*What's your best tip for keeping otocinclus happy and healthy?* Also, if you're looking for more algae eaters to clean your aquarium, see our favorites here: th-cam.com/video/h94Jp82Dk_U/w-d-xo.html
I started with 3 otos in a 10 gallon (controversial, but there was plenty of algae) and a betta. They bred, and I ended up with 17 of them. I've only lost about 3 over the course of a year since then (due to not enough oxygen in an incident), and now have 14 left in my 40 gallon community, including 2 of the original parents. I find they love wood like you say and also smooth, algae-covered rocks. I leave a bunch of rocks out in a clear container of water in the sun to grow algae on them as food. Once they're covered, I grab a few, put em in the tank, and cycle out the rocks once they're clean so I have a continuous supply.
@@bageljade2165 it was probably uploaded but unlisted, he then will be able to write comments on his own video. The later post the video to the public. Which the video will show it was uploaded at the time made public.
I didn’t realize they needed so much space, I did a lot of research before I bought them but there’s not a lot of info out there. I started with 7 in a 40 gallon breeder, I lost 3 after a water change because I didn’t realize in Arizona our tap water comes out at 85-90 degrees even on cold lol :( I lost another one a few weeks later and I think now it was probably lack of food, I have lots of algae but it’s mostly hair algae. I really appreciate Corey doing this update, I think I’ll keep my 3 otos and not get anymore, especially since I plan on getting amano shrimp too.
Thank you Cory, posting the link in our local fish group on FB. After I look at the link for algae eaters, as I need something that will do well in a 4' long, 8" - 10" deep set up where year round temp fluctuations are 62° lows, to 75° highs. Guppies (may actually be guppy/ endler hybrids) have acclimated nicely, and eat a lot of algae.... but not all.
My tips. (And I’ve had them live to 9 yrs old) Lots of wood. Different types if possible. Brown algae is your friend. Almond leaves. French cut green beans. Small tankmates. They are the perfect shape to be eaten, and they lie in plain sight. Even a small Jurupari can eat them. Sinking food. Low 70s for temp (at least for the winter)
I'm wondering if I manage to spawn way autos I know my guppies did and the babies escape the breeding cage but one is black and acts more like a catfish the Autos are the only other kind of fish.
@@MrTurboTurkey my tank is 230 liters. I was feeding lots of life baby brine and other frozen foods to get my bolivian rams in breeding mode. Then the dressoir the tank was on started to slowly collapse so had to take all the fish out & place the tank on the floor. Effectively resulted in a 90% water change. Few weeks later i noticed the fry. I have +- 15 ottos in that tank which is a lot, but i feed heavily. They all have nice fat bellies. Also have lots of wood & plants. Heavy feeding also results in algee but for the ottos that is a plus haha
As a shop owner, typically Otocinclus spp. come in looking rather skinny. I always keep one of my QT tanks under the lights “dirty” growing plenty of algae and then I also add new pieces of vine wood to the tank pre their arrival which allows for all the lovely mulm and periphyton to grow all over it. Once they arrive they will feed on this as it’s “Natural” and once they’ve cleaned that up, you can start to ween them onto dried foods. Works a treat 👌🏼😁
Yeah I think this is the big part of the issue - they aren’t getting much if any food between river and fish store, and even in the store they often don’t get the right foods
nice! From what i've read, otocinclus naturally have a bacteria in their gut. This bacteria breaks down food. If the bacteria dies during the whole process, or the oto isn't fed well, they will not be able to properly digest the food, leading to deaths 1-2 weeks after purchase
This is apparently no matter what I’ve tried , with just 3 in a 36 gallon , heavily planted , driftwood, they die in 9 months to a year. And even had rounded bellies. A few times I lost one after a small water change, I never do more than 5 gallons at a time. I use RO water .This tank was running for 1 1/2 yrs before they were added. I had dirt with medium sand cap. So I stopped buying them, I hate to see them keep dying. I do have a very good local fish store, that I can buy a Siamese algae eater , and when they become too big I can take them back. They put them in a tank they need one in. I don’t get any store credit. But they give my tank a good clean up. No matter what we do , we are still just trying to mimic nature, and that’s impossible really isn’t it ? Thanks for this good information on the poor little Ottos.
@@jmdq1 further to my above tip, they generally come in with internal parasites and flukes, so even though they look squeaky clean, it would be worth running a fluke and wormer powdered medication through them to flush them through. Depends how long these fish have had issues for but that can take a while to show its colours and cause issues down the line!
Hi Cory! I am a breeder of Otocinclus looking to make change in ending their journey of being wild caught! I have many resources in my videos, and we even brought one fry up to adult! I would love to have a conversation with you to change their future for the better.
I’ve had a tough time with keeping otos alive. My last group of six is down to one. They slowly died over the course of several months. I’m going to try the painting repashy trick. Thanks for the advice.
Such a long time for such a small creature to go without food! I think most average knowledge fishkeepers assume that by this point any "common" fish they buy are captive bred unless otherwise marked - in fact there is an expectation of wild caught to be more exotic AND more expensive. Seeing these huge numbers of fish being pulled from the wild can also raise questions about over collecting, but videos like this can open up good discussion about a sensitive topic. I used to think of Otos as good for small tanks, but not anymore. My nano tanks got shrimp and snails for cleanup knowing that the main source of cleaning is two legged and sans gills.
Catching these fish from the wild is actually very sustainable and good for the environment. Wild caught aquarium fish from South America/the Amazon keep the Amazon from being destroyed as it keeps fishermen in work and those people campaign not to have their livelyhood destroyed. Theres zero fish in the area who are endangered and most are in the billions in their numbers. Also half the fish are caught in the season where the water is low, and they are trapped in small pools and stuff with predators, overheating and still water meaning most would die anyway. Theres fish from Asia I think are endangered but South American fish it is actuallly better to have wild caught.
@@celticbarry9877 fair enough, I just dislike the idea of so many post catch deaths. I understand though that these lil dudes breed like crazy and are eaten like crazy and thus by comparison the catching isn't likely to harm their numbers
This is right on, 100%. Otos need good food sources, biofilm on wood or rocks, algae on just about anything, as well as supplemental foods. I feel the number on cause of death in a home aquarium is the lack of proper nutrition for them.
oh wow. i learn alot from this video. i kept group of oto before, and failed miserably. hearing that they are really sensitive about parameters, i deliberately keep them in stable tank to keep soft algae low. i was happy for a week and a half that my tank is spotless, and then they start to wither away.
i tried zucchini, green beans even carrot. but they nibble it for a bit, but they doesnt really eating it. and i dont bother trying algae wafer, i was afraid that they won't like the taste of a real algae. and i kept them in a high tech iwagumi setup, so it doesnt have any wood in the tank.
@@setyahartade3335 my ottos like red pepper, I freeze the pepper to make it easier to eat. Wood may be more important than we think, its a food source but tiny bits of wood may be important to their diet, like a pleco, another catfish.
Going to start an aquarium maintenance business but instead I just throw 20 otto’s in the tank so that they get fed properly 😎 Leaving rocks in aquarium water outside and then putting them in the tank once they’re covered in algae is a classic tip on these guys!
Otocinclus are such great fish! I bought 4 a year and a half ago when I was newer in the hobby they went from my 5g to my 15g and now live in my 29g I set up a couple months ago. My Apisto Borellii shares his frozen brine shrimp with them. Also when I’m doing maintenance and water changes they stay grouped up and swim very tight together really neat to see.
I’ve found it’s getting past the first week settling in. If they last the first week they tend to be really hardy. When you’re selecting them at a store make sure you’re looking for the fattest ones.
Totally agree about the wood. Looking at pictures of tanks where they have spawned, I'm not sure I've seen one without driftwood. Eric Bodrock said once they need to perch on narrow twigs to feel safe enough to spawn but I suspect it might be a dietary factor too
It's hard to say whether they want it for safety or food. As backyard aquarists like ourselves, we rarely truly understand why after something works. A lot of the hobby is this way.
I love that I can always trust you guys to give good, honest information. You advocate for the best practices in the hobby and as a self-taught fish keeper, it's invaluable!
AN GOOD ECO SYSTEM TANK ISN'T ALWAYS THE "PRETTIEST". HOW EVER IT ALWAYS HAS MORE HAPPY FISH. IF YOU CAN GO ON A 2 WEEK VACATION AND EVERYONE IS STILL ALIVE AND HAPPY WHEN YOU RETURN AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN FED, THEN YOU HAVE A VERY GOOD ECO SYSTEM.
I knew fish were fasted, but I appreciate the way you take care of the fish and plants before you sell them. You really bridge the gap from wild to our tanks. Thank you!
I absolutely love otos, I had my best luck with them when I was a kid and "neglected" my tank quite a bit more than I would now. My small pleco (never did figure out what he was but he stayed small) and my pair of otos outlived everything else that ever went into that tank, one oto died after about six years and the other had to have been in my tank close to ten years. I haven't had nearly as good of luck with them since, and I truly believe it all just boils down to a little maintenance neglect.
I totally agree! Less maintenance allows for more detritus buildup. Detritus is the best home for small micro-organisms and micro algaes (exactly what otos eat). Theoretically, with a high light and enough detritus, you wouldn't need to feed them a single time
Regarding the feeding, everyone in this hobby gets overly anxious about how much or less a fish should eat. It is extremely difficult to starve a freshwater fish to death. Otocinclus are primarily herbivorous, not specifically algae eaters. That said, they are a bottom feeder which means they will absolutely eat biofilm. Biofilm can build up very quickly with many, many fish inside a small tank. And honestly, a large algae wafer once a week, for that many fish in a small holding tank, is plenty. They don't need to eat daily unless you're trying to breed them. Otocinclus will also eat microfauna and shrimp fry. If these whole sellers don't feed them at all for an insane period of time, they will risk massive loss in stock, which means they are in a hole financially. So they really aren't gonna neglect what they're selling, especially because you see the botanicals they are using. They clearly understand the needs of these fish.
Cory thanks for doing a newer video for this. Now I feel less guilty about keeping a tiny group in my tank. But I always knew they would be well fed. As for me, it took me 3 attempts until I was finally able to raise Otocinclus successfully. I think the first time my tank wasn't established enough. Second attempt there was too drastic of water parameter changes. The third time I got it right. By this point my tank had a TON of plants, wood, and enough algae on my back and side walls for them to eat off of. I also drip acclimated them into the tank. And since then I stop doing drastic 50% water changes. I mean I still do 50% but not all at once. I take out 50%, then add 25%, wait an hour, then add the remaining 25% so that they're not shocked. They are very sensitive fish but worth all the trouble. Hopefully someone will take the advice from Cory and myself so that we don't lose any otocinclus. Enjoy!
Wow never knew how much these little guys go though before they get to the stores 😯 I did have some but mine went the same way,they died off one by one over a few months. I am going to try again as my lfs has some which look really healthy and are large and rather I'll be polite and say plump 😁
I've kept 11 in a 10 gallon for well over half a year and none died out on me. Currently moved 9 into a 40 and left 2 in the 10. It really comes down to water quality and having food available
I’ve always lost mine fast. 23c, 27c, ph6.8, ph8.2, lots of plants and wood, lots of hardscrape, they just are too fragile. I don’t like wild caught fish.
Very interesting i recently bought 6 Oto's for my two 120g's three in each, they are 5 year old established tanks that i thought they would thrive in but only one survived in each tank, i also clipped frozen slices of cucumber to a secluded corner of the tanks and would see the Oto's hanging on them i assumed they were eating. I just chalked it up to you just don't know the condition of fish you buy from a store...
I love this! and would love to see more like it with other species. I always thought it would be so cool if national geographic or someone did a series on all the different fish people keep in aquariums, showing where and how they really live in the wild
Thank you for making a real honest video! I had been on the "hunt" for a pair of ottos that started about a year ago, but after watching your video, was glad I didnt find them immediately. This summer I set up a quarantine tank, and worked on getting it ready for them, or maybe a couple more catfish (I only wanted full bellies) I was lucky enough to find a fat otto and a younger one and brought them home and they've been happily (?) grazing on the rock and java fern algae plus they love uncooked vegetables and shrimp pellets. Two weeks and into the main tank they'll go where algae is abundant. I wish I knew about the wood but hey now I know. Point is it's been 2 weeks, they're still alive and eating and I have you to thank ....so props to you Corey!
Think he was hanging around and rubbing elbows with ppl who import/export things other then aquarium fish during his recent travels. In all fairness I like the shirt.
I am about to buy some as my tank just keeps getting algae growth not matter what I have done. So I’m happy to know they will come in and start eating and continue to be fed by the buildup as well as the wood I have in my planted tank.
Thank you! I've been considering getting otos soon now that my 29 gallon has been running for a few months. Maybe I'll get 3 instead of 6. I have a big chunk of mopani, a bunch of live plants, and I don't clean the back glass so I'm hoping it would keep a few otos happy (plus supplemental feeding, of course). I keep going back and forth on what algae/biofilm eater to get for my 55 gallon. I want something I can see more often since I hear plecos hide a lot, so maybe panda garra? Algae is just an excuse for me to get cute algae eaters.
Great nuanced and interesting video! Love how you mixed experiences and perspectives from being in the wild, working as a shop owner, and caring for otos as a hobbyist.
I've found out ottos eat peppers, I had plecos in the tank already, I got 4 and I still have 4 but they are now chunky. I got them because they are cool and I wanted a plant cleaner.
Rocking the longer hair and beard, looks good ✌ my 3 otos died after a week - still don't know why. 6 weeks later I have 5 pygmy corys they very happy and growing strong, my first tank ever
Great Video as always! I realized how much otos actually eat when I was ready with cycled ten gallon. All the glass/plants/decor were covered in diatom algae and the sorts. I went that day to grab 4 otos. Accilimated and dropped in and within 30 minutes my small pink flamingo was half clean. Within the hour it was fully clean. I go to sleep and overnight the entire glass front, back, left, right was completely cleaned. At that moment I realized that they need way more food and readily supplement them when I feed. They are such interesting creatures and I guess when they're happy they like to school with other fish for some reason.
Really helpful Corey! Do you think dried leaves (like almond leaves) are a decent substitute for wood or do you think it's best to use submerged wood? Interestingly, I leave algae on back side of my aquarium so there is something to eat, but I never see my Oto cats there. They like to wait for me to scrap the algae off the other surfaces then graze there. 🤔I guess there must be some biofilm left after scraping that they like.
Yes, Catapa leave is a great substitute for a driftwood. They produced a lot of slimy coat after few day in the water. When i got my Otocinclus, i put then on my hatchling Razorbacks Musk turtle tank with a lot of Catapa leave and blackwater. On the next day, i found a substrate of thin and short black thing covering the whole bottom, and those is Otocinclus poop. In fact they keep eating - pooping - eating - so on for 2 days straight. They must be very hungry.
@@RioCahyadiDrayka I would agree and add almond leaves for the tannins which seems to benefit the fish. That said, I rarely see my Oto cats on the leaves. Maybe they munch on them at night?
Same with my nerite snails, I let algae grow on the back of the tank but they are always on the sides and front lol they do eat it though as I see the trails so maybe they are sneaky and only do it at night but prefer to hang on the most see through glass in the day.
I have 4 otos in my 10 gallon tank with a few Ember Tetras, I've had them for about 2 months and they are fat and sassy! They absolutely LOVE green beans I give them 2 or 3 times a week :) They also get Repashy that I dip the rocks in from the tank. I love them and I hope to see some spawning behavior soon!
What about feeding them supplements? I've had other, larger algae eaters and they lived years and years. About once a week, I'd split one or two algae discs in two and spread them throughout the tank.
Thanks for the informative video! I've only had my otos about 6 months now, so I have no idea how they'll do long-term, but so far mine have been doing well. I lost one early on who seemed to have neurological problems (or something similar), but the rest have been healthy and eating a variety of foods. I'm sure it helps that both of the LFSs in my area are wonderful and already had their otos well-fed before selling them :) My otos have largely ignored cucumber and zucchini, whether fresh or blanched, but they LOVE blanched spinach. I often see one or two otos, a snail, and a couple shrimp all eating off the same leaf. They're such cute little fish!
I bought 2 otto’s for my tank & 1 died 😪 then I set up a 2nd tank & a few months later (after cycling really well) I bought 3 more (1 more for the 1st tank & 2 for the 2nd tank) & ALL 3 died 😪😪 I still have the original survivor... so, I broke down & bought a starlight pleco for the 2nd tank. Not ideal... because the 2nd tank is full of shrimp (who were NOT eating the algae off the glass ☹️) I also have 5 white clouds in that tank. All my other fish have been very healthy so I guess it’s the Otto’s being stressed from travel etc idk 💔 I feel bad because I can’t get my Otto any friends
This explains so much! I bought 6 Oto’s a couple years ago for my 75 gallon and they all died within a month. Now I know why-no wood, no plants, minimal algae, bright light, high Ph. I’ve since rectified all that but have other algae eaters at the moment. This was great info!
I never thought about glazing repashy on objects, that's brilliant! I have strips of coconut shells that would be perfect for this. Thanks so much for the tip! I have 2 otos in a 15g planted tank and they always have a nice little plump belly. I add some algae wafers from time to time and just got some repashy. I want to add 1 or 2 amano shrimp once I have visible algae, so far it's too early.
I have 5 oto cats and they're all plump and happy. I have a group of 4 pygmy coreys in the same tank and the pygmies and otos love each other. They're always schooling together. Sometimes it's the pygmies schooling with the otos, sometimes it's the other way around, and sometimes they break off into smaller mixed schools. I also feed my otos algea wafers.
I did this by complete accident. I put some driftwood in my tank for some shrimp I had about 2 month before i got Otos. For the first week or so that's all I would ever see them on. Now they're all over my plants and decorations.
Otos are such a rewarding little fish to keep in a heavily planted aquarium. They absolutely thrive on having driftwood and tannin added. If you don't like the tea color of the water you can always pre-soak your wood until it stops leaching and then add Blackwater Clear so you don't have the discoloration but still get the benefit of the tannin. The more wood and plants, the easier they are to keep. Repashy Igapo Explorer, and Sera Spirulina wafers with added wood is what mine seem to prefer in regards to food.
I've found the same thing. Otos are one of my favourite fish, adore those little guys, and I was aware of how they struggle with being caught, warehoused and shipped so made sure my tank was prepared for them. Lots of plants, over-filtered, wood and stone surfaces, almond leaves, even mulm seems to help. Never clean the back or side glass myself, that's theirs, and my six otos have been wonderful in my 15g for two years now. Living with pygmy cories that also thrive in those tank conditions and are colony breeding like mad! Haven't seen oto fry yet (I would love to!) but I have seen the females looking heavy with eggs and spawning behaviour. Various supplimental foods offered of course, but they mainly seem to live on the tank algae, and lots of plants/wood etc offers lots of surfaces for biofilm and soft algae.
I have 8 otos in my 75 gallon and they are all still alive even after going through some co2 fluctuation that killed off some of my neons. My tank is fully planted with wood and I never feed them and they always have full stomachs. They have been in there for 8 months so far.
That practice is disgusting. This shows why wild caught fish need to be banned, when something becomes money and only money its never treated correctly. If they had to breed them and care for them they would he treated better.
Hey, I love your videos and have been listening to the podcasts almost no stop ever since I found out about your channel. I love your level headed advice. Regarding otos, I've bought 2 at first, then found out they like to be in a bigger group. Seeing as I have a 'small' tank of only 110 ish liters, I'm quite worried about them eating enough. They do eat the algae wafers from Hikari, but with those that they get out competed by the guppies I also own. So I decided to make my own food. The only way to get them all out and eating, so far is by giving them my homemade food. I thing its similar to repashy, but I don't have acces to that., but I noticed they seem to do really well and better whenever I feed them that stuff. If I piqued your interest, I did send you message with the recipe through Instagram. Anyways.. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your content.
Love the video. I learned after purchasing 3 for my 10g that they are primarily would caught. Bummer. The good news is i bought them from a high quality shop and they're actually eating flake though they definitely love the brown stuff that grows on my driftwood.
Wow! Great video! Its an excellent way to inform a wide audience not about this fish, but in general how fish get to them and that is an important factor to consider when you bring a fish into your home.
I've struggled with these Otos since I first got them a year and a half ago. I bought 10 from Petsmart, they were very skinny and I put them in a 10 gallon tank with live plants that had been running about 5-6 months . I made sure to put in a small algae wafer every other day while they also had plenty of algae to eat though it seemed they didn't touch the wafer and the snails would eventually consume it. After about a week, I had 6 left. Since they hardly make a dent in cleaning algae, I decided to move them to my big 55g as I figured they'd be more comfortable in the dense plant cover in there. I hardly saw them at all for the next year. Well, at the beginning of this year I had several fish get sick from a weird fungus in the 55g, I ended up getting all the fish out and cleaning the tank to barebones. I found those 6 Otos, very fat and large! I decided to get them more friends, about 20. I had them in a 10g tank just rife with an algae infestation, should be Oto heaven right? Again, they hardly munched on it and I lost several of the new Otos, finally down to 17 total. Again, I put them in another one of my 55gs, this one having the densest plant cover of all my tanks as well as algae just everywhere on the walls/rocks. And again, I hardly saw them. Until I had purchased 10 Cherry Shrimp. I put them in the 55g with the Otos and suddenly, the Otos are out in the open all day. In fact, the Shrimp and Otos have a harmless sort of "fight" over algae wafers and other foods I put in there. The Otos will shove the shrimp away and the shrimp will claw at the Otos heads (which seems to hardly convince them to move but it's hilarious nonetheless) I'm assuming that the shrimp eat the same foods across the tank that the Otos do and this encouraged them to find their biofilm/algae in more open areas of the tank. The shrimp of course have exploded to over 50+ in the last month and a half so now I'm concerned if I even can keep these Otos fed now that I've watched this video. Appreciate the info! I've learned over the past year that I can't rely on Otos to be the lazy man's algae cleaner, they just don't really seem to munch on it much but they sure seem to be much more active when paired with cherry shrimp!
My tank dimensions are 24*12*15 inches. How many fish can I keep in my tank? Which fish is best for my tank capacity, Can I keep one or two turtle with fish in my tank? Please tell me.... 🙏🏼
I have otocinclus and they have been pretty successful for me. I keep them in tanks with extended light periods to promote algae growth as well as using plant ferts but also I use Bacter AE for biofilm for them.
I just got 2 Otos for my 15g.. They are both eating but shy.. I have lots of drift wood and diatoms currently.. I put in an almond leaf and I ve got rocks and driftwood soaking in a jar outside trying to grow algae / biofilm. I also just ordered some Repashy soilent green. Hoping to keep them alive.. They are very cute and interesting fish.
People are just not understanding they eat things they normally hate in their tanks. Diatoms, green algae, hair algae, and other micro organisms. From personal experience they will not take to algae wafers of any company and i have tried everything from hikari to new life spectrum. They are basically the copperband butterflyfish of the freshwater community. They need a very old large established tank that has a good algae population. A refugium helps as it allows diatoms, and algae to spread but not be fully wiped out. I fully believe these fish need to be marked as EXPERT only. Also Cory just a headsup I keep them in a 84f-86f 5.5-6.5 ph discus/angel aquarium and they do great. They come from an environment like that. Plus more plants like algae grow in the lower ph area. Higher ph tends to stunt plant growth.
Hello, I have a weird situation going on in my 450L aquarium. I have 10 Otocinclus in the tank and they were super active, schooling in the tank and cleaning the glass etc. But I introduced 6 small Yoyo Loaches to the tank 1 week ago because I had pest snails. But now Otos are hiding all the time and they are kinda afraid from me, so, their behaviour is completely changed. What should I do in this situation? Thanks for the answers.
My rubber nosed pleco attacked and killed my three otocinclus. Even though there was plenty of food (feeding them zucchini). Having manzanita wood and slight algae. Plecos are territorial.
They love cucumber slices! I’ve had one for about one year and bought 3 more to keep it company. Not sure about sexing/breeding, but they seem really happy. They’re actually Hardy And I don’t mess much with my well water Oh is 6.5 and it’s very hard I have tons of plants Recently had to love them bc my 55g sprang a leak They endured the chaos that came with that. I didn’t lose any of my fish Just rummi nose tetras that were given to me and didn’t make it.
I look over at my aquarium (immediately to my left) where my single Oto is happily grazing the glass, looking healthy with his little round belly, and I say "he's talking about you!" They really do need a lot of surface area per fish to sustain them. I've thought about adding more but I just don't have a large enough tank for more.
When we get them in to the shop I work at, the first thing I do is put half a bell pepper in for them to chew on. They LOVE bell pepper! I have several tanks at home with small groups of them and also give them bell pepper here. They also greedily eat frozen food like cyclops, mosquito larvae and such, as well as live food like walter worms, which also sometimes get them spawning. So if you haven't got enough algae for them, give them other veggies, like bell peppers. :D
I bought 5 Ottos and they were doing great in my 55 gallon Tiger Barb tank. After about a year, I had a redtail shark (catfish!) who was bullying my Electric Blue Acaras in my 125. I put him in my 55 and my Ottos disappeared in a month. I can only assume that he ate them! That was the only change I made in that tank! I was heartbroken. Absolutely crushed!!!!!! Here I had these "hard to keep" fish thriving and then just adding one bad guy killed them. I had no idea that he would eat them!!!!! I'm still kicking myself. (BTW, I had a huge piece of driftwood and fed Repashy daily. They were fabulous at cleaning my plants! You are spot on with their care. I'm going to get some more when I rehome this mean catfish.)
Bacteria polysaccharide films; bacteria make this to capture hydrophobic proteins that float up and stick to this film for the bacteria to consume. Reference: Ecology of Planted Aquariums.
I didn't have Oto's at the time of watching, but I do now. I initially had a few of 'em in my betta tank, but had to transfer them to my cory tank. My betta, despite not eating their food and leaving them be, he wouldn't let them eat. Moved them into the aforementioned cory tank, and they're eating up the brown/green algae on the driftwood, rocks, and walls. Also drop some pellets, wafers and other foods for them every day, and they happily share the food with the Cory Cats. Now, that tank is a bit small for the amount of fish in there, but I'm currently cycling a 20-gal long for 'em all and cleaning the current tank more frequently due to the larger quantity of fish (7, but that's still a bit much for a 10-gal). Gonna look to get a single group of nano schooling fish for the 20 long, just for a bit more activity in the mid-top portion of the tank.
6:30 I'm loving this vid, how I "cycle" a new tank is to establish vegetation, let it get overrun by algae, then dump in a truckload of oto's. OTSS. If a surprising number survive, I always have another tank where an oto or two got old and died. Once the oto's are established, have algae under control, and know all the hidey-holes, then I introduce other species! Anyway, thanks for the insight about why so many just don't make it, even in a new tank that's basically an ideal habitat. The hobby has zero impact on the wild population, and can do better for these little guys who mostly wind up as scavenger-feeders, at the wholesale level.
I have a small colony of ottos. Im trying to breed them id have fry and then...they all die off. Feed zucchini beans wafers and repashy. 25c heavy planted. Any advice is welcome!!.
Great little fish. I was planning on getting 5 for my 24 gallon aquarium. Heavily planted, with 1 betta, 6 harlequin rasboras and 5 amano shrimp. Now I'm not so sure anymore. I think they do such a good job of controlling brown and green algae though. Any thoughts anyone?
I'd say the only gamble is with the betta because if it's an aggressive/territorial one it will harass and bully them. The shrimp will compete for the food because they kinda eat the same stuff and in the same areas, so make sure you provide for EVERYONE. I have 3 otos/4 cherry shrimp/2 nerite snails and make sure the repashy food gets distributed all over the tank so no one gets left out. My otos have slightly fat bellies and I'm trying to keep it that way.
I do have otos. They are new from aqua huna. I just got them a week ago. They are dying daily. My pH is at 8.8 or higher because the api test kit only goes to 8.8. I have A TON of diatom algae and hair algae. I also got repashy soilent green food for them. They eat all the time, but my pH is so high, I think it's been stressing them and killing them. I don't really want to get otos again. They never seem to do well in my tanks... :(
Am I the only one upset at how these fish are collected and shipped out in such large numbers? I know lots of fish are collected from the wild, but I worry that these fish are being overcollected from the wild. Instead of shipping thousands of them out, we need to start figuring out how to breed them in larger quantities so their wild populations aren't depleted.
Heartbreaking! I love my cotocinclus and I feed them almond leafs ! I always have drift wood in my tank and that’s all I’ve ever given them based on my own experience owning them for the past ten years , I do grow plants and there is algae in my tank they eat. But they eat almond leafs too ! They turn it to lace
I see mention in some of the comments that there has been some success in breeding this fish, if that is the case, why are they still being wild caught and why isn’t more effort put into breeding them? I can’t imagine that decimating their populations in the wild can do any good and neither does trampling their environment to trap them. I love keeping fish, but I admit that I have to be more diligent in ensuring that any future fish I get are acquired through more sustainable and less destructive methods. I hate to think that by wanting a little piece of nature in my living room I am also contributing to its destruction in the wild 😑
*What's your best tip for keeping otocinclus happy and healthy?* Also, if you're looking for more algae eaters to clean your aquarium, see our favorites here: th-cam.com/video/h94Jp82Dk_U/w-d-xo.html
How is this comment from a day ago when this video was uploaded an hour ago?
I started with 3 otos in a 10 gallon (controversial, but there was plenty of algae) and a betta. They bred, and I ended up with 17 of them. I've only lost about 3 over the course of a year since then (due to not enough oxygen in an incident), and now have 14 left in my 40 gallon community, including 2 of the original parents. I find they love wood like you say and also smooth, algae-covered rocks. I leave a bunch of rocks out in a clear container of water in the sun to grow algae on them as food. Once they're covered, I grab a few, put em in the tank, and cycle out the rocks once they're clean so I have a continuous supply.
@@bageljade2165 it was probably uploaded but unlisted, he then will be able to write comments on his own video. The later post the video to the public. Which the video will show it was uploaded at the time made public.
I didn’t realize they needed so much space, I did a lot of research before I bought them but there’s not a lot of info out there. I started with 7 in a 40 gallon breeder, I lost 3 after a water change because I didn’t realize in Arizona our tap water comes out at 85-90 degrees even on cold lol :( I lost another one a few weeks later and I think now it was probably lack of food, I have lots of algae but it’s mostly hair algae. I really appreciate Corey doing this update, I think I’ll keep my 3 otos and not get anymore, especially since I plan on getting amano shrimp too.
Thank you Cory, posting the link in our local fish group on FB.
After I look at the link for algae eaters, as I need something that will do well in a 4' long, 8" - 10" deep set up where year round temp fluctuations are 62° lows, to 75° highs.
Guppies (may actually be guppy/ endler hybrids) have acclimated nicely, and eat a lot of algae.... but not all.
My tips. (And I’ve had them live to 9 yrs old)
Lots of wood. Different types if possible.
Brown algae is your friend.
Almond leaves.
French cut green beans.
Small tankmates. They are the perfect shape to be eaten, and they lie in plain sight. Even a small Jurupari can eat them.
Sinking food.
Low 70s for temp (at least for the winter)
I'm wondering if I manage to spawn way autos I know my guppies did and the babies escape the breeding cage but one is black and acts more like a catfish the Autos are the only other kind of fish.
Sounds like my tank. I have 6 ottos right now and no deaths so thats a win 😆
That’s awesome you should share your tips in your channel
After half a year of having my group i saw my first baby otto yesterday! Seems like they're happy with me 🥳
they do need brackish water ,right?
Nope, they’re freshwater
I have seen that theyre quite a challenge to breed on purpose. Any tips on your setup??
