# Ottos in the tank



## timewalker03 (Feb 27, 2007)

What is a good ratio of ottos to gallons. I have a 55 gal and 20 ottos presently. I want about 40 of the little suckers (no pun intended), but they can be hard to find healthy ones here in Omaha. any suggestions on how many per gal to keep up with Algae and not have to many that they die off either. Thanks Sean


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## jamesB (Aug 31, 2006)

Do you have any other fish in the tank or just otos?

If you just have plants and otos, 40 otos doesn't sound like too heavy of a bio-load. However, it is going to take a lot of algae to keep that many otos well fed and health.


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## 247Plants (Mar 23, 2006)

True what jamesB said...

I have 14 in my 60 and Im always worried that they will starve since they dont go for many commercial foods....


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## freydo (Jan 7, 2006)

for a 55 gallon tank? i would have kept the numbers to about 6-8 ottos... max 10. but that's me.


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

I'm with Freydo


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## JDIDDY8384 (Feb 22, 2007)

*otos*

I have a 75g and just bought 6 otos, ive never had one before because they are hard to find around my town. Hoping they will work some magic!


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## PAINKILLER1009 (Jan 3, 2007)

Lucky you beat me to em, JDIDDY8384  
Never would have thought to look there for them  
I'll keep my eye out there now if they do good in your tank.


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## furballi (Feb 2, 2007)

Probably 4 to 5 in 55 gal tank. I wouldn't go above 10 unless you're overstocked and have tons of algae. 

Found a few 1.3 inchers yesterday at the local Petsmart in Fountain Valley. Average condition fish with full belly and a little tail rot. Probably a new batch. These fish should fully recover in a good aquarium. I purchased three.


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## ruger45 (Feb 28, 2007)

I'm in Maryland and you can find them quite often at the local Petsamrt of Petco.


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## Catastrophi (May 23, 2006)

Ah, congrats. I want to get some otto's and some amano shrimp to get rid of this clado I have, but we don't realy have any good LFS. I see the little sign for otto's at Petsmart, but there never seems to be any in the tank!


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## ryzilla (Feb 3, 2007)

I always stock 30% more otto's since they are sensitive fish. I bought 10 thats right 10 for my 30g heavy planted a year and a half ago. I now have 4 of the remaining 10 and I give them some algea waffers a few times a week to suppliment. for a 55 gallon that is not mature I would go with atleast 20 and atmost 35. You will loose some forsure just through stress. I think once you have an established tank 10-15 will be just fine, and after about a year and half like me, you will have that amount.


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## 247Plants (Mar 23, 2006)

The only reason I have 14 in my 60 is because it grew into a jungle becasue i couldnt trim at the time and I didnt see very many in there at that time and when I took out a huge mass of plants they had survived better than I thought they had. I remember thinking when it was a jungle I had 9 at the most.

If I had a choice now I think Id thin it down to about 8.


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## furballi (Feb 2, 2007)

If you started out with bad Otos and dirty water, then you may lose 50% in a short period of time. All of my deceased Otos were good for at least 3 years. The oldest one is approaching 5.


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## Do78521 (Dec 15, 2006)

I dont know, but does your otos go missing mysteriously?


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## jamesB (Aug 31, 2006)

Do78521 said:


> I dont know, but does your otos go missing mysteriously?


My otos will disappear for days on end when they find some algae on a surface I can not see. However, they usually reappear. If your otos are disappearing permanently they are most likely dieing in a hidden spot and being consumed before you find their remains. I count my otos daily, but I don't worry unless I have not seen all of them for at least two days. Currently all of them would be the two of them.


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## Teeleton (Jun 8, 2006)

My 55 is about 3 months running, has two golden otos in it, and I still have to toss the occasional algae wafer in when they start to look a little thin. I couldn't imagine putting 30 in there. No wonder they die off so much, they're starving to death!

Teeleton


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## jamesB (Aug 31, 2006)

Yes, I have come to believe that many times people think their otos died because they are so sensitive, when in actuality we are under feeding them. My healthiest otos live in a tank with two clown plecos. There are always bits of pleco food left for the otos to snack on if they want more food.


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## Squawkbert (Jan 3, 2007)

I have 5 in a 46g. I hope yours like wafers or that you have unstable CO2 or something to add algae...


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