Did my oto die from eating too much algae?

[Oogiesbettas]

One of my otos was found dead this morning. He looked perfectly fine. Round tummied and all but he was dead with no obvious sign of injury and he had been fine the night before. Is it possible that my oto died from eating too much algae? It had been worse than usual because I added a light to help my plants grow...

 

[Teelie]

I've never heard of an Oto die from eating too much algae but it's possible the fish was already stressed from the shipping/acclimation process and just keeled over.

 

[TorPeteO]

Exactly, how long have you had the otos? I've found them extremely delicate, and, in my experience, the tiniest fluctuation in water chemistry can cause stress, and then possibly kill them. If they were in an established tank for an extended period of time (a few weeks, at least), it's probably just that they were old or something.

 

[jollysue]

I've heard from just about everyone that otos just up and mysteriously die (or disappear.)

I've also had them disappear for weeks to show up later.

Not you're case of course

 

[WILDER]

I agree they need very good water quality as they are not a very hardy plec.

 

[millym]

hi, we've currently got 3 otos 2 we've had for over 8 months, one is quite new around 3 months but when we first got them we had 4 & 2 died for no obvious reason in the first 2 weeks, the other 2 are still with us & very plump & look happy. i think the stress of shipping often kills them added to the fact they are often starving when you get them as few places their held in the shipping process & in many lfs holding tanks just dont have the source of algae they love & need to eat.
sorry about your fish

 

[guppler]

One of my 3 ottos died this week. I doubt they can ever eat too much algae, I was a little surprized that mine died, but considering that my guppies are getting old and I have to bury 3 at once sometimes, and considering my past experience with otos, I was not very surprized. My oto that just died recently died right about the time I did a water change, so maybe it was stressed. They've also eaten most of the algae in that tank, so I might at least move in some furniture from another tank with more algae. I could move the ottos, but i think the only tank with much algae right now is the goldfish tank, and they would be easy snacks in there. I'm happy that I at least still have 2. I think this is the longest I've kept them. I think I got them during winter break. I have been throwing in algae wafers once a day, but usually I just find them clustered with snails the next morning.

 

[jollysue]

little otos

So just out of curiosity, what is the lifespan of an oto?

Your experience sounds very much like mine, millym. I bought 3 last fall; 2 died (it was even a new tank with no algae, only a shubunkin and a common goldfish--Bad lfs.) :stupid: Last winter I bought 3 more; 1 appeared dead when I got home and another died soon after. The lfs replaced those 2. I should have 4, but I have 3 lively fat little guys, last I saw them out together. The only bodies I ever found was the one in the take home bag and its mate hung up in a plastic plant soon after.

I am buying 8 this week. Hope they all fair well, but just to be sure, I'm getting extra

 

[Oogiesbettas]

Yeah...it is an established tank...but I had just added him and his buddy (who by the way is doing fine) I knew that could be touchy when it came to shipping them...but the lfs assured me that they had had them in for 2 weeks. So, I guess I figured that the weakest would have keeled over already...probably just stressed. My water parameters all are great...