Oto's disapearing trick?!

[noclueman]

This has happened twice now.

Episode 1 - I got up in the morning and noticed one of my oto's was very sick. I went to eat breakfast and came back to put it in a bag and I couldn't find it anywhere. The tank is only 10 gallons. So I went to the LFS and told them what happened and they said the other fish probably ate him while I was having my breakfast...they gave me a new one free.

Episode 2 - I now only have 3 guppies in the tank along with 3 oto's. This morning I noticed one of the oto's was not moving (looked dead). I left the room for maybe 5 - 10 minutes. When I came back to check on him he was gone. Completely gone, nowhere in the tank. I checked the floor and the surrounding area...nowhere. I refuse to believe that 2 oto's and 3 guppies could eat a 2 inch fish in 5 minutes.

Anyone have any clue what happens to these guys? (Do they bury themselves in the sand or something?!)

No, he's not in the filter either, checked both times.

Thanks for any info,
noclueman

 

[corrosive]

Hmm, i doubt that your fish would eat the oto let alone in 5mins

I had a dead oto in the tank ovr night, no fish touched him...

Also i had a dead plec in the tank... no fish touched him .

But... i must say, when i went to get my remaining oto out of the tank, i couldnt find him LOL, he had fanished... but when i gave up, he was there right in front of my face lol. God knows where he must have been hiding.

 

[noclueman]

The wierd thing is, the first one never did show up.

The second one has been missing now for 5 hours and I still haven't seen him.

 

[Waterloo Kid]

Personally I think Otos have the power to turn invisible!
I have just raised two oto fry in a 20 litre tank that doesn't even have gravel in it. There were times when I couldn't find both of them. The only other thing in the tank was a heater. No matter how hard I looked I simply couldn't find the other one. 10 minutes later they would both be stuck to the front glass of the tank! Admittedly they were about 8mm long at the time but the tank was bare and only 1 foot long itself!

Strange!

WK

 

[SnowyzMom]

I am SO glad I'm not the ONLY one with disappearing ottos! I keep thinking the pair in my 25 gallon have vanished but they're so excellent at hiding they always show up again. Now the 10 gallon...I'm beginning to think it's a fishy Bermuda Triangle in there for Ottos. Apparently my daughter's bf left me two in there when they moved out. Hmph. Found one...dead, never did find the other. Just added two really healthy ones a couple months ago. Have never seen them since. Mind you, they are probably in there somewhere, its got moss, live plants and bamboo in there, many places to hide, plus a little cave. And I don't believe ANY corey could eat them THAT fast. No way. Must go on a fish hunt again for them. Glad to hear I'm not the only one with "now you see them, now you don't" fish.

Um one point about Ottos looking dead...those fish can go absolutely motionless. You think they're dead....then they suddenly dart off like lightning to the other side of the tank and go hide somewhere. I got fooled by them alot when I was a new fish keeper and very nervous I'd kill something. Now, unless they're belly up I presume the Ottos are just doing their "I'm a living statue" act again! So far I've been right every time.