@@MrTurboTurkey my tank is 230 liters. I was feeding lots of life baby brine and other frozen foods to get my bolivian rams in breeding mode.
Then the dressoir the tank was on started to slowly collapse so had to take all the fish out & place the tank on the floor. Effectively resulted in a 90% water change. Few weeks later i noticed the fry.
I have +- 15 ottos in that tank which is a lot, but i feed heavily. They all have nice fat bellies. Also have lots of wood & plants. Heavy feeding also results in algee but for the ottos that is a plus haha
oh wow, congrats! We can't keep this fish alive but you have managed to breed, well done!!! :)
They are definitely right up there with goldfish and bettas for the most abused/neglected fish in the hobby. Poor wee things.
😭🙏❤️🐟💚
Like plecos
@Austin Duke yes
Like common plecos and oscar fish
@Austin Duke going for worlds worst setup I see! Nice.
As a shop owner, typically Otocinclus spp. come in looking rather skinny.
I always keep one of my QT tanks under the lights “dirty” growing plenty of algae and then I also add new pieces of vine wood to the tank pre their arrival which allows for all the lovely mulm and periphyton to grow all over it. Once they arrive they will feed on this as it’s “Natural” and once they’ve cleaned that up, you can start to ween them onto dried foods. Works a treat 👌🏼😁
Yeah I think this is the big part of the issue - they aren’t getting much if any food between river and fish store, and even in the store they often don’t get the right foods
nice! From what i've read, otocinclus naturally have a bacteria in their gut. This bacteria breaks down food. If the bacteria dies during the whole process, or the oto isn't fed well, they will not be able to properly digest the food, leading to deaths 1-2 weeks after purchase
This is apparently no matter what I’ve tried , with just 3 in a 36 gallon , heavily planted , driftwood, they die in 9 months to a year. And even had rounded bellies. A few times I lost one after a small water change, I never do more than 5 gallons at a time. I use RO water .This tank was running for 1 1/2 yrs before they were added. I had dirt with medium sand cap. So I stopped buying them, I hate to see them keep dying. I do have a very good local fish store, that I can buy a Siamese algae eater , and when they become too big I can take them back. They put them in a tank they need one in. I don’t get any store credit. But they give my tank a good clean up. No matter what we do , we are still just trying to mimic nature, and that’s impossible really isn’t it ? Thanks for this good information on the poor little Ottos.
@@jmdq1 further to my above tip, they generally come in with internal parasites and flukes, so even though they look squeaky clean, it would be worth running a fluke and wormer powdered medication through them to flush them through. Depends how long these fish have had issues for but that can take a while to show its colours and cause issues down the line!
I like that AquaticArts has sourced someone who is captive breeding them for sale now. I’m not sure if Dean is breeding them captive or not?
Love this. Simple, clear, honest and true. You speak for the fish, and that is great. We can do better by them.
Hi Cory! I am a breeder of Otocinclus looking to make change in ending their journey of being wild caught! I have many resources in my videos, and we even brought one fry up to adult! I would love to have a conversation with you to change their future for the better.
@@finsandwhiskers i have a question how to identify the gender of octocinclus I am trying to breed them but not sure about the gender differences
Did I just watch a fish poo for 2 seconds and it was entertaining
I’ve had a tough time with keeping otos alive. My last group of six is down to one. They slowly died over the course of several months. I’m going to try the painting repashy trick. Thanks for the advice.
@Seamus That's really smart, great tip!
Repashy? Like crested gecko diet?
@@jasminezed7839 repashy makes fish food too! Soilent Green is especially good for otos
Such a long time for such a small creature to go without food! I think most average knowledge fishkeepers assume that by this point any "common" fish they buy are captive bred unless otherwise marked - in fact there is an expectation of wild caught to be more exotic AND more expensive. Seeing these huge numbers of fish being pulled from the wild can also raise questions about over collecting, but videos like this can open up good discussion about a sensitive topic.
I used to think of Otos as good for small tanks, but not anymore. My nano tanks got shrimp and snails for cleanup knowing that the main source of cleaning is two legged and sans gills.
I’ve heard someone say that collecting them is actually good for the environment, because they end up overbreeding so much.
I really hope we can get these guys captive bred soon
It will never happen EVER. They know were there home is.
@@OWlsfordshire I mean that's been said about many species before. Assuming we can grow an ideal food source in large quantities it seems possible
Catching these fish from the wild is actually very sustainable and good for the environment. Wild caught aquarium fish from South America/the Amazon keep the Amazon from being destroyed as it keeps fishermen in work and those people campaign not to have their livelyhood destroyed. Theres zero fish in the area who are endangered and most are in the billions in their numbers. Also half the fish are caught in the season where the water is low, and they are trapped in small pools and stuff with predators, overheating and still water meaning most would die anyway.
Theres fish from Asia I think are endangered but South American fish it is actuallly better to have wild caught.
@@celticbarry9877 fair enough, I just dislike the idea of so many post catch deaths. I understand though that these lil dudes breed like crazy and are eaten like crazy and thus by comparison the catching isn't likely to harm their numbers
@@celticbarry9877 glass cats are endangered. Somehow fish farms in Asia have discovered a way to breed them but won't share the secret.
This is right on, 100%. Otos need good food sources, biofilm on wood or rocks, algae on just about anything, as well as supplemental foods. I feel the number on cause of death in a home aquarium is the lack of proper nutrition for them.
oh wow. i learn alot from this video. i kept group of oto before, and failed miserably. hearing that they are really sensitive about parameters, i deliberately keep them in stable tank to keep soft algae low. i was happy for a week and a half that my tank is spotless, and then they start to wither away.
I know you’ve probably covered this but you didn’t mention it so I’m gonna ask, do you feed them other than algae and biofilm?
i tried zucchini, green beans even carrot. but they nibble it for a bit, but they doesnt really eating it. and i dont bother trying algae wafer, i was afraid that they won't like the taste of a real algae. and i kept them in a high tech iwagumi setup, so it doesnt have any wood in the tank.
@@setyahartade3335 my ottos like red pepper, I freeze the pepper to make it easier to eat.
Wood may be more important than we think, its a food source but tiny bits of wood may be important to their diet, like a pleco, another catfish.
Going to start an aquarium maintenance business but instead I just throw 20 otto’s in the tank so that they get fed properly 😎 Leaving rocks in aquarium water outside and then putting them in the tank once they’re covered in algae is a classic tip on these guys!
Otocinclus are such great fish! I bought 4 a year and a half ago when I was newer in the hobby they went from my 5g to my 15g and now live in my 29g I set up a couple months ago. My Apisto Borellii shares his frozen brine shrimp with them. Also when I’m doing maintenance and water changes they stay grouped up and swim very tight together really neat to see.
I’ve found it’s getting past the first week settling in. If they last the first week they tend to be really hardy. When you’re selecting them at a store make sure you’re looking for the fattest ones.
Totally agree about the wood. Looking at pictures of tanks where they have spawned, I'm not sure I've seen one without driftwood. Eric Bodrock said once they need to perch on narrow twigs to feel safe enough to spawn but I suspect it might be a dietary factor too
Mine lay on my Java fern and hang upside down in a cave under my roots it's so fun to watch
It's hard to say whether they want it for safety or food. As backyard aquarists like ourselves, we rarely truly understand why after something works. A lot of the hobby is this way.
@@AquariumCoop I'll have you know, my aquarium is out in the front yard, propped up on cinder blocks.
I love that I can always trust you guys to give good, honest information. You advocate for the best practices in the hobby and as a self-taught fish keeper, it's invaluable!
AN GOOD ECO SYSTEM TANK ISN'T ALWAYS THE "PRETTIEST". HOW EVER IT ALWAYS HAS MORE HAPPY FISH. IF YOU CAN GO ON A 2 WEEK VACATION AND EVERYONE IS STILL ALIVE AND HAPPY WHEN YOU RETURN AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN FED, THEN YOU HAVE A VERY GOOD ECO SYSTEM.
I knew fish were fasted, but I appreciate the way you take care of the fish and plants before you sell them. You really bridge the gap from wild to our tanks. Thank you!
I absolutely love otos, I had my best luck with them when I was a kid and "neglected" my tank quite a bit more than I would now. My small pleco (never did figure out what he was but he stayed small) and my pair of otos outlived everything else that ever went into that tank, one oto died after about six years and the other had to have been in my tank close to ten years. I haven't had nearly as good of luck with them since, and I truly believe it all just boils down to a little maintenance neglect.
I totally agree! Less maintenance allows for more detritus buildup. Detritus is the best home for small micro-organisms and micro algaes (exactly what otos eat). Theoretically, with a high light and enough detritus, you wouldn't need to feed them a single time
otos are probably what kept me in the hobby. I couldn't do anything to get rid of brown algae/diatoms.
Silver flying foxes are also awesome for this and being larger consume a lot more, worth a thought :)
Regarding the feeding, everyone in this hobby gets overly anxious about how much or less a fish should eat. It is extremely difficult to starve a freshwater fish to death. Otocinclus are primarily herbivorous, not specifically algae eaters. That said, they are a bottom feeder which means they will absolutely eat biofilm. Biofilm can build up very quickly with many, many fish inside a small tank. And honestly, a large algae wafer once a week, for that many fish in a small holding tank, is plenty. They don't need to eat daily unless you're trying to breed them. Otocinclus will also eat microfauna and shrimp fry.
If these whole sellers don't feed them at all for an insane period of time, they will risk massive loss in stock, which means they are in a hole financially. So they really aren't gonna neglect what they're selling, especially because you see the botanicals they are using. They clearly understand the needs of these fish.
Cory thanks for doing a newer video for this. Now I feel less guilty about keeping a tiny group in my tank. But I always knew they would be well fed. As for me, it took me 3 attempts until I was finally able to raise Otocinclus successfully. I think the first time my tank wasn't established enough. Second attempt there was too drastic of water parameter changes. The third time I got it right. By this point my tank had a TON of plants, wood, and enough algae on my back and side walls for them to eat off of. I also drip acclimated them into the tank. And since then I stop doing drastic 50% water changes. I mean I still do 50% but not all at once. I take out 50%, then add 25%, wait an hour, then add the remaining 25% so that they're not shocked. They are very sensitive fish but worth all the trouble. Hopefully someone will take the advice from Cory and myself so that we don't lose any otocinclus. Enjoy!
Wow never knew how much these little guys go though before they get to the stores 😯 I did have some but mine went the same way,they died off one by one over a few months. I am going to try again as my lfs has some which look really healthy and are large and rather I'll be polite and say plump 😁
I've kept 11 in a 10 gallon for well over half a year and none died out on me. Currently moved 9 into a 40 and left 2 in the 10. It really comes down to water quality and having food available
I’ve always lost mine fast. 23c, 27c, ph6.8, ph8.2, lots of plants and wood, lots of hardscrape, they just are too fragile. I don’t like wild caught fish.
Thank you Cory! I think people are so obsessed with having spotless tanks, that alot of our grazers miss out.
Very interesting i recently bought 6 Oto's for my two 120g's three in each, they are 5 year old established tanks that i thought they would thrive in but only one survived in each tank, i also clipped frozen slices of cucumber to a secluded corner of the tanks and would see the Oto's hanging on them i assumed they were eating. I just chalked it up to you just don't know the condition of fish you buy from a store...
I love this! and would love to see more like it with other species. I always thought it would be so cool if national geographic or someone did a series on all the different fish people keep in aquariums, showing where and how they really live in the wild
Nice job on a specified species, Otos are great little fish, Good pick.
Thank you for making a real honest video! I had been on the "hunt" for a pair of ottos that started about a year ago, but after watching your video, was glad I didnt find them immediately. This summer I set up a quarantine tank, and worked on getting it ready for them, or maybe a couple more catfish (I only wanted full bellies) I was lucky enough to find a fat otto and a younger one and brought them home and they've been happily (?) grazing on the rock and java fern algae plus they love uncooked vegetables and shrimp pellets. Two weeks and into the main tank they'll go where algae is abundant. I wish I knew about the wood but hey now I know. Point is it's been 2 weeks, they're still alive and eating and I have you to thank ....so props to you Corey!
Next episode An Honest Conversation About Corys Shirt
Think he was hanging around and rubbing elbows with ppl who import/export things other then aquarium fish during his recent travels.
In all fairness I like the shirt.
I am about to buy some as my tank just keeps getting algae growth not matter what I have done. So I’m happy to know they will come in and start eating and continue to be fed by the buildup as well as the wood I have in my planted tank.
Thank you! I've been considering getting otos soon now that my 29 gallon has been running for a few months. Maybe I'll get 3 instead of 6. I have a big chunk of mopani, a bunch of live plants, and I don't clean the back glass so I'm hoping it would keep a few otos happy (plus supplemental feeding, of course). I keep going back and forth on what algae/biofilm eater to get for my 55 gallon. I want something I can see more often since I hear plecos hide a lot, so maybe panda garra?
Algae is just an excuse for me to get cute algae eaters.
Great nuanced and interesting video! Love how you mixed experiences and perspectives from being in the wild, working as a shop owner, and caring for otos as a hobbyist.
I recently got three of them. I've found that they prefer the glass near the air stone with moving water. I haven't seen them on the wood.
Yes, I like Otocinclus so much. Such a funny fish :) I always try to make them as comfortable as possible.
I've found out ottos eat peppers, I had plecos in the tank already, I got 4 and I still have 4 but they are now chunky. I got them because they are cool and I wanted a plant cleaner.
Mine love sweet peppers too.
I wish the aquarium hobbyists would work harder on fish strains. They could breed for hardiness, confidence, smaller size, friendlier temperament, etc
Rocking the longer hair and beard, looks good ✌ my 3 otos died after a week - still don't know why. 6 weeks later I have 5 pygmy corys they very happy and growing strong, my first tank ever
Will otos and snails coexist happily in a 10 gal tank with one betta?
This is one of the most informative video on Otocinclus I’ve ever seen. It definitely helped me understand their habitat and how they eat. Thank you 🙂
Great Video as always! I realized how much otos actually eat when I was ready with cycled ten gallon. All the glass/plants/decor were covered in diatom algae and the sorts. I went that day to grab 4 otos. Accilimated and dropped in and within 30 minutes my small pink flamingo was half clean. Within the hour it was fully clean. I go to sleep and overnight the entire glass front, back, left, right was completely cleaned. At that moment I realized that they need way more food and readily supplement them when I feed. They are such interesting creatures and I guess when they're happy they like to school with other fish for some reason.
Really helpful Corey! Do you think dried leaves (like almond leaves) are a decent substitute for wood or do you think it's best to use submerged wood?
Interestingly, I leave algae on back side of my aquarium so there is something to eat, but I never see my Oto cats there. They like to wait for me to scrap the algae off the other surfaces then graze there. 🤔I guess there must be some biofilm left after scraping that they like.
Yes, Catapa leave is a great substitute for a driftwood. They produced a lot of slimy coat after few day in the water. When i got my Otocinclus, i put then on my hatchling Razorbacks Musk turtle tank with a lot of Catapa leave and blackwater. On the next day, i found a substrate of thin and short black thing covering the whole bottom, and those is Otocinclus poop. In fact they keep eating - pooping - eating - so on for 2 days straight. They must be very hungry.
@@RioCahyadiDrayka I would agree and add almond leaves for the tannins which seems to benefit the fish. That said, I rarely see my Oto cats on the leaves. Maybe they munch on them at night?
@@terrywho22 i have seen mine munching on the leaves, but it's not their favorite spot either. Mine like to clean algae in the smooth river rock.
Same with my nerite snails, I let algae grow on the back of the tank but they are always on the sides and front lol they do eat it though as I see the trails so maybe they are sneaky and only do it at night but prefer to hang on the most see through glass in the day.
Hello
Really loved this video and really wished I knew before I bought my ottos. I bought 6 for my 75 because I thought they needed to be in groups
I have 4 otos in my 10 gallon tank with a few Ember Tetras, I've had them for about 2 months and they are fat and sassy! They absolutely LOVE green beans I give them 2 or 3 times a week :) They also get Repashy that I dip the rocks in from the tank. I love them and I hope to see some spawning behavior soon!
Wow! They go thru so much, just to get to a store! Thanks, Cory. This will help get them settled in at home better!
What about feeding them supplements? I've had other, larger algae eaters and they lived years and years. About once a week, I'd split one or two algae discs in two and spread them throughout the tank.
Love those cute round bellies!!! Nice mix of you speaking and video of what you're speaking about - Thanks Cory and Jimmy 💕👍
Thanks for the informative video! I've only had my otos about 6 months now, so I have no idea how they'll do long-term, but so far mine have been doing well. I lost one early on who seemed to have neurological problems (or something similar), but the rest have been healthy and eating a variety of foods. I'm sure it helps that both of the LFSs in my area are wonderful and already had their otos well-fed before selling them :)
My otos have largely ignored cucumber and zucchini, whether fresh or blanched, but they LOVE blanched spinach. I often see one or two otos, a snail, and a couple shrimp all eating off the same leaf. They're such cute little fish!
Are they in New York them fishes
I bought 2 otto’s for my tank & 1 died 😪 then I set up a 2nd tank & a few months later (after cycling really well) I bought 3 more (1 more for the 1st tank & 2 for the 2nd tank) & ALL 3 died 😪😪 I still have the original survivor... so, I broke down & bought a starlight pleco for the 2nd tank. Not ideal... because the 2nd tank is full of shrimp (who were NOT eating the algae off the glass ☹️) I also have 5 white clouds in that tank. All my other fish have been very healthy so I guess it’s the Otto’s being stressed from travel etc idk 💔 I feel bad because I can’t get my Otto any friends
Same I got six from petsmart and a few weeks later only one has survive thus far :(
@@RenegadeLK it’s so sad 😞 they’re so cute I wish I could at least get my remaining otocynclus a friend at least 💔😪🙏
Finally!! Somebody else who knows about Otos!!
Excellent video on one of my favorite fish 💚🌿🐟🌿💚
Thank you for sharing 🙏🥰💪🌿🐟🌿💚
@@madcat61207 you too my friend..much to love you!!!🙏🌿🐟🌿🥰
This explains so much! I bought 6 Oto’s a couple years ago for my 75 gallon and they all died within a month. Now I know why-no wood, no plants, minimal algae, bright light, high Ph. I’ve since rectified all that but have other algae eaters at the moment. This was great info!
I never thought about glazing repashy on objects, that's brilliant! I have strips of coconut shells that would be perfect for this. Thanks so much for the tip! I have 2 otos in a 15g planted tank and they always have a nice little plump belly. I add some algae wafers from time to time and just got some repashy. I want to add 1 or 2 amano shrimp once I have visible algae, so far it's too early.
I have a small bio cube with them and there breading and they keep my plants nice and clean but I also throw in alge wafers for them .
I have 5 oto cats and they're all plump and happy. I have a group of 4 pygmy coreys in the same tank and the pygmies and otos love each other. They're always schooling together. Sometimes it's the pygmies schooling with the otos, sometimes it's the other way around, and sometimes they break off into smaller mixed schools.
I also feed my otos algea wafers.
I did this by complete accident. I put some driftwood in my tank for some shrimp I had about 2 month before i got Otos. For the first week or so that's all I would ever see them on. Now they're all over my plants and decorations.
your video is very interesting, we are watching your video, you do great job..❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️👍👍👍
Otos are such a rewarding little fish to keep in a heavily planted aquarium. They absolutely thrive on having driftwood and tannin added. If you don't like the tea color of the water you can always pre-soak your wood until it stops leaching and then add Blackwater Clear so you don't have the discoloration but still get the benefit of the tannin. The more wood and plants, the easier they are to keep. Repashy Igapo Explorer, and Sera Spirulina wafers with added wood is what mine seem to prefer in regards to food.
I've found the same thing. Otos are one of my favourite fish, adore those little guys, and I was aware of how they struggle with being caught, warehoused and shipped so made sure my tank was prepared for them. Lots of plants, over-filtered, wood and stone surfaces, almond leaves, even mulm seems to help. Never clean the back or side glass myself, that's theirs, and my six otos have been wonderful in my 15g for two years now. Living with pygmy cories that also thrive in those tank conditions and are colony breeding like mad! Haven't seen oto fry yet (I would love to!) but I have seen the females looking heavy with eggs and spawning behaviour. Various supplimental foods offered of course, but they mainly seem to live on the tank algae, and lots of plants/wood etc offers lots of surfaces for biofilm and soft algae.
I have 8 otos in my 75 gallon and they are all still alive even after going through some co2 fluctuation that killed off some of my neons. My tank is fully planted with wood and I never feed them and they always have full stomachs. They have been in there for 8 months so far.
That practice is disgusting.
This shows why wild caught fish need to be banned, when something becomes money and only money its never treated correctly.
If they had to breed them and care for them they would he treated better.
Watch this documentary th-cam.com/video/FCP-IMw4zso/w-d-xo.html
Hey, I love your videos and have been listening to the podcasts almost no stop ever since I found out about your channel. I love your level headed advice. Regarding otos, I've bought 2 at first, then found out they like to be in a bigger group. Seeing as I have a 'small' tank of only 110 ish liters, I'm quite worried about them eating enough. They do eat the algae wafers from Hikari, but with those that they get out competed by the guppies I also own. So I decided to make my own food. The only way to get them all out and eating, so far is by giving them my homemade food. I thing its similar to repashy, but I don't have acces to that., but I noticed they seem to do really well and better whenever I feed them that stuff. If I piqued your interest, I did send you message with the recipe through Instagram. Anyways.. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your content.
This was a phenomenal video! I've had issues with keeping otos alive passed 4-5 months once bought. Appreciate this knowledge
Seems very sad and cruel.
Rapashy has been sold out in Europe for months...
Not all sorts, but yes. You can also mix your own gel food by mixing agar, spirulina and some finely ground insects or shrimp.
Playback at 1.25x
Thank me later
Thank you
Nice video buddy
Very informative, thanks! FYI, I got awesome customer service from Candi at Aquarium Co-Op last week!
Love the video. I learned after purchasing 3 for my 10g that they are primarily would caught. Bummer. The good news is i bought them from a high quality shop and they're actually eating flake though they definitely love the brown stuff that grows on my driftwood.
Wow! Great video! Its an excellent way to inform a wide audience not about this fish, but in general how fish get to them and that is an important factor to consider when you bring a fish into your home.
do more video like this
I've struggled with these Otos since I first got them a year and a half ago. I bought 10 from Petsmart, they were very skinny and I put them in a 10 gallon tank with live plants that had been running about 5-6 months . I made sure to put in a small algae wafer every other day while they also had plenty of algae to eat though it seemed they didn't touch the wafer and the snails would eventually consume it. After about a week, I had 6 left. Since they hardly make a dent in cleaning algae, I decided to move them to my big 55g as I figured they'd be more comfortable in the dense plant cover in there. I hardly saw them at all for the next year. Well, at the beginning of this year I had several fish get sick from a weird fungus in the 55g, I ended up getting all the fish out and cleaning the tank to barebones. I found those 6 Otos, very fat and large! I decided to get them more friends, about 20. I had them in a 10g tank just rife with an algae infestation, should be Oto heaven right? Again, they hardly munched on it and I lost several of the new Otos, finally down to 17 total. Again, I put them in another one of my 55gs, this one having the densest plant cover of all my tanks as well as algae just everywhere on the walls/rocks. And again, I hardly saw them.
Until I had purchased 10 Cherry Shrimp. I put them in the 55g with the Otos and suddenly, the Otos are out in the open all day. In fact, the Shrimp and Otos have a harmless sort of "fight" over algae wafers and other foods I put in there. The Otos will shove the shrimp away and the shrimp will claw at the Otos heads (which seems to hardly convince them to move but it's hilarious nonetheless) I'm assuming that the shrimp eat the same foods across the tank that the Otos do and this encouraged them to find their biofilm/algae in more open areas of the tank. The shrimp of course have exploded to over 50+ in the last month and a half so now I'm concerned if I even can keep these Otos fed now that I've watched this video.
