dense plants (They are actually rather shy towards humans).

They gradually started eating more and more plants. They particularly liked tender new growth and ate the central rosettes from my sward plants. At first I thought that this was some type of rot but I figured it out after many of the plants developed peculiar U shaped hole in the leaves about the size of a SAE sucker.

I think I’ll stick with Oto’s from here on.