Interested In Otocinclus...

[GyppyGirl2021]

First off, I have a few questions.

1. Where are the best places to get them? I heard that they die off quickly in aquariums due to poor conditions during capture/holding, and it's obvious it's not a good idea to get them at a chain store. There was a local fish store that seemed to keep its fish in pretty good condition (and even had some oddities such as a large Arowana and a Freshwater Tarpon), but I'm not sure if it's still there.

2. Are there any standout characteristics that separate otocinclus from juvenile Chinese algae eaters? I have heard that they're often confused, and I know that otos tend to stay small (and/or die within the first month) and are peaceful, whereas Chinese algae eaters grow much larger and harass other tankmates. Sometimes stores will mislabel them, too, so I just want to be certain that what I'm getting is an oto and not one of those nasty algae eaters.

3. Is it alright to keep them in large groups of 6-12? Obviously I'd get a larger aquarium before doing this (my current aquarium is 29 gallons and poorly maintained, but the guppies seem to do fine), but are there any socialization problems involving otos and/or other fish?

4. What are some good things to give them as food? I've heard that algae wafers and green vegetables of some sorts make excellent food, but is it better to just let the aquarium overgrow with algae?

 

[nmonks]

1. Where are the best places to get them? I heard that they die off quickly in aquariums due to poor conditions during capture/holding, and it's obvious it's not a good idea to get them at a chain store. There was a local fish store that seemed to keep its fish in pretty good condition (and even had some oddities such as a large Arowana and a Freshwater Tarpon), but I'm not sure if it's still there.

Their mortality rate is extremely high. This is one reason retailers often prefer not to stock them. They feed exclusively on algae and aufwuchs, and without some suitable substitute (such as Hikari algae wafers) they starve very, very quickly. They are far from rare in the trade, but it's a sad fact that well over half die prematurely, within a few months of capture.

2. Are there any standout characteristics that separate otocinclus from juvenile Chinese algae eaters? I have heard that they're often confused, and I know that otos tend to stay small (and/or die within the first month) and are peaceful, whereas Chinese algae eaters grow much larger and harass other tankmates. Sometimes stores will mislabel them, too, so I just want to be certain that what I'm getting is an oto and not one of those nasty algae eaters.

Obviously Gyrinocheilus is a bad fish with nothing to recommend it for the community tank. It's not a good algae eater, it gets big quickly, and it is extremely aggressive. But Otocinclus is a bad community fish too. Unless you're an expert fishkeeper with a large, cool, well filtered tank that has lots of green algae, then don't keep them. Sure, you could buy some, but they'll be dead soon enough. For most ordinary aquarists, the algae eater of choice is Ancistrus. Much hardier and easier to keep.

3. Is it alright to keep them in large groups of 6-12? Obviously I'd get a larger aquarium before doing this (my current aquarium is 29 gallons and poorly maintained, but the guppies seem to do fine), but are there any socialization problems involving otos and/or other fish?

Otocinclus must be kept in schools, the bigger the better. They are potentially damaging to other fish though. Anything large and/or slow moving is at risk of being "attacked", with the Otocinclus scraping away mucous from the body of the fish. In my own tanks, I have seen this between Otocinclus and Awaous gobies, so it isn't a myth. I wouldn't keep Otocinclus with anything other than fast-moving tetras, barbs, etc.

4. What are some good things to give them as food? I've heard that algae wafers and green vegetables of some sorts make excellent food, but is it better to just let the aquarium overgrow with algae?

Green algae -- not diatoms or hair algae or cyanobacteria -- are their prime food choices. Hikari algae wafers are good too. Some green vegetables such as cucumber and zucchini will be accepted, but the bulk should be algae and algae wafers. Obviously this means they cannot be kept with any other algae-eating or bottom-feeding species. No catfish or loaches!

Cheers, Neale

 

[GyppyGirl2021]

Ah, thank you for the advice. I guess I made a wrong assumption in thinking that they were easier to keep than algae eaters, but oh well, everyone makes mistakes.