Otocinclus deaths

[KentFishFanUK]

So as of this morning two out of three of my Otocinclus have died 😢 

I know Oto's ate notorious for it but even so I thought they were doing ok, they've been in for about 5 weeks already. After the first one died a couple weeks ago I was worried about the smaller of the remaining two, though they always had round bellies and constantly grazing (I leave lots of algae for them - I'm not just lazy honest) it didn't seem to be growing and was very slender aside from its belly so I was half expecting it. 

I have high hopes for the remaining one as it's the only one of the three that has grown noticeably and is chonky all over not just a round belly, thing is do I risk adding more? Don't want to keep one on its own but don't want to keep killing them either. 

I will test parameters again later today but last time everything was the same as usual and both times there was no obvious sign of illness or injury. 

Any oto experts around?

[Colu]

Have you been supplementing their diet with algae wafers and vegetables

[KentFishFanUK]

On 9/25/2021 at 12:34 PM, Colu said:

Have you been supplementing their diet with algae wafers and vegetables

I feed algae wafers but I've never seen them eating them. Haven't tried vegetables, is algae not enough then? There's lots of it in there and their bellies always looked nice and rounded. 

[Patrick_G]

I’m not sure what the magic formula is for keeping them is but I’ve introduced mine into new aquariums soon after diatom algae appears. 

[Hobbit]

Otos can’t eat every type of algae, so it’s hard to know if you have the “right” algae for them. They often eat all the algae they can, and then the stuff they can’t eat takes over.

I think otos do a better job finding and eating zucchini or green beans than they do wafers. At least that’s my experience. My otos have started searching out wafers now that I’ve had them for a year. 😄

Round bellies but skinny bodies makes me think internal parasites. Did you give them any sort of meds when they arrived? (I didn’t give my otos any meds so no judgement if you didn’t either!)

[KentFishFanUK]

On 9/25/2021 at 6:18 PM, Hobbit said:

Otos can’t eat every type of algae, so it’s hard to know if you have the “right” algae for them. They often eat all the algae they can, and then the stuff they can’t eat takes over.

I think otos do a better job finding and eating zucchini or green beans than they do wafers. At least that’s my experience. My otos have started searching out wafers now that I’ve had them for a year. 😄

Round bellies but skinny bodies makes me think internal parasites. Did you give them any sort of meds when they arrived? (I didn’t give my otos any meds so no judgement if you didn’t either!)

I will have to try some zucchini or green beans next then! Probably a long shot but is there a way to cultivate the correct type of algae? I've started trying to grow some algae on rocks to rotate in and out but how do I even know it's growing the right types?

I hadn't given any meds but I'm pretty sure the guy I buy most of my fish from does it when he gets them in. 

I had wondered about internal parasites, hopefully the one I have left doesn't have them as he isn't skinny at all. 

Should I risk getting a couple more so I have three of them again? 

 

[Intuos]

I have never had any luck with getting ottos to eat veggies. I always keep mine in tanks which get some direct sunlight and avoid cleaning the glass. 

[Griznatch]

Mine love veggies, pretty much everything my shrimp like.

Since most otos are wild caught, they typically are either starving when you get them (and usually do not recover well), or they have parasites. I typically get 5 to 7 at a time, and usually end up with 3 to 5 after all is said and done. I will say that I have only gotten mine from the big box stores and not on-line...

[Colu]

I would try feeding them repashy super green or soilent green  and cucumber 

[KentFishFanUK]

On 9/25/2021 at 10:01 PM, Intuos said:

I have never had any luck with getting ottos to eat veggies. I always keep mine in tanks which get some direct sunlight and avoid cleaning the glass. 

Yeah this was my original plan but I'm now thinking I might have to try and supplement, especially if I replace the two I lost

On 9/25/2021 at 10:20 PM, Griznatch said:

Mine love veggies, pretty much everything my shrimp like.

