I am sad to say your Oto looks like a goner. It presents like septicemia. The other one was badly bitten, and this one may have been too. They are delicate fish, and once an infection takes hold...
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Otocinclus owners - pls help
- Thread starter Neonlights
- Start date
Yeah, I don't have a great deal of hope for the oto either, I'm afraid 
The gills can look quite red on the underside of an oto that's healthy, so don't want people to panic if they see the red gills through the skin on some sub-species of otocinclus if they're otherwise healthy - can also sometimes be visible in albino/lemon plecos too.
But that's much more red, much more extensive, and combined with the mouth fungus, he has infections raging and doesn't stand much chance, sadly.
The gills can look quite red on the underside of an oto that's healthy, so don't want people to panic if they see the red gills through the skin on some sub-species of otocinclus if they're otherwise healthy - can also sometimes be visible in albino/lemon plecos too.
But that's much more red, much more extensive, and combined with the mouth fungus, he has infections raging and doesn't stand much chance, sadly.
Neonlights
Fish Fanatic
Thanks. It’s just so weird, I never see the other fish go for it. I have another NT Labs medication for internal bacteria but I don’t want to treat with it as I’m not sure what the actual issue is.
Neonlights
Fish Fanatic
If he’s suffering, I can euthenize him but I need to give the medication a chance to help.
Just for general reference for the future, since we're both in the UK, I've found the eSHa line of products helpful for worming, and eSHa 2000 is probably the closest thing we have to antibiotic, and I've found it useful for excess mucus and white bumps on cories, and would use it again to treat something like this if it cropped up for me.
It does knock back the filter bacteria somewhat, so you have to be ready to test/water change/ be prepared for that, but especially in a heavily planted tank and if you're monitoring it so can water change when needed as the nitrifying bacterial colonies build back up, it only took a few days for those to build back up to the previous numbers and the tanks to stablise again when I used it, and never reached dangerous levels, especially since I also had a lot of plants.
The eSHa products are also generally fine for shrimp, othr inverts and plants, which is a big bonus! I've used the eSHa NDX and GDEX for treating both round and flat worms, then the 2000 for other things, as I said, and my shrimp, plants and fish were fine!
Neonlights
Fish Fanatic
Sadly I think I need to euthanise him. I just went to check on how he’s doing and he’s sitting on top of the thermometer close to the surface of the water with his head sticking out of the water! Whatever is wrong with his mouth must be really bothering him. I feel horrible that I can’t help and I hate euthanising fish but I don’t want him to be suffering.
I'm sorry. I know it's a horrible thing to have to do, but sadly necessary sometimes to prevent further suffering. If it helps at all, it sounds to me as if you're making the right judgement call, after seeing the photos of his condition and reading that description.
Neonlights
Fish Fanatic
I have to follow up and post what’s just happened.
I had 1 Oto for about a year before buying 2 more to keep him company (originally I’d bought 4 but they were from Pets at Home and 3 died almost immediately). Then, around November last year the original one vanished. I assumed it died and the body decomposed in the plants. I was left with 2, the one who recently died from the tail infection and the one that I sadly had to euthanise this evening.
However, plot twist, my wife just called out to me “there’s an oto in the tank!”. I thought she was confusing a shrimp for one as the lights are out but nope, there on the front of the glass is my original oto that I haven’t seen in about 3 months!!
To say I’m surprised is an understatement, but it’s really lifted my mood after losing the other 2. My only worry now is what if it was the petricolas that attacked the other 2, will they get this one? There is of course the possibility the first oto was attacked by the betta (that is now deceased) and the second one just suffered an injury. It’s very odd that after believing I had no more otos, one has appeared tonight. If I’d had a drink I’d think I was hallucinating!
I had 1 Oto for about a year before buying 2 more to keep him company (originally I’d bought 4 but they were from Pets at Home and 3 died almost immediately). Then, around November last year the original one vanished. I assumed it died and the body decomposed in the plants. I was left with 2, the one who recently died from the tail infection and the one that I sadly had to euthanise this evening.
However, plot twist, my wife just called out to me “there’s an oto in the tank!”. I thought she was confusing a shrimp for one as the lights are out but nope, there on the front of the glass is my original oto that I haven’t seen in about 3 months!!
To say I’m surprised is an understatement, but it’s really lifted my mood after losing the other 2. My only worry now is what if it was the petricolas that attacked the other 2, will they get this one? There is of course the possibility the first oto was attacked by the betta (that is now deceased) and the second one just suffered an injury. It’s very odd that after believing I had no more otos, one has appeared tonight. If I’d had a drink I’d think I was hallucinating!
Haha! Fish are good at hiding, especially in a heavily planted tank!
Have heard stories of people not seeing a fish in their tank for years, thinking it was gone until they did a tank tear down and discovered it. Remember one story where someone was convinced they didn't have any more kuhli loaches until they tore down the tank and discovered several still living and thriving in the substrate!
Have to keep fingers crossed that this one makes it until the synos have been returned.
Have heard stories of people not seeing a fish in their tank for years, thinking it was gone until they did a tank tear down and discovered it. Remember one story where someone was convinced they didn't have any more kuhli loaches until they tore down the tank and discovered several still living and thriving in the substrate!
Have to keep fingers crossed that this one makes it until the synos have been returned.
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