TankBud

Silver flying fox

Crossocheilus reticulatus

Also known as Reticulated flying fox, Reticulated Siamese algae eater, Crossocheilus tchangi, Reticulated SAE

FreshwaterFish

Silver flying fox (Crossocheilus reticulatus)
Imperial Tropicals · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
64–77°F
18–25°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
6.3 in
16 cm
Minimum tank
53 gal
200 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Herbivore
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Common
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Widespread in rivers and streams across mainland Southeast Asia, including the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins.

Overview

The silver flying fox is one of the larger algae-eating cyprinids, and it works the bottom and lower midwater of the tank. It is easy to keep and fits a large community tank.

Did you know

The silver flying fox is one of the few fish that keeps eating black brush algae into adulthood. Like most algae eaters, though, it grazes less as it grows and fills out on prepared foods.

Caring for the silver flying fox

Give a silver flying fox a tank of at least 53 gal (200 L), with a length of 120 cm or more. Keep the water clean, well oxygenated and moving, at 64 to 77°F (18 to 25°C) and a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. It shows its best silver color in a cooler tank.

It eats hair algae and biofilm well, but it needs extra food too. Feed algae wafers, blanched vegetables and sinking pellets.

Keep one alone, or keep a group of five or more to spread out aggression, since pairs tend to bully each other. Adults hold loose feeding territories and can be pushy toward their own kind. With other community fish, the silver flying fox is mostly peaceful.

Good to know

The silver flying fox is often confused with the true Siamese algae eater, Crossocheilus oblongus. It grows larger and lacks that fish's bold black stripe. Fine rows of dark-edged scales give its flanks a faint net, or reticulated, pattern, the source of its name. Older literature also lists it as Crossocheilus tchangi and Tylognathus coatesi.

In the wild

The silver flying fox lives in flowing rivers and streams over much of mainland Southeast Asia, including the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins. It grazes algae and biofilm from rocks, wood and plant leaves.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The silver flying fox is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a silver flying fox need?

A silver flying fox needs at least 53 gal (200 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a silver flying fox need?

A silver flying fox is comfortable at 64–77°F (18–25°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

What does a silver flying fox eat?

A silver flying fox eats hair algae and biofilm, but it needs extra food as well. Feed it algae wafers, blanched vegetables and sinking pellets.

How big does a silver flying fox get?

An adult silver flying fox reaches about 6.3 in (16 cm).

Related species