Oto Care

[Cossie1111]

Im thinking somewhere down the track I might get some otos, as such I have a few questions.

Is a pair good, or a group of 3?

Is this food ok for them?
http/www.theaquariumshop.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=2273&name=Aquarium%20Pharmaceuticals%20API%20Aquarian%20Algae%20Eater%20Fish%20Food%20Algae%20Chips%2028.3g

Any other important points?

Thanks

 

[MisssMarie]

Im thinking somewhere down the track I might get some otos, as such I have a few questions.

Is a pair good, or a group of 3?

Is this food ok for them?
http/www.theaquariumshop.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=2273&name=Aquarium%20Pharmaceuticals%20API%20Aquarian%20Algae%20Eater%20Fish%20Food%20Algae%20Chips%2028.3g

Any other important points?

Thanks

I was told to get a group of 6! I plan on getting some in a couple of months

 

[AeolidGal]

What size tank do you have, does it have live plants, and what other fish do you have?

Also, something you may want to consider is where these fish are from. Most (if not all) Oto Cats are caught in the wild. The most popular technique for catching tropical fish is to use small doses of cyanide which is supposed to stun the fish but can sometimes kill them. Once the cyanide settles to the bottom of the river/lake/ body of water it often kills what ever is living on the bottom substrate. (not very eco-friendly)

Furthermore, many of the oto cats will die or become sick shortly after purchasing them. Most likely due to the extra stress of being introduced to yet another new environment and from being weakened and under fed from transport. (from their natural habitat to the pet shop)

I personally love Oto cats. My boyfriend bought 3 for our 10 gallon tank. They were so lively and a lot of fun to watch. We later found out that they were caught in the wild and 2 of ours died within the first few weeks of having them. Our tank had plenty of food and all the water conditions were great. The one that is still alive is doing quite well.

The algae chips like the ones in the link you posted are good. You could also grow algae on a couple of rocks by putting a rock in a glass of water in a windowsill that gets lots of sun. They also apparently like zucchini or spinach however, I have not tried that method.

(The information regarding the use of cyanide to capture wild fish was from my zoology professor and from a friend with a zoology degree working at an aquarium)


I would also google search Otocinclus Catfish there is a lot of information.

Good luck!

 

[Ruskull]

I have (4) in my son's 20 gallon high and I have (2) in my 36 gallon tank.

As I understand it, Otos prefer to be in groups because they're shoaling fish even though they don't really "school" as normal schooling fish do. They're best added to tanks that have been established for at least 4 months so they can get enough nutrition from the algae. If you have the room they should be added slowly to make a final group of at least (6) for them to shoal as they would in the wild.

I feed the ones in my 36 gallon a slice of blanched cucumber every few days. "Blanched" apparently means nuked in the microwave for 10 seconds or so. I use rocks to hold them on the bottom of the tank & both those Otos LOVE the cucumber.

You should remove the slice of cucumber after a couple of hours or the rotting slice could spoil the water.

I've tried a cucumber slice multiple times in my son's tank & none of his (4) Otos go near it so go figure.........

 

[AeolidGal]

http/www.otocinclus.com/ just found that website. It might be of some use.

 

[Cossie1111]

Thanks for replys so far.

I have a 60L withs harlequins and corys

 

[minnnt]

If your tank is mature enough then they should be fine. I have 2 in my 88 litre puffer tank, and they are fine. Will up to 4 in a month or so.

 

[blinky000]

I read that a lot of otos die initially because they had been starved at the petshops for however long. If you think about it, there's usually no alage in the tanks and I've never seen any with a slice of cucumber. My otos LOVE blanched courgette. I take a slice, stick it in a mug with boiling water in the microwave for 30 seconds, take it out and put it in some ice water until it's cold all the way through. Put it in the tank and they go crazy for it! They're a lovely addition to a tank. I'm about to increase my group A word of warning though: they are often thought of as "canary" fish, meaning that you can monitor if something is wrong in your tank by whether they're dropping dead, so they're obviously very sensitive and require a stable environment.