xXInkedPhoenixX

My hair and my cats' hair end up in the water of my tanks. Nobody has died. Or dyed in this case 😉🙃

Fry are messy and require access to food. Then for me all these bottom feeders eat when they want and what they want and most of the time leave some behind. The benefit of bare bottom tanks is they are pretty easy to "vacuum" you get your routine down and it will take you no time at all. It also gives you a chance to check in with all the fry, make sure everyone is healthy and spend time with your fish babies. Nothing wrong with that!

Medications can set-back or crash cycles, killing off BB. Columnaris is a biggie and requires some pretty caustic medications so that very well could be what is happening here. Basically now you're doing a form of "fish in" cycling and doing the right thing by water changing - this may be a daily process until the cycle settles back in. I wouldn't over-clean the tank surfaces giving it a chance to grow there while removing a little from the water column. Because the fish are in, changing water gives you in a way small daily set backs in the cycle. It's ok, it just takes some work and as long as you're diligent everyone will make it through the process. Adding bacterial supplements can help, I personally use them and feel they work- others are more skeptical. Do what you feel is best for your tank and your situation- what works for you.

I clean my Accidental Oto tank every, single, day. It is a 10 gallon that was originally a grow out but I decided to keep them all (about 40-50 fish?) Mostly for me that means using a nano tank syphon and "vacuuming" the bottom every day taking out about a gallon, refilling and replacing food. There are 2 filters, a sponge and an HOB some days consist of cleaning those or algae on the plants or glass (you'd think the Otos would take care of that but no, lol spoiled brats!). Oh and sometimes if it doesn't look that bad I use one of my basters or coral feeders to clean up some.

I'm very glad you got through the Ich!

MOVES FOR THE FUTURE: The Parent Tank and The Angry Man tank. So, having some extra time this week I decided this morning was the morning that I would start the moves towards the future of the O.Cocama (provided I have no further losses and/or concerns with my new batch). (The new meds come today though who knows with how the mail runs possibly tomorrow) As discussed before I'd decided that the Accidental Tank could house no more Otos satisfactorily, so I'd decided that my original fish -since starting this hobby anew- my 10 beautiful Harlequin Rasboras would move to my Angry Man tank with the Black Neons. Then when the O.Cocama are done with QT they will move to my Parent Tank. Of my six tanks the Angry Man is my favorite tank visually. The plants are growing in nicely as I add more "red" needle leaf and bacopa. I even have some true red plants growing with Ludwigia Super Red (which isn't super red in my low tech tank but it's a different color and texture than all my other green plants so I could give a...nevermind). There is no algae to speak of thanks to the 3 wonderful Horned Nerites and their bladder snail (under control because I don't overfeed) army. The lighting is dialed in and it's my pretty much maintenance free tank (though I do a small water change weekly anyway because like most of my other tanks despite the plants and super light stocking with only 10 Black Neons still runs 40-80 Nitrate). As is my style, no heater, no ferts. I am by no means an @Guppysnail and not even in the neighborhood of an @Mmiller2001 but I LOVE this tank- however I don't post about it here because A) No Otos and this is an Oto thread- I had to pull them out because the snails would eat all the food and I lost some of the Otos I'd put in here. B) Posts anywhere else about this tank would be rather boring with me just blathering on about how I did nothing with this tank because it is perfect and how dang pretty *I* think it is. My concerns though were- will it work? Are they going to get along? Too many middle dwellers for a 20 Tall? As we all know in this hobby things go wrong and we all do a bit of worrying. I'm constantly coming up with back up plan after back up plan- it takes away my stress over this hobby, which thankfully is very, very little. It's actually one of my few joys despite my recent traumas (still trying to get over the loss of my pop eye patient). So this morning I tested the water with Tetra O strips. As I figured they are super close. The colors were even closer than what you can see in the pic but there are only slight differences (the right strip is slightly shadowed by me taking the picture)- not enough at all to be concerned with. I wasn't worried about water parameters these two tanks sit side by side and aren't far off in their testing. Temp not a concern either though the Angry Man runs just a tad warmer than the Parent tank does but that's likely because I have the Parent Tank's light turned down quite a bit due to taller Amazon and frequent issues with hair algae on top of it. This is how they sit (pic taken after the tank switch): So after grabbing a net(s) and my handy Aquarium Co-Op Catch Cup to hang outside the tank filled with water from both tanks- I set to work catching my Harlies. Holy moly, they gave me a run for the money- and my plants don't help. God forbid I ever have to try and catch the Otos in there, I'd just have to pull that whole tank apart. 😑 Thankfully, though it seemed like forever, I think I caught 8 of them within about 10 minutes after discovering the "trick" to get them in the net. 2 of them were hiding pretty good in the Amazon and under my pot arch in the middle. So I let the first 8 go not knowing how long it would be until I got the other 2. Honestly I was completely surprised at how almost immediately ALL the fish mingled and didn't seem the least bit stressed after that episode. No crazy swimming, no freaked out fish. Good. So I went back to catching the other two. One of which seemed to be trying to get to his buddies now in the Angry tank as they were all the way on the left side and swimming in place up against the glass. I caught the other two in about the same time it took for me to catch the 8 (the last ones of anything always the hardest). I put them in the Angry tank and they kinda huddled together for a bit, so I poked at the glass and they joined their friends and everything has been seemingly ok since. It's really nice to see the Harlequins in there too since the Black Neons, as pretty as their colors are, don't stand out in that tank as you can see they kind of match the colors. Only their little orange eyes stand out but that's only if you're close. I never minded that but it's good to have a pop of color with my pretty Harlequins. So it's been a few hours since I've added them and I watch from my chair as I multi-task watching my other tanks, the O.Cocama on the table nearby in the plastic QT and streaming a show. Things I think are going to be just fine here and I think I love this tank even more. 🙃

Hope things are turning up for you! Update when you can. 🙂

Looking beautiful!

