Lost all my Otos

[daza]

I have just lost my last Oto after adding four of them five weeks ago.

Ammonia and nitrite are at zero.
Nitrate 10mg/l.
pH ~8.
GH >16d.
KH ~15d.

So I don't believe the water was the cause. Maybe it is just their apparent weakness that I have read a lot about. Either way though, I am put off getting more of them.

Can anybody suggest a different algae eating fish that would be suitable for my tank and other occupants shown in the sig? I'm thinking a catfish but other suggestions would be good too.

One idea I have is a pitbull pleco - would this be good in my tank and can they be kept alone?

I'm also reading more about flying foxes and siamese and chinese algae eaters at the moment to see if they may be suitable (suspect they may be too big though).


thanks.

 

[sylvia]

The pleco would be fine on its own though I'm not sure of how large it gets but I would think no more than 6 inches.

Flying foxes (epalzeohynchus kallopterus) get to 4 inches and siamese flying foxes (e. siamensis) to 5 inches.

Another fish often mis-labelled as a siamese algae eater is the false siamese flying fox, false flying fox or false algae eater (garra taeniata) which I think is similarly sized but milder in temperament and will also scavenge the aquarium floor.

All these are good algae eaters though the e. siamensis is the best.
All are peaceful with other fish and would be ok with their own kind in a large tank. If you have room in your tank, any of these would do fine. Make sure you supplement their diets so they don't starve.

However, avoid the CHINESE algae eater - this fish grows to 10 inches! It also develops an appetite for fish at adulthood and is realy unsuitable for your average aquarium. Though it does eat algae when young, it'll soon become aggressive and stop eating it.

 

[HotStuffGal]

Depending on the tank size Flying Foxes and chinease alge eaters are peacefull and very effective solutions!

 

[daza]

thanks for your replies.

Those suggestions seem like the shortlist so I will do some more research on them, see what I can get locally and then make a decision. cheers

 

[kenneth_kpe]

if your gonna consider a good algae eater try bristlenose plecs, as far as i know they dont do as much damage to plants as other plecs and they dont get really big but im using otto's in my tank

 

[RYO]

I have most of the fish you are talkin about-
The false siamese can get a bit territorial with fish that look similar,it does eat some algae but is happier munching on blood worm and brine shrimp.

The siamese is the better algae eater andis a more placid fish and does better in a group.

ottos are the best for small tanks and again do better in a group,can be a bit fragile on introduction to new tank.These are great in planted tanks as the do no damage to plants.

brisle nose - great wood cleaner, does a great job on algae food suplimeted with cucumber and algae tabs- can be a tad shy.

I noticed your water was quite alkaline -all the above fish prefer slightly acidic to neutral water