My new Oto

[My toddlers tank]

So on Saturday I got two new oto's not aware they should have three in their group, and was under the impression my water was good for them. We had good algee growth and lots of wisteria in the tank growing soo well I snipped the tops and placed them in the gravel.

Well by yesterday my tank has never looked better, but mr oto keep managing to get his tail stuck in the filter intake 2x before I placed him in the net at the top to see what was going on because he was doing the upside down twirls and not sticking to anything anymore.

He relaxed in the net for awhile, I thought he was doing better he was breathing extra, and looked like maybe his "seizure" like behaviour was over. But when I let him free again he was dead.

I did a pwc but had to go to work, I tested my water today, afraid. May have started a new cycle by adding my new filter. (Still running the old one). But ammonia, nitrate, nitrite are all 0 but my Ph has decided in the last week to go from 7.6 to 8 it has been 7.6 since Aug when I started my aquarium.

I know the oto's prefer 7.5 so I didn't think it was too big of a deal. I have ph down but I would prefer not to use it, I have two pieces of dw and my tank is only 20g I don't think I am overstocked as I have 1 betta, 4 glow light tetras, and added the two oto's now 1 and the 5 neons now 4 on Saturday. I lost the neon on the first night but kinda of expect it as the LFS is going out of business and we bought the last 5 out of a full tank.

So is there a way to lower my ph without the medicine and should I buy two more if the store has any left?

 

[bkiggy]

Otos will adapt. Fish die of weird things..... I had Corys have heart attacks and fish have that seizure thing. I actually called an aquatic vet and they said if happens. Fish die. Could have been sick already and the move stressed him out

 

[librarygirl]

I wouldn't mess with PH, yours is fine and the fish will adapt. How did you acclimate them to the new tank?

Otos are notoriously sensitive fish and you almost expect to lose some at first. I bought 4 a couple of months ago and one died within the first week in quarantine and the rest are doing fine. A friend of mine bought 5 or 6, half died, then he bought more and half of those died too, they're just hard fish to get to adapt to a new tank. It could also have been sick or stressed when you got him.

 

[meegosh]

With these buggers it is almost required to buy double the amount you want to keep. They are sensitive and can starve fairly easy.

Being stuck in the filter sounds like they weren't healthy to begin with. A healthy fish won't get caught in a filter.

 

[My toddlers tank]

Thanks guys, the LFS is going out of business not the conditions you want to buy fish in in the first place because they are all 75% off so they are going quick if there is many left since Saturday, I wasn't planning to get more fish for the tank but I couldn't pass those deals up, considering if I want fish that I can guarantee won't be sold to me sick I will now have to drive 2 hours to and from so 4 hour round trip

Glad to know that it wasn't entirely on me. I will try tomorrow and see if the LFS has any more and get what I can and see how these ones fair out.

I left them in the bag for 20 mins and then replaced some of the fish store water with mine and this this three or 4 times in 20 min periods and them placed them into my tank.

We don't have another tank running as of now, and I am happy with numbers maybe another tetra or two but, when we get our own home we will upgrade to a 55 at least and then my 20 can become a quarantine tank

 

[GodFan]

Thanks guys, the LFS is going out of business not the conditions you want to buy fish in in the first place because they are all 75% off so they are going quick if there is many left since Saturday, I wasn't planning to get more fish for the tank but I couldn't pass those deals up, considering if I want fish that I can guarantee won't be sold to me sick I will now have to drive 2 hours to and from so 4 hour round trip

Glad to know that it wasn't entirely on me. I will try tomorrow and see if the LFS has any more and get what I can and see how these ones fair out.

I left them in the bag for 20 mins and then replaced some of the fish store water with mine and this this three or 4 times in 20 min periods and them placed them into my tank.

We don't have another tank running as of now, and I am happy with numbers maybe another tetra or two but, when we get our own home we will upgrade to a 55 at least and then my 20 can become a quarantine tank

Try drip acclimation. Also otos need to be given supplemental feeding spmetimes. However you are doing great with the dw and live plants. I would almost consider that mandatory.

 

[My toddlers tank]

Thanks,

I went back today and she had 4 so I bought them all... They are sitting in the bag now for about 20 mins I haven't done anything because I want to check. I need to find out how to do the drip, I am not sure I have ever done that.

When u mean additional supplement what exactly do u mean?

 

[deb_unlimited]

Hi, saw your post and thought I would jump in. Drip acclimation is simple. You need a length of tubing and a container. I use a 1 gallon fishbowl from WalMart $5.99, very handy. Any fish-safe container will work. Set your container below the level of the tank. Tie a knot 6 inches from one end of the tube. Put that end in your container, the other end in your fish tank. Put your fish in the container and start a siphon from the fish tank. You now have water from the fