Odd Duck Posted January 26, 2023 Share Posted January 26, 2023 Make sure to remove plants gradually since you still have a pretty good bioload in the tank. If you decide to remove some otos too . . . . I’d be in the market for some. 😉 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted January 27, 2023 Author Share Posted January 27, 2023 (edited) On 1/26/2023 at 3:38 PM, Odd Duck said: Make sure to remove plants gradually since you still have a pretty good bioload in the tank. If you decide to remove some otos too . . . . I’d be in the market for some. 😉 Agreed. Actually I don't really need to pull any plants, The planted Amazons would stay were they are, just get new substrate put around them (if I go that direction). The rest of the plants can be moved around the tank without being removed. I might move the mobile plants to one side of the tank one day - let the dust settle in the tank- do a water change/vacuum- put the new stuff on the side without the plants, then move the plants to the other side - let the dust settle again - do a water change/vacuum and put the new stuff in. Place the plants and hopefully have a reset tank? That's kind of what I think will work best. Trust me, if I ever ship an Oto, you'd get them first. Edited January 27, 2023 by xXInkedPhoenixX 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted March 7, 2023 Author Share Posted March 7, 2023 OTOCINCLUS VITTATUS: The Parent Tank Well folks we've had no more devastation in the tank so whatever was going on is no longer an issue. I can also say it likely wasn't my 4 day road trip (when the deaths started) as I was recently gone for 7 days and EVERYONE was fine in this tank. (despite having been overfed- the babies in the floating breeders were all alive- that was my bad I had gotten the food ready and overestimated for my house checker who was only coming by 1x to feed in the middle of that time). I was going to start looking at redoing the tank HOWEVER I've seen at least 2 new babies in the tank. Who I've decided will stay/be allowed to grow up in the main tank. This means, however, the reset will be delayed as sometimes there are spurts and I may be catching more babies shortly here. I will also need to move the babies in the breeders at some point into the Accidental tank but it's currently being medicated. Once that's done I'll put them in there. Anyway, here's one of the babies seen recently: 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sankaz Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 HURRAY!! I'm so glad it has stopped! I agree with @DaveO, looking forward to updates and new info from the only person I've interacted with to successfully breed the cutest catfish in the world. 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 On 1/4/2022 at 9:17 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said: How do you like this thing!? I have the Oxo one. Eyeballed this one about 50 times. Sidenote: Going through this journal trying to see if you have any photos of oto eggs. I see a ton of amazing photos. 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted March 13, 2023 Author Share Posted March 13, 2023 @nabokovfan87 I had the OXO one too! For a long time. I liked it but I'd eyeballed (as you have) the KitchenAid, had it on my wishlist and one of my relatives bought it as a gift. I'll tell you this- as you may know the OXO one is great, works fine, may be a little bulky but could nest in itself for storage- a little bit of a pain to clean. I'm not a huge fan of all the plastic and I got mine to overflow quite a few times (oops). The KitchenAid is built to last. It's stainless and glass mostly, plastic that is there seems quality. No chance of overflow since it's more of an all in one unit when compared to the OXO. Easier to store and IMO to clean. It's an upgrade in material and maybe a bit more of a space saver. I'm very glad I have it but if all I ever had was the OXO, I'd be ok with that too. The KitchenAid is much more superior in looks/quality but they do exactly the same thing so the significant difference in cost is questionable on the performance side (since they both make fine coffee). I love my cold brew coffee in the summer. Did you find the egg pictures you were looking for? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 On 3/13/2023 at 7:50 AM, xXInkedPhoenixX said: Did you find the egg pictures you were looking for? No, I didn't see any. 😞 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted March 13, 2023 Author Share Posted March 13, 2023 @nabokovfan87 Here are some throw back pictures, bonus my original Oto Momma is in them: 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennie Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 (edited) Adorable! Do you have any idea if they breed between the ones have different patterns/look, or only with the same ones? Btw, Idk if you are interested, but I have noticed mine are schooling with pygmy corys like crazy! They even follow them up to take a gulp of air sometimes and it is so funny. They literally see themselves as a part of the big pygmy cory school. Edited March 13, 2023 by Lennie 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 On 3/13/2023 at 12:57 PM, Lennie said: They even follow them up to take a gulp of air sometimes and it is so funny. They literally see themselves as a part of the big pygmy cory school. That's just fun! Mine do the same thing with pandas and the black corydoras. Then you saw Grace doing it