Appreciate the info! I've learned over the past year that I can't rely on Otos to be the lazy man's algae cleaner, they just don't really seem to munch on it much but they sure seem to be much more active when paired with cherry shrimp!
I have 5 in a 110 gallon and they have nice fat bellies...thought of maybe getting more, but now I’ll just let it be.
My tank dimensions are 24*12*15 inches.
How many fish can I keep in my tank?
Which fish is best for my tank capacity, Can I keep one or two turtle with fish in my tank?
Please tell me.... 🙏🏼
I have otocinclus and they have been pretty successful for me. I keep them in tanks with extended light periods to promote algae growth as well as using plant ferts but also I use Bacter AE for biofilm for them.
Same here. Bacter AE 3x a week, extended lights, and veges on a fork. Fat bellies!
I got 4 ottos… they have had discs, zucchini, cucumber, driftwood, plenty of algae… 3/4 dead in 3 weeks 😭 I’m done with them… I only have 1 left.
I just got 2 Otos for my 15g.. They are both eating but shy.. I have lots of drift wood and diatoms currently.. I put in an almond leaf and I ve got rocks and driftwood soaking in a jar outside trying to grow algae / biofilm. I also just ordered some Repashy soilent green. Hoping to keep them alive.. They are very cute and interesting fish.
People are just not understanding they eat things they normally hate in their tanks. Diatoms, green algae, hair algae, and other micro organisms. From personal experience they will not take to algae wafers of any company and i have tried everything from hikari to new life spectrum. They are basically the copperband butterflyfish of the freshwater community. They need a very old large established tank that has a good algae population. A refugium helps as it allows diatoms, and algae to spread but not be fully wiped out. I fully believe these fish need to be marked as EXPERT only.
Also Cory just a headsup I keep them in a 84f-86f 5.5-6.5 ph discus/angel aquarium and they do great. They come from an environment like that. Plus more plants like algae grow in the lower ph area. Higher ph tends to stunt plant growth.
Hello,
I have a weird situation going on in my 450L aquarium. I have 10 Otocinclus in the tank and they were super active, schooling in the tank and cleaning the glass etc. But I introduced 6 small Yoyo Loaches to the tank 1 week ago because I had pest snails.
But now Otos are hiding all the time and they are kinda afraid from me, so, their behaviour is completely changed. What should I do in this situation?
Thanks for the answers.
My rubber nosed pleco attacked and killed my three otocinclus. Even though there was plenty of food (feeding them zucchini). Having manzanita wood and slight algae. Plecos are territorial.
They love cucumber slices!
I’ve had one for about one year and bought 3 more to keep it company. Not sure about sexing/breeding, but they seem really happy.
They’re actually Hardy
And I don’t mess much with my well water
Oh is 6.5 and it’s very hard
I have tons of plants
Recently had to love them bc my 55g sprang a leak
They endured the chaos that came with that. I didn’t lose any of my fish
Just rummi nose tetras that were given to me and didn’t make it.
Love Oto's.... thanks Cory for more info about these mysterious lil fellers!
I look over at my aquarium (immediately to my left) where my single Oto is happily grazing the glass, looking healthy with his little round belly, and I say "he's talking about you!"
They really do need a lot of surface area per fish to sustain them. I've thought about adding more but I just don't have a large enough tank for more.
When we get them in to the shop I work at, the first thing I do is put half a bell pepper in for them to chew on. They LOVE bell pepper! I have several tanks at home with small groups of them and also give them bell pepper here. They also greedily eat frozen food like cyclops, mosquito larvae and such, as well as live food like walter worms, which also sometimes get them spawning. So if you haven't got enough algae for them, give them other veggies, like bell peppers. :D
I bought 5 Ottos and they were doing great in my 55 gallon Tiger Barb tank. After about a year, I had a redtail shark (catfish!) who was bullying my Electric Blue Acaras in my 125. I put him in my 55 and my Ottos disappeared in a month. I can only assume that he ate them! That was the only change I made in that tank! I was heartbroken. Absolutely crushed!!!!!! Here I had these "hard to keep" fish thriving and then just adding one bad guy killed them. I had no idea that he would eat them!!!!! I'm still kicking myself. (BTW, I had a huge piece of driftwood and fed Repashy daily. They were fabulous at cleaning my plants! You are spot on with their care. I'm going to get some more when I rehome this mean catfish.)
Bacteria polysaccharide films; bacteria make this to capture hydrophobic proteins that float up and stick to this film for the bacteria to consume. Reference: Ecology of Planted Aquariums.
I didn't have Oto's at the time of watching, but I do now.
I initially had a few of 'em in my betta tank, but had to transfer them to my cory tank. My betta, despite not eating their food and leaving them be, he wouldn't let them eat. Moved them into the aforementioned cory tank, and they're eating up the brown/green algae on the driftwood, rocks, and walls. Also drop some pellets, wafers and other foods for them every day, and they happily share the food with the Cory Cats.
Now, that tank is a bit small for the amount of fish in there, but I'm currently cycling a 20-gal long for 'em all and cleaning the current tank more frequently due to the larger quantity of fish (7, but that's still a bit much for a 10-gal). Gonna look to get a single group of nano schooling fish for the 20 long, just for a bit more activity in the mid-top portion of the tank.
6:30 I'm loving this vid, how I "cycle" a new tank is to establish vegetation, let it get overrun by algae, then dump in a truckload of oto's. OTSS. If a surprising number survive, I always have another tank where an oto or two got old and died. Once the oto's are established, have algae under control, and know all the hidey-holes, then I introduce other species! Anyway, thanks for the insight about why so many just don't make it, even in a new tank that's basically an ideal habitat. The hobby has zero impact on the wild population, and can do better for these little guys who mostly wind up as scavenger-feeders, at the wholesale level.
Thanks for the info
I have a small colony of ottos. Im trying to breed them id have fry and then...they all die off.
Feed zucchini beans wafers and repashy. 25c heavy planted.
Any advice is welcome!!.
Great little fish. I was planning on getting 5 for my 24 gallon aquarium. Heavily planted, with 1 betta, 6 harlequin rasboras and 5 amano shrimp. Now I'm not so sure anymore. I think they do such a good job of controlling brown and green algae though. Any thoughts anyone?
I'd say the only gamble is with the betta because if it's an aggressive/territorial one it will harass and bully them. The shrimp will compete for the food because they kinda eat the same stuff and in the same areas, so make sure you provide for EVERYONE. I have 3 otos/4 cherry shrimp/2 nerite snails and make sure the repashy food gets distributed all over the tank so no one gets left out. My otos have slightly fat bellies and I'm trying to keep it that way.
I do have otos. They are new from aqua huna. I just got them a week ago. They are dying daily. My pH is at 8.8 or higher because the api test kit only goes to 8.8. I have A TON of diatom algae and hair algae. I also got repashy soilent green food for them. They eat all the time, but my pH is so high, I think it's been stressing them and killing them. I don't really want to get otos again. They never seem to do well in my tanks... :(
Am I the only one upset at how these fish are collected and shipped out in such large numbers? I know lots of fish are collected from the wild, but I worry that these fish are being overcollected from the wild. Instead of shipping thousands of them out, we need to start figuring out how to breed them in larger quantities so their wild populations aren't depleted.
Heartbreaking! I love my cotocinclus and I feed them almond leafs ! I always have drift wood in my tank and that’s all I’ve ever given them based on my own experience owning them for the past ten years , I do grow plants and there is algae in my tank they eat. But they eat almond leafs too ! They turn it to lace
I see mention in some of the comments that there has been some success in breeding this fish, if that is the case, why are they still being wild caught and why isn’t more effort put into breeding them? I can’t imagine that decimating their populations in the wild can do any good and neither does trampling their environment to trap them. I love keeping fish, but I admit that I have to be more diligent in ensuring that any future fish I get are acquired through more sustainable and less destructive methods. I hate to think that by wanting a little piece of nature in my living room I am also contributing to its destruction in the wild 😑