Fahaka puffer and SAE

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CaptainAquatics

CaptainAquatics

Candiru
MFK Member
Feb 25, 2020
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Hello! So I recently purchased a baby Fahaka puffer. He is very small (maybe 1-2”). I have been battling black beard algae in his tank since I got him (I think it came in with him) and I know SAE’s are known to be efficient cleaners of BBA. Do you think if I got a group of 6-8 of them I could put them in with him just until they clear out the algae then move them to my 75 community tank?

Thanks!
 
I have read that SAEs are good at bba. So are bn plecos. My bn pleco is good with algae, but I haven’t had a SAE.
My tank with bba has no algae eater (besides Leporinus and cichlids), and I have given up. Once you get used to it it doesn’t look so bad, and once it starves itself, it will recede

I’m gonna get scuds soon and see what they do for the algae in all of my tanks.
 
SAE’s as they grow tend to stop eating algae and go after fishes slime coats instead...

But to answer your question, i dont see a problem adding them in while your puffer is small just keep an eye on the tank to make sure they aren’t getting nipped at by the puffer and that they arent annoying you puffer either...

However, i would also try and find the root cause of the BBA to make sure it doesnt come back as something has to be feeding it for it to grow...
 
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Fat Homer said:
SAE’s as they grow tend to stop eating algae and go after fishes slime coats instead...

But to answer your question, i dont see a problem adding them in while your puffer is small just keep an eye on the tank to make sure they aren’t getting nipped at by the puffer and that they arent annoying you puffer either...

However, i would also try and find the root cause of the BBA to make sure it doesnt come back as something has to be feeding it for it to grow...
Click to expand...

Are you thinking of Chinese Algae Eaters? I thought SAE’s were peaceful, but I may be mistaken. Do you think I could just try a BN pleco? I have a few of them.
 
I have a busynose in my tank, he don't touch the stuff. The microfauna that live in it yes, the actual algea nope.
20200807_181946.jpg
This guy has been in the tank the whole time.
20210321_205412.jpg
 
CaptainAquatics said:
Hello! So I recently purchased a baby Fahaka puffer. He is very small (maybe 1-2”). I have been battling black beard algae in his tank since I got him (I think it came in with him) and I know SAE’s are known to be efficient cleaners of BBA. Do you think if I got a group of 6-8 of them I could put them in with him just until they clear out the algae then move them to my 75 community tank?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
I had a fahaka from about 1” until it was about 14” and you might be ok while it’s small. But they grow insanely fast and from the time mine was 4” onward it would absolutely demolish anything I tried to keep with him. I literally mean it was like a horror movie with pieces of tank mates floating around. So just don’t get attached to the SAE if you try it.
 
CaptainAquatics said:
Are you thinking of Chinese Algae Eaters? I thought SAE’s were peaceful, but I may be mistaken. Do you think I could just try a BN pleco? I have a few of them.
Click to expand...

Yes, you’re right... for some reason i was thinking CAE not SAE... my bad
 
oops someone already noted sae don't eat slime. Also i never seen or heard of a BN eating bba. They eat algae but generally not BBA. I have 8 or 9 bbn and never seen one of them touch bba....
 
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