otocinclus

[granttopp]

why do they die all the time i would like 2 get some 4 my 15gallon with the fish in my sig. how many could i get and is there anyway i could increase the chances of their survival as i dont like them dying on me

 

[The-Wolf]

otos need to feed constantly. during shipping they are not fed and the bacteria in their stomachs die. this causes them in turn to die.
they are also very sensative to water params and need to be added to a well matured tank.

when purchasing them, ask the lfs if they have had them in stock for at least a week (if they havn't died within a week of the shop getting them, chances are they are well fed and healthy); if not wait untill they have.

HTH

 

[BigC]

The only thing I would like to add to Wolf's comments is, that they seem to prefer a planted tank. They like to browse on algae especially on broadleaved plants like amazon sword. Where they can be seen foraging both on the upper and undersides of the leaves. I had never any trouble with Otto's, but don't add them to a new setup. If you have the tank near a natural daylight source then they will graze on the glass panes of the aquarium.
Regards
BigC

 

[granttopp]

thanks for the info but would i need 2 get more than 1 and i only have fake plants in my tank as real ones give me trouble would that be ok. so all i need 2 do is keep them fat and they should survive

 

[granttopp]

how many ottos would be a good number to have and will i be overstocking my tank if i got them