too. 😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted March 13, 2023 Author Share Posted March 13, 2023 On 3/13/2023 at 12:57 PM, Lennie said: Do you have any idea if they breed between the ones have different patterns/look, or only with the same ones? This is hard to say. They pretty much have the same patterns and the only real difference is some are lighter than others. They defintely haven't cross bred with the Zebra/Tiger Otos but there is quite a bit of difference in size so it doesn't surprise me. On 3/13/2023 at 12:57 PM, Lennie said: Btw, Idk if you are interested, but I have noticed mine are schooling with pygmy corys like crazy! This is very nice. I would guess you have a small number? I think they like to make themselves a part of a bigger number- makes them feel more secure I would guess. Since they're in the catfish category I'm not surprised but I bet it's cute to see. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennie Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 On 3/13/2023 at 11:50 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said: This is very nice. I would guess you have a small number? I think they like to make themselves a part of a bigger number- makes them feel more secure I would guess. Since they're in the catfish category I'm not surprised but I bet it's cute to see. In 33g, I have 5 otos and 16 pygmy cories. They seem pretty chill all the time! Would love to have more than 5 but it gets tricky to supplement them natural grazing areas. Sometimes two chase each other, It seems like some breeding action. They are fairly new, but I am hoping to see some babies, as they look really comfy in the tank and there are lots of plants to enjoy. Thankfully they accept commercial food and veggies! But I think corys again taught them how to eat. I think it is because their behavior and look is very similar to pygmys, as they both love to play around plants and school. Pygmys mistake them as a part of their school too and follow them around sometimes! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theplatymaster Posted March 14, 2023 Share Posted March 14, 2023 On 3/13/2023 at 3:08 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said: @nabokovfan87 Here are some throw back pictures, bonus my original Oto Momma is in them: really reminds me of cory eggs, in appearance, and egg laying method. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted May 18, 2023 Author Share Posted May 18, 2023 OTOCINCLUS VITTATUS: The Parent Tank (and The Accidental Tank) Hi, long time no update. Mostly because- not much has been going on with the Otos as of late. The babies (ultimately now 10) are now 8 months or a little less old. They are still very small. Baby Otos tank SO LONG to grow out. They are still on the small side but I want the Accidental tank back (as a whole) for poor Koianu the Betta. So I posted the babies on the local forum for sale. I sold 2 last weekend and the 8 are going to 1 home this weekend. I've pulled them from the Accidental Tank and they are currently in a small QT until I meet the new owner Saturday morning. This might be my very last batch of babies. A life change that includes a move is in my near future and a larger tank where I will put all my fish in plus more will be built. The chances of the Oto babies surviving in a larger tank with more possible natural predators will be a lot lower. Who knows I may even consider selling my Oto tank to someone interested in breeding. Anyhow, despite a looming move the Parent Tank was really irritating me. It looked terrible. I recently added 3 Mystery snails and they really stirred up the detrius and are messier eaters than the Otos. The plants were covered in it and things were just looking icky. So this last weekend I got in there not for a full reset but to shake the plants off, and I took the blue glass out as well so now it's all "river gravel". In this picture it's still cloudy from all my movement but I think it looks better (it has since cleared up). The Bacopa is out of control but I was intentionally growing it long so I could make a curtain at the back of the tank, now it just might be used in the future as long plants in the new bigger tank (you can also see my 2 small marimo balls are floating because I cleaned and squeezed them out). So at least for now it doesn't annoy me quite as much.... Everyone in the Parent tank seems to be doing well, I'm actually seeing them more since the reset. I'm wondering if they are laying as they are kind of doing the mating dance and I see the males chasing each other. I have a very beautiful, rather large female in there I saw this morning. This might be their last chance to multiply with me! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted May 20, 2023 Share Posted May 20, 2023 You’re making me want to try keeping Otos again. Please stop! 😂. On 5/18/2023 at 9:38 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said: Who knows I may even consider selling my Oto tank to someone interested in breeding. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted May 23, 2023 Author Share Posted May 23, 2023 OTOCINCLUS VITATUS: The current final baby chapter So on Friday the babies took a road trip with me to work. In an Imagitarium Critter Keeper they went with a plant, some food, a shrimp feeding dish, a Hygger Nano sponge filter (super handy since they suction to the side of the tank, and one of my lithium backed airpumps. Water sloshed them around quite a bit that day- from work we drove an hour to our overnight destination and the buyer decided they wanted to meet in that area and not our home turf on Saturday morning. Here they were at work, covered in a towel so as not to disturb them: Anyway, the buyer met me early Saturday morning and my 8 remaining babies went to their new home. Hope they do well! I asked the new keeper to try and get me updates as I would like to know how they do. He did tell me later they all made it and were chillin in the tank without the lights on. I hope in the coming days he texts me pictures. My other 2 baby Otos that got sold prior to the very last ones are seemingly doing well too. The new keeper had 3 already and wanted 2 more. So here are pictures he sent me... This one has a picture of the smallest Oto I gave him, he or she is between two of his original Otos: This one is of the bigger Oto I gave him and it's chillin on a rock by his/herself: So I'm thrilled about babies going to new homes and living what should be their best lives. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted June 22, 2023 Author Share Posted June 22, 2023 OTOCINCLUS VITTATUS: The Parent Tank Found a new baby in the tank this morning. This is the baby in several different photos: The baby will stay in the tank. Unless I get a whole lot of them showing up I'm going to keep any newbies for the forseeable future. 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardedbillygoat1975 Posted June 22, 2023 Share Posted June 22, 2023 @xXInkedPhoenixXthis really is helping me down the path of adding a gaggle of otos to the shrimp palace! Wonderful to catch up but was very saddened about the twists and turns the hobby took you from the holidays through winter and spring. All the best with the reset and what’s to come! You look To be having fun again and that’s what counts! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted June 25, 2023 Author Share Posted June 25, 2023 (edited) On 6/21/2023 at 11:38 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said: me down the path of adding a gaggle of otos Well, maybe just a few. Or six. They're really, really cute little buggers. Especially when they reproduce. Here is one of the babies today, I think I have at least 2 so far: I appreciate your kind words. I know you've been in the wringer too, so I know you get what I've gone through. Our tanks though have a way of drawing us back in and remind us to never give up, nature never does. Edited June 25, 2023 by xXInkedPhoenixX 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted June 27, 2023 Author Share Posted June 27, 2023 OTOCINCLUS VITTATUS: The Parent Tank Still holding at 2 babies, MAYBE 3. I see the more developed one pretty often. I tried to get a pic of the younger one but it's more like a picture of Sasquatch under water: Here is what I think is the only older one in several different places the last couple of days: 4 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted June 27, 2023 Share Posted June 27, 2023 On 5/18/2023 at 12:38 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said: I really hope I'm able to get mine to spawn. Anubias, ferns, hopefully all of those plants I'm working on help to give them places and the comfort to lay. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted June 27, 2023 Author Share Posted June 27, 2023 @nabokovfan87 it looks like this now, I removed the Bacopa as I don't think the Otos care about small-leaf plants. I put in more Anubias and 2 amazons. They really like broad leaf plants from what I've observed and that's where I find their eggs when I've seen them, on the undersides. 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted June 27, 2023 Share Posted June 27, 2023 On 6/27/2023 at 2:26 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said: @nabokovfan87 it looks like this now, I removed the Bacopa as I don't think the Otos care about small-leaf plants. I put in more Anubias and 2 amazons. They really like broad leaf plants from what I've observed and that's where I find their eggs when I've seen them, on the undersides. Yeah. I need an amazon sword in their tank. I've been trying to find one locally. Last time I went all the plants looked dead in the shop. I heard they like stuff like hygrophila, some species which have those types of leaves as well. S. Repens was the one I heard initially for an oto only breeding setup. Your setup looks perfect for them. I can see why you have success! Working on getting the ferns going. The one I added in there is probably the size of a dime right now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted June 27, 2023 Author Share Posted June 27, 2023 Just based on my experience I'm surprised that s. repens was recommended- but what do I know, I'm not an Oto breeder! Mine mostly hang out under things the vast majority of the day. That includes under the sponges on my ACO filters. I bet they don't mind any plant really. As long as it has something to nom on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted June 27, 2023 Share Posted June 27, 2023 On 6/27/2023 at 2:45 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said: Mine mostly hang out under things the vast majority of the day. That includes under the sponges on my ACO filters. I bet they don't mind any plant really. As long as it has something to nom on. Yeah, mine sit on or near the spraybar. At night they go and do their thing. I'm always fascinated by them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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