# Otos



## boink (Nov 29, 2006)

A local fish store just got a big stock of otos in, which are currently under quarantine. How long should I wait to minimize die off and excessively changing water conditions in a short time period?


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## bristles (Mar 7, 2006)

A week or two should be good to make sure they are in good health. Otto's can be sensitive to water conditions so they may take a while to acclimate if there is a big shift in water parameters. As you know, they like to be in numbers, I never have less than 3 in a tank - more if the tank is large.


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## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

Ok, this will probably be the easiest question ever BUT. What is an otto? I search aquabid to see what I can find and nada, I also looked around my local LFS's and found.... Nothing... Any help would be great.


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## milla (Feb 8, 2007)

Ottos are a small suckermouth catfish. approx 1.5"

scientific nane : Otocinclus

checkout www.otocinclus.com - Home of the Dwarf Suckermouth Catfishes for more info.


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## bristles (Mar 7, 2006)

The otocinclus is the favorite choice of algae eaters for planted tanks IMO as they do not damage the leaf surface & work on all surfaces in the tank with their small but efficient mouth, they are small so it takes a crew of them to get the job done.


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## ringram (Jan 10, 2005)

I love the ottos I have. Currently, I have 15 in my 90g and its real neat to watch them swim around together. Granted, they're usually not *all* together except during a water change or other times when I have my hands in the tank  but I can almost always look and find 4 or 5 of them swimming around together and the rest off in other random areas. 
I acclimated mine slowly and have lost none, although I lost 3 rummynose tetras and 3 cardinal tetras, so maybe they're not as delicate as people think?

I remember a few years back when SAEs were the be-all-end-all algae eater for planted tanks. After having them for a long time, I find that the SAEs can get a little aggressive and lazy when they get older. In certain cases, I've even seen them root around quite roughly in plants, damaging or even nibbling at them. Ottos have never done anything like this. They stay small yet eat A LOT of algae for their size and they are not aggressive in the slightest. Many people ask me why I don't just get a pleco or something and I have to re-explain my reasoning and convince them that otto's are great (not always easy).


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## Squawkbert (Jan 3, 2007)

I have 5 Otos in my 46 (if the new Angel has behaved nicely today). I don't see more than one or two for days on end, then 4-5 all hit the glass front and center for a while. It cracks me up when one decides to "school" with the black neons for a while.


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## 247Plants (Mar 23, 2006)

I have 14 in my 60 and they are ALWAYS moving around the tank.....

I notice as soon as the lights go out they all seem to come to the front of the tank where the TV light bleeds in...


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

Like the others have stated I would wait till the weak died off and the strong got stronger......about a week or two and try and go for the most active ones.


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## cydric (Nov 1, 2006)

Otocinclus' are the only shrimp-friendly fish out there some people would say. They may be shrimp-friendly but once you drop any shrimp food in the tank, the otos' will be all over it in seconds and not leaving until it's all gone. 
Unless you make a little shrimp hut that otos' can't penetrate they'll eat your shrimp food for sure.

Oh, and yes, always wait a week or two when buying just-arrived fish.

just my little 2 cents.


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## Round Head (Feb 28, 2006)

I love otos. I like them more than SAEs.
My otos rather eat algae than fish food.


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## cydric (Nov 1, 2006)

Round Head said:


> My otos rather eat algae than fish food.


I wish that were the case with me.


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## 247Plants (Mar 23, 2006)

True that....

My otos eat more fish food than algae....


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## Mud Pie Mama (Jul 30, 2006)

I also love the ottos in my planted tanks. Except for my nano, every tank has ottos. I aim for 1.5 ottos per 10 gallons. Ie., 1.5 x 75g (1.5 x 7.5) makes 11 ottos. I like them so well and love to see them swim together, so I wanted a little more than one per ten gallon.

The ottos I've watched seem to feed ALL DAY LONG, searching and munching on algae. An otto with a fat belly is a happy and healthy otto. If they're divebombing your fish and shrimp food they may just be not getting enough to eat. It may actually be a good thing meaning your tanks are relatively algae free. So then feed them! Why not? They'll still spend the rest of the time scavenging for algae. 