Since most otos are wild caught, they typically are either starving when you get them (and usually do not recover well), or they have parasites. I typically get 5 to 7 at a time, and usually end up with 3 to 5 after all is said and done. I will say that I have only gotten mine from the big box stores and not on-line...

Good to know, makes me feel a bit better about going from 3 to 1 

On 9/25/2021 at 11:22 PM, Colu said:

I would try feeding them repashy super green or soilent green  and cucumber 

Tried soilent green a bunch and couldn't seem to get them interested (my panda corys love it however) but might order some super green and try some veggies too

Ooh my replies have been merged, is that a new feature? I like it

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

I'll pipe in here and say I raised my Oto fry on crushed Hikari Algae wafer and to this day now 6 mos old they pretty much prefer only Hikari wafers and slices of (ENGLISH) cucumber. I've tried everything else. 

[KentFishFanUK]

On 9/26/2021 at 12:39 AM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

I'll pipe in here and say I raised my Oto fry on crushed Hikari Algae wafer and to this day now 6 mos old they pretty much prefer only Hikari wafers and slices of (ENGLISH) cucumber. I've tried everything else. 

Random question, what so otocinclus eggs look like? 

I keep seeing random non viable eggs appear in the tank and not sure who they are coming from, they seem like singly laid and not stuck to anything, also seem quite large to my eyes. Not a huge amount maybe found half a dozen or so over a couple weeks

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

My Mama Oto laid on the undersides of a small Amazon Sword, they're kind of laid individually sometimes in groups of 2 or 3, translucent. I actually never saw them darken, the babies are nearly see through. The first time I saw one it was on the glass along the top of the tank- looked like a bug to me at first. 

[Hobbit]

On 9/25/2021 at 4:44 PM, KentFishFanUK said:

Probably a long shot but is there a way to cultivate the correct type of algae? I've started trying to grow some algae on rocks to rotate in and out but how do I even know it's growing the right types?

That’s how I’ve heard of people growing algae. I assume you’re putting them outside or in a sunny window? I’m not sure how to tell if it’s growing the right types. 😄 I’m pretty sure otos can’t eat hair algae or green spot algae (the stuff that’s flat and impossible to get off the glass).

[Brandon p]

You might be one of the rare few to see Captive eggs for this species

https://youtu.be/2BzL-qQ7Rao

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

@Brandon p I think there's a few people on here who have successfully bred them. I accidently did- picked them specifically BECAUSE they were impossible to breed but..... if you're interested, this is the thread. It was my first post on the forum because I was seeking help! 🙂 

Accidental Breeding of Otocinclus! https://forum.aquariumcoop.com/topic/9141-accidental-breeding-of-otocinclus/

[KentFishFanUK]

On 9/26/2021 at 1:01 AM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

My Mama Oto laid on the undersides of a small Amazon Sword, they're kind of laid individually sometimes in groups of 2 or 3, translucent. I actually never saw them darken, the babies are nearly see through. The first time I saw one it was on the glass along the top of the tank- looked like a bug to me at first. 

Thanks! Well the ones I saw were just sort of floating about on the substrate not stuck to leaves or anything and were white with some fungus on them but they look about the right size and only started appearing after I added the Oto's so I think they are the culprit. Could instead be the neon tetras but didn't look right from the pictures I saw of those. 

On 9/26/2021 at 4:02 AM, Hobbit said:

That’s how I’ve heard of people growing algae. I assume you’re putting them outside or in a sunny window? I’m not sure how to tell if it’s growing the right types. 😄 I’m pretty sure otos can’t eat hair algae or green spot algae (the stuff that’s flat and impossible to get off the glass).

In a sunny window yeah, only just started it so can't even tell what algae is growing yet but knowing my luck it will just get covered in hair algae! 

I don't think I've had green spot algae in my tank, I've had what looks similar but nothing that's even remotely difficult to get off the glass, my algae just wipes off nice and easy. 

