Trying my hand at otos and hillstream loaches - updated

[Cinnebuns]

Because I have a super small amount of fry right now I decided to put one of my growout tanks to use and temporarily try to breed my otos and/or hillstream loaches. Since this isn't a long term project I didn't want to put any money into it and only use what I have. I'm kinda proud of what I came up with.

To create a higher flow I put a HOB filter rated for a 20 gallon on one short side and an ACO sponge filter on the other end. I'm not sure if this is the "optimum" way to create flow but it seems to work. 

I wanted to create a cave like environment especially for the hillstreams. I also wanted to include driftwood as a food source. I'm slightly unsure if the top piece of wood is needed but I don't think it's hurting anything. 

 

I once received a decor piece in the mail that arrived in pieces. The company replaced it with a new one but I kept the pieces. This one came in handy as a little cave.  I don't really have much other cave like decor on hand so it was a welcome find. 

 

I wasn't sure about this piece but figured the hillstreams might enjoy the surface area going vertical. They LOVE it. This is where I find them most often!  

 

 

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by Cinnebuns

[redfish]

Tagging our accidental breeder.  @xXInkedPhoenixX   🙂

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Haha thanks @redfish. We'll see which @Cinnebunschooses to try and breed first and if it's Otos I might be able to help but "accidental" is in the name! 😄

[Cinnebuns]

On 11/16/2022 at 4:41 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Haha thanks @redfish. We'll see which @Cinnebunschooses to try and breed first and if it's Otos I might be able to help but "accidental" is in the name! 😄

Oh both are in there together right now haha!  I figured a lot of their care crosses over so why not double my chances!

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

 Oh very cool Well, I can tell you IME Otos lay eggs on the underside of broad leafed plants- most of the ones I've found have been on my amazon plants- they probably also lay on the underside of the anubias but I've never seen/looked for it. And personally I think an unheated tank is best for both of them- the temp flux I have a feeling helps trigger the spawning- this includes the water changes- which I do weekly. 

[Cinnebuns]

On 11/16/2022 at 5:06 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

 Oh very cool Well, I can tell you IME Otos lay eggs on the underside of broad leafed plants- most of the ones I've found have been on my amazon plants- they probably also lay on the underside of the anubias but I've never seen/looked for it. And personally I think an unheated tank is best for both of them- the temp flux I have a feeling helps trigger the spawning- this includes the water changes- which I do weekly. 

Oh great tips ty!  I will probably grab one of my broad leaf plants tomorrow that I don't really want in my main tank right now anyway. 

[nabokovfan87]

For the loaches, I would think flat river rocks in some sort of a pile might be a good piece to add to the hardscape.  When Rachel O'leary setup her tank, she would have gravel like that as well as some piles of rocks.

They usually like to graze on those as well.

[Theplatymaster]

i messaged @Dean’s Fishroom he recommends cooler water changes for breeding otocinclus. (I didn't message him just to answer this question, i was wondering myself)

Edited November 18, 2022 by Theplatymaster

[Comradovich]

@Dean’s Fishroomalso did a video with @Bentley Pascoe a few years back on Breeding Otos. If I'm remembering correctly, the spawning trigger also involves live food. Which is counter-intuitive for an algae eater. He was mostly doing Zebra Otos, but he said the same trigger should apply to other species he's tried. Lots of potential fry food in the water, simulate a rain storm with cool, soft water change and wait to see.

Back when I had pygmy corys, I accidentally triggered some breeding of my Otos by doing just enough of a water change that the pygmy's started breeding. Maybe an easy to breed cory or just the hormones from the water some are breeding in would help? Couldn't hurt, so long as the corys are out before the Otos start, or you're diligent about removing eggs before they snarf them up. Not really a "set it and forget it" solution, but might get you out of a rut.

[Cinnebuns]

On 11/20/2022 at 2:03 PM, Comradovich said:

Back when I had pygmy corys, I accidentally triggered some breeding of my Otos by doing just enough of a water change that the pygmy's started breeding. Maybe an easy to breed cory or just the hormones from the water some are breeding in would help? Couldn't hurt, so long as the corys are out before the Otos start, or you're diligent about removing eggs before they snarf them up. Not really a "set it and forget it" solution, but might get you out of a rut.

It's funny you mention this because the tank I moved them out of has a colony of panda cories who regularly spawn about 4x a week. I wouldn't doubt if the otos had spawned before in that tank and I just never noticed but I also know that the eggs were likely eaten if they did. Same with the hillstreams. Except in the case of the hillstreams I def have seen some spawning behavior in them before but never any fry. That was part of the motivation to set this up. See if that spawning behavior can be fruitful 

[Cinnebuns]

I have an interesting update. 

I have had the hillstreams and otos in the 10 gallon since i made this post November 14th. I had 4 of my 5 hillstreams in the tank. The last one I left out because 1.  I didn't need another male anyway and 2.  Those guys suck to net and I hate doing it lol. I also realized after setting up the 10 that one of the hillstreams was a different species. It is a Chinese butterfly and not a tiger (reticulated).  I moved this one (female) back into the main 29 gallon tank since it is a different species. 

Earlier today I was doing some maintenance. I looked into the bucket and saw a fry. I'm used to finding fry in my bucket from this tank from my panda cories but this did not look like a panda cory. I thought about what is in the tank and thought maybe it was a khuli loach. While talking to a friend I realized it most def is not a khuli. Then I realized that there is 1m and 1f hillstream loach in there. We looked up what their fry look like and OMG THATS WHAT IT IS!!  They are 2 different species but we also found info that they can cross and will create healthy offspring. 

So, my deliberate attempt to breed them hasn't shown anything but my "left overs" in a different tank have lol. This makes me curious how many are still hiding in that tank and if they will survive the gauntlet of panda cories, male guppies and 1 pearl gourami. Maybe they will!

[DaveO]

Well, that's kinda fun.