Do we know how long species of his kind live in captivity?

I agree with @Colu. Having about 60 Otos in my care right now- minor abrasions/skin rubs definitely result in color loss in those areas and if it's only surface level rarely need treatment, just monitoring and good care. Coloring usually returns to normal but it does take time. If there's any suspicion that it wasn't catching them out of the other tank, check their new tank to make sure there aren't any tight spots around decorations and sponge filters as Otos like to get into tight spaces which is sometimes very detrimental.

I'll pipe in and say this tank might be more satisfying with just the pygmies and the neons. Bettas aren't easy, just search this forum for sick and dying bettas- I'd bet money they are the #1 "I need help" fish on this forum. They definitely seem to need 80-82 degree water and I'd highly recommend Indian Almond Leaves in the tank at all times. Normally I'd say bottom feeders would always have to be added last in any tank as they seem to do better in a decently established tank- but with a betta THEY should be added last so they don't get territorial and things happen. So if they are the only 2 species, I would say you should wait longer into the cycle before adding the cories. Consider this too: If you get a betta and he or she attacks the other fish or even the other fish attack them (which is not likely with neons and cories)- what do you do? You've said you don't have the room for another tank or at least a bigger one. I understand why people really like bettas. I still do, but won't keep them again. They are too hard and a set up often for a disappointment. I think a tank with some active neons and the cories would be fun, interesting and easy to maintain. IMO the best way for you to ease back into things after you are coming back from losing your favorite tank. Whatever you do, just do your research and good luck!!

That's awesome! Did you do a little dance when you tested the water? 🙂 I knew you could do it.

Looking awesome!!!

Unfortunately they don't allow this on this particular forum, sorry. MY best advice is to contact your local fish stores and ask if they would be willing OR if not ask them if they have any local club contacts or local fish keeper contacts that might be interested. Also as @Mmiller2001 said, local sites like craigslist or nextdoor (but I don't use it- nextdoor is an app that you download and sign up for neighborhood notifications, yet another form of social media just local) would be good resources for you. Good luck! Hope you find them a good home.

@Mathfish I can tell you from experience that the bamboo stick doesn't work I tried. I think it's because they're too smooth. @Guppysnail's version is super cool but admittedly takes far more dedication than I'm willing to dole out 😃 (sorry friend). I think as long as the Otos are eating at night you're golden.

@Brandon p there is always room for the contrary fact or opinion IMO (ironically). There are absolutely ways to challenge someone else's post and be diplomatic, kind, and agree to disagree.

If your tank isn't properly cycled you do have to do water changes on a near daily when fish are in there, this is called a "fish in" cycle. If you haven't already Tammy, watch Cory's simple Nitrogen cycle video it's very easily explained: Because you have no Nitrates it sounds like the tank isn't cycled, and 0 Nitrates when you're adding plant fertilizer is odd unless it's so little that the plants just suck it up. When the tank is properly cycled you should have 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite and some Nitrate, from 5-40. Filtration: this is a personal subject really. HOBs are great. The throw away filters are convenient and good for people starting out in the hobby, but if you get really into this sooner or later you'll "hot rod" or modify that HOB (hang on back) filter (youtube that). I run an HOB on one overstocked tank with a sponge filter. The rest of my tanks are sponges. They are easy to maintain and basically no cost as they rarely need replacing.

Hi @Tammy Oleary welcome to the forum. I pulled your other post: "I have a 15 gallon fish tank with about seven plants not doing the greatest with the plants I just started adding liquid food for the plants. My water is green yet I don’t have a lot of algae at all on the side of the tank on the rocks or any hairy algae on the plants. My pH was 6.2 so I added a little pH increase one time. My nitrates and nitrates are at zero. How much longer before the tank should get back to normal?" Can you tell us how long tthe tank has been running? Are there any inhabitants yet?

That would be the bloom. Leave it, no water changes, usually just makes it worse. It will clear on its own.

@Odd Duck this is something I've tried to avoid but apparently you can't have everything. You'd think I have things covered with: Ich X, Api super Ick, Fritz Maracyn and Maracyn II, Kanaplex, Tetra Lifeguard, API Furan2 (I got a 3 pack a while before it got taken off the shelves), Nitrofurazone flake food, Fritz Expel P and Paracleanse, API General Cure, Garlic Guard and now the 3 meds on the way besides aquarium salt and regular shipments of IAL. I also have it set up in my Aquarium Note app to advise me when the expiration dates of all of the above are coming a month beforehand so I can put it on order.

@Mmiller2001 I'm just waving my miller flag that's all.

Right @Tommy Vercetti? @Mmiller2001's tanks are nothing less than gorgeous. He should be in COMPETITIONS! 😉

😄 Yep a name change or at least a nickname might be in order.

Hi @Mathfish, welcome to the forum. Overfeeding can be an issue, but thankfully your Betta is getting some fiber to smooth things out lol. What I would suggest being an Oto keeper is that they tend to eat more at night, so how about putting out the repashy after the lights are off. That'll cut back on some of his binging. 🙂

I recently had to clear out a QT that got "infested" with bladders. I found quite a few former snails but a decent sum of some still alive. I had a sponge filter running and would plop food in there once in a while but I didn't change water for months. You never know.