One great treat for ottos is blanched zucchini and cucumber pieces or a green bean! I quickly nuke them in the microwave. Let it cool. Then poke and twist a plant weight thru the veggie piece to get it to sink. Drop it in the tank. Happy ottos! Good treat for bristlenose plecos too.


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## tkos (Oct 30, 2006)

When purchasing look at the little fellows. Make sure they have plump bellies (not fat just rounded) and make sure the area behind their eyes is not sunken in at all.


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## boink (Nov 29, 2006)

thanks for all the input and comments. i just picked up some otos to join the lonely survivor in my 75 gallon. one thing i noticed was that one of the otos started getting sickly, which i think was due to the co2 in my tank..it kept wanting to stick its head above water...so i netted it, tunred off co2 and bubbled the air pump directly under it. i shall see how it does as i see no deaths.


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## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

Ok, so i picked up 5 ottos the other day, and well the algae in my 10gallon is gone. They were a little hmmm to efficient? So now what do i feed them? Hakari algae wafers? I read the suggestions above but what else does everyone feed their ottos


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## bristles (Mar 7, 2006)

Mine love slices of raw zucchini held in a veggie clip so it does not float


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## furballi (Feb 2, 2007)

Boiling thin slices of cucumber for about 10 to 15 min will cause them to sink. You may want to peel-off the skin of the cucumber since it may be too hard for the Otocinclus to chew.


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## Do78521 (Dec 15, 2006)

Otos are pretty cool, except my disapear with out a trace.
How many can you add in to your tank at once?


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## riverspryte (Sep 16, 2006)

You have to keep an eye on the otos at your lfs; they sell like crazy! I was lucky to get the last one at my lfs. They didn't even know they had one left, he had been hiding in a decoration and gorging himself; he was quite big. He's doing really well in my tank, has lots of spunk, but I need to get another one (or two) to help out with the algae. 12 gal is big when you're that small! They are social little fish so be sure to get more than one when possible.


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## CountryCowfreak (Jan 31, 2007)

*here's my two cents...*

I got three otos and put them into my 36 gal planted tank, which was on its way to having a significant algae problem. Within a week they had cleaned out 95 percent of the visible algae. I was happily impressed--that is, until they took an interest in my sword plants. They are herbivores after all, and apparently they will eat at least some plants. I tried (cheap) algae wafers and also raw cucumber strips without success. I finally moved them to their own 5 gal tank which I plan to turn into an algae farm. For the time being they seem to accept parboiled zucchini but don't seem to be wild about spinach. The www.otocinclus.com website mentioned quite a few posts earlier was informative and worth a visit.

CountryCowfreak


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## freakmonkey1423 (Jan 21, 2007)

I actually got 2 today, they are a little light in color but seem to be very happy in my 10 gallon as there has been nothing to eat the algea for a while. i have already noticed trails on the glass and their tummies have started to fill. I am so excited. It has been a long wait for them as they seem to be the rarest fish at my lfs (at least the ones I want. I have had them before and as long as they are well fed they seem to live for a long time. I love ottos! ok i guess that is enough.


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## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

Anyone know where to find zebra otos? Or are these more or less like zebra plecos, available but expensive.


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## 247Plants (Mar 23, 2006)

Ive seen some around here. I think theywere going for $14.99 a piece

All of my otos (19) have been a light color and kinda beat up when I got them and they have all darkened and healed and look beautiful....

Ill snap some pics this weekend.


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## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

Anyone have a best technique on how to catch otos? I have 5 in my 10 gal and My 55 is starting to turn into a GSA factory, so i need to get something in there quick... But catching them well isnt the easiest. Ideas?


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## Teeleton (Jun 8, 2006)

Now you understand why the commercial catchers slow the otos down by putting a weak dose of cyanide in the water, and the follow-on die-off of the weak otos. Best of luck catching the otos. When they netted mine at the LFS, they pretty ended up putting most of the decorations out of the tank.

I have 2 otos in my 55g, and the algae seems to stay perfectly in check.

Teeleton


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

Use your left hand to guide them into the net.


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