Please Tell Me It Isn't So...

[paw-paw]

I copied this information from: http/dianasaquatank.tripod.com/id13.html



It goes like that:

"Don't buy dwarf suckermouth catfish (otocinclus affinis), sometimes sold as "algae eaters". These are small

bottom feeders about one to one and a half inches long. Greenish-grey to muddy yellow with a light underbelly, many have a brownish stripe along the side. They are mottled and can have a spotted or striped pattern along the back. When young they consume a lot of algae and any dead fish, but as they mature they attack other fish, even including very large fish. They will kill baby guppies, and injure adults. They can also become cannibalistic. Many pet shops don't bother to inform their customers of this aggressive behavior, so beware."

 

[chrisdoesntmiss]

I have these exact fish and have never had this problem.

Others may disagree, just my experience.

Chris

 

[fergalthefish]

i had a couple of these and they keep sticking to my fish as well, in fact i believe they contributed to the deaths of my lovely angel fish. took them back to lfs in the end they were so annoying.

 

[SuperColey1]

I've never had this problem either and I have 3 different species (which grow to different sizes) in my tank

Andy

 

[Esfa]

I have 6 of these, and i have never seen this behavior.

 

[chrisdoesntmiss]

All mine seem to do is to stick the the glass and plants and eat all day long. I have heard of something called an "Attack Oto" which seems to be the retard in the group but i have never come across any of them.

I will see if i can find the article i saw this info.

Chris

 

[OohFeeshy]

Most likely confusion between otos and CAEs- they look very similar and I know plenty of shops who sell one as the other.

 

[chrisdoesntmiss]

Ooh Feeshy, if you have another read of the first post it gives the exact name and there is quite a difference in there shape and colouration. Also CAE eaters can get a lot larger than 1.5"

To clarify

Oto



CAE





Just to warn people that some Pets at Home stores sell these marked as Siamese Algae Eaters - Wrong

Chris

 

[SJ2K]

I would of thought they were confussed with CAE's also, ive never heard of Oto's being ANY trouble before.

 

[Azaezl]

I would of thought they were confussed with CAE's also, ive never heard of Oto's being ANY trouble before.

Yeah that's was what I thought. Pawpaw are you certain they haven't gotten them mixed up, as ooh feeshy said alot of shops mis-label fish, sometimes through no fault of their own, they may have ordered otos and gotten CAE, they do look similar so it would be an easy mistake to make, esp. if your not very experienced with those particular fish.

When young they consume a lot of algae and any dead fish, but as they mature they attack other fish, even including very large fish.

This sounds typical of a CAE so I'm pretty sure that's what it is.

Also from the description of corydoras on that site;

Mailed catfish (corydoras) do well in a temperature range of 75 to 77 degrees. Many kinds do well in temperatures as low as 59 degrees. Ask your pet shop which kind can live in your tank. The female of these species holds her eggs next to her body in her pelvic fins. They will eat plants, algae, and dead fish, and can grow to almost 5 inches, with females being slightly larger than males. Likes to have others of its own kind with it. They are a very good species to keep with guppies - gentle, easy going fish

I wouldn't say they were a very reliable source of information and why would a fish that eats dead fish be of any value, you wouldn't leave the dead fish in there anyway

 

[chrisdoesntmiss]

Will agree that some shops can mis-label. Does happen rather often.

Chris

 

[paw-paw]

I am relieved to read this I was affraid that they were correct....

Cause I used to have a CAE in my tank (with goldfish and pleco) for two years and he never showed any aggresion...But because I was informed that they can become really aggressive I gave him away after I put my goldfish in a pond. I also gave away my pleco, because I couldn't find what kind he was and I didnt wanna take a chance...

Here in my country otos are really hard to get, but you can find CAE in every petshop. So I was searching to find otos for a pretty long time and I would really be unhappy to find out that they are agressive...
Well, they haven't been aggresive yet...

 

[fakekerby]

One of my Oto's last night tried sucking on a couple of my Platys but both of them managed to shake him off pretty abruptly so no damage was done, I will keep an eye out though - generally though (99% of the time) they just eating algae off the tank or attached to a plant!