Bit of a tangent here but I also have what I assume is some sort of hair algae but growing in like large patches and stays quite short and looks soft and I always think if there was a way to cultivate it specifically it would make a great carpet - one third or so of my huge eye sore filter is covered in it and it improves the look of it immensely haha

Edited September 26, 2021 by KentFishFanUK
Typo

[CT_]

Some otos just seem to do better than other individuals.  I have a pair that seem to eat hikari micro pellets and mini wafers, and also 1 in my other tank that will eat anything.  The rest including the ones that didn't make it in the end were much pickier. 

 

It's a bit cynical but my new opinion is buy 2x what you need and select for the ones that eat well.  If you get lucky and end up with extra after a few months they're ready to sell or give away.

 

I say buy 2x instead of filling in losses because I also have this hypothesis that there's at least two species sold as the common oto and I think you're more likely to get all the same species when you buy them all together.

 

This is also why I bought my most recent otos at a box store vs my good lfs.  Lfs charges double and survival rate is worse :( in my experience (I've bought 8 total)

 

 

[Chris]

Honestly. the only time I've ever had success with ottos was when they were decently fat from the store and then went straight into a very mature tank. Supplementing with algae wafers and veggies helps, but I don't think that's enough by itself for most of them - having constant access to a food source is important, IME.

I've kept 2 (started with 3) in a 5.5 with a pea puffer for about a year now, and both are incredibly fat and happy. But the tank is heavily-fed, has an insane amount of plants, has driftwood, and was set up for quite a while before the ottos were introduced.

[Brandon p]

On 9/26/2021 at 1:45 AM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

@Brandon p I think there's a few people on here who have successfully bred them. I accidently did- picked them specifically BECAUSE they were impossible to breed but..... if you're interested, this is the thread. It was my first post on the forum because I was seeking help! 🙂 

Accidental Breeding of Otocinclus! https://forum.aquariumcoop.com/topic/9141-accidental-breeding-of-otocinclus/

Thank you I’m up for a Challenge

[CB27]

They really like to eat Repashy super green. You can make a batch and keep it in the fridge ready to go for a couple weeks.

[Brandon p]

I’m up for the change to trying to raise these . I don’t think that they should be marketed to newcomers. Marketing of these are they are the cure for cleaning your tank. Most people are not ready for there ability to suddenly die. I when in to a new LFS here a few years ago and was told all the good things which are true(what he said), but when I asked how easy they where no problem they grow on farms. I knew better. These are fish that are marketed as miracle workers when they should be a moderate type fish.

[Flumpweesel]

I got 4 Ottos about a month ago, they are in my community tank (didn't medicate). All are eating well (they had plenty to go at). I do see them sitting on the gravel occasionally however they don't seem to react when the algae wafers go in. I'm thinking I'll need to try repashy on rocks over winter when the algae growth subsides. 

Anyway one of the 4 seems to struggle with swimming it seems to frantically corkscrew when ever it leaves a surface  but inevitably ends up where there is something to eat I'm really surprised it's still going. I also note they are sold as schooling however I've never seen mine together since adding so I wouldn't worry too much about yours being solo for the time being.

[KentFishFanUK]

Actually I have gotten two replacements already, interestingly they seem to stick together more than the original three had. The two new ones, or at least one of them, seems much more outgoing, even occasionally swimming along with the neon tetras it seems which is funny to see.

Also, I found one nibbling at the repashy food! Yay success haha hopefully the other new one and the original one who is much bigger will catch on soon. 

[CT_]

On 10/2/2021 at 11:26 AM, KentFishFanUK said:

Actually I have gotten two replacements already, interestingly they seem to stick together more than the original three had. The two new ones, or at least one of them, seems much more outgoing, even occasionally swimming along with the neon tetras it seems which is funny to see.

Also, I found one nibbling at the repashy food! Yay success haha hopefully the other new one and the original one who is much bigger will catch on soon. 

I've had similar experiences.  Others have also reported that the get more reclusive as time goes on.  I've actually left 2 in my quarantine tank with 4 rice fish because for whatever reason they all shoal together and I see them every day now.