29 Gallon - should I add Ottos?

[tgo]

I want some advise before I had a small school of otocinclus to my 29 gallon. I was thinking between 3-5 of them to help with the algae amd plus I really love catfish but I have fluorite substrate and don't want to chance it with corydoras.

My current stocking is as follows:

6 cardinal tetras (plus eventually another 6 that are currently in a well-established quarantine tank)
1 thicklipped gourami
1 10 yr old lemon tetra
1 6 yr old cherry barb

I know its not ideal to have a single lemon tetra and cherry barb but don't want to add more of these. Would I be pushing my stock limit by getting a small school of otos? They will be quarantined in a tank that has been running for 10+ yrs. The 29 gallon they will be moving in to will be fairly heavily planted and plenty of algae because I moved some rocks over to it that are covered in green algae and diatoms.

The source of these otos is very reputable so I was thinking it might be worth taking a chance with this sensitive species.i considered a small pleco but I've owned a few in the past and they were too messy. I've heard that otos are much better in this regard.

Thoughts? If so, what would be the ideal number?

Thanks!

 

[Byron]

I would myself acquire three minimum. I rarely saw mine when I had them some years ago, but they are good at diatoms and common green algae, but not "problem" algae (BBA, etc). If you like the fish as a fish, which you clearly do, then it is worth acquiring otos.

There are several species, and the identification of the specific species of oto in the home aquarium is not always easy as there are several with very similar patterns and the names attached to them in stores are frequently inaccurate. Fortunately the care and behaviour is basically identical whichever species you may have in your aquarium. No Otocinclus species possesses an adipose fin, but this fin is present on the species in the closely-related Paratocinclus genus.

Otocinclus macrospilus is probably the species most often encountered in the hobby; this species is often mis-identified as O. affinis. It is strikingly similar to O. vestitus and can be distinguished by the markings on the caudal (tail) fin. O. macrospilus has a distinctive large round black blotch at the base of the caudal fin; on O. vestitus the horizontal black band extends onto the caudal fin with no significant enlargement into a blotch. O. vittatus is another near-identical species, but the upper edge of the black horizontal band along the sides of the fish is bordered by a distinct white clear band separating the black band from the mottled pattern; on O. macrospilus the white band is less distinct in places and on O. vestitus the mottled pattern adjoins the black band with no definable white band.

Otocinclus cocama used to be seen, not sure if it is still available. It is a zebra pattern, quite unique, and care is the same as the other species inn the genus.

There are several oto species that mimic the patterning of sympatric Corydoras species. Otocinclus mimulus, O. flexilis, O. affinis and O. xakriaba are considered to be mimics of Corydoras diphyes, C. paleatus, C. nattereri and C. garbei respectively [Axenrot & Kullander, 2003]. Mimetic association means the imitation or mimicry in pattern between the two species; sympatric species are those living in the same geographical habitat.

Another unique catfish is equally superb at eating diatoms and common green algae, and that is Farlowella vitatta. Make sure of the species, as the so-called "Royal" Farlowellas are much larger and in a different genus.

 

[tgo]

Wow, I had no idea there were so many varieties available in the hobby. Thanks for the input!

 

[seangee]

Do be aware that most otos (at least in the UK) are still wild caught. This means they are likely to be starving and possibly won't know what to do with an algae wafer. I would try to buy stock that has been in the store for at least a month, they should keep records of what came in when.

 

[tgo]

Do be aware that most otos (at least in the UK) are still wild caught. This means they are likely to be starving and possibly won't know what to do with an algae wafer. I would try to buy stock that has been in the store for at least a month, they should keep records of what came in when.

Thanks for the wise advice. In terms of algae, I have lots. My water produces lots of diatoms. In fact, even my older tanks still have some. I am not in the Uk but I do know they have been in their tank for at least a month, if not longer. They are a small operation specializing in cichlids and various catfish. I'm also not sure if they were wild caught but I'll be sure to ask.