Got any facts about Siamese Algae Eaters?
I have a juvenile in my larger tank that decided to join up with my rummy nose tetras and behaves like them as opposed to an algae eater and even though it’s starting to outgrow the tetras in size the tetras seem to have accepted their weird group member.
First time I’ve ever seen a fish join a different species and act like it’s one of them. My theory is that because I got this one as a baby it may have thought the tetras were the same species because at that time they were the same size and the rummy nose tetras have a similar body shape and silver color plus the black tail stripes matching the black stripe along the algae eater.
Awww!!!! You hear about animals growing up around other animals and then acting like them and animals "adopting" members of other species but I really haven't ever heard of fish doing the same either! The algae eater thought it was a tetra too... my heart....!
Anyway, you'll get your fact! But uh, this one is a tad different.
What specie or species the "Siamese algae eater" name refers to is a whole conundrum and a half. Very often this name is attributed to Crossocheilus oblongus, which is a synonym for C. siamensis, but it is now believed that very few or no true C. oblongus individuals actually appear in the aquarium trade! Instead, multiple other species are referred to as Siamese algae eaters and/or mislabeled as C. oblongus/siamensis, notably C. atrilimes, C. langei, C. nigriloba, Garra cambodgiensis ("false Siamese algae eater"), and Epalzeorhynchos kalopterus ("flying fox"). Interestingly, FishBase gives out the title of "Siamese algae eater" to Gyrinocheilus aymonieri and instead calls C. oblongus by the common name Siamese flying fox.
All this to say, the common name Siamese algae eater encompasses many species! What you're getting might not be C. oblongus at all, but a different kind of fishy friend instead.
