Flying Fox
| Common Name | Flying Fox |
| Species/genus | Epalzeorhynchus kalopterus |
| Keeping | This is a algae eating fish kept mainly for
cleaning up the tank and plants of algae. This algae eating barb strongly resembles the
Siamese Algae Eater. This is also called "Thai Flying fox". The Flying Fox is the most colorful of this fish group.
It comes from the flowing waters of Thailand, Sumatra and Borneo. Wholesalers sometimes
deliver this species as Siamese Algae Eater in Finland. This fish is also known as Trunk Barb.
Body and fin shape like siamese algae eater species. Thin specimens are often pictured in the aquarium literature. The overall color is warmer brown or even goldish and the black horizontal stripe goes from nose to the fork of the tail like on Siamese Algae Eater, but the part going through the tail fin in darker and broader. There is a narrow golden stripe over the black. Above this the top portion of the fish is slightly blacker in colour. Dorsal, anal and pelvic fins have indistinctive dark bands and bright white tips. It has 2 pairs of barbels. Maximum length is reported to be 15 cm (6"). No sexual differences are known. Adult specimen is territorial and aggressive towards its own kind. Flying Fox can be kept in a community tank, but it might chase other fish viciously from its territory. There shouldn't be more than one adult Flying Fox in a tank. |
| Breeding | They are not known to breed in captivity. Details are not available at the moment. |
| Origin | Temp | Water | Temper | Size | Tank | Food | Breeding |
| Thailand | 75-80 °F | Neutral | Aggressive | 4-6 inch | 30 Gallon | Algae, worms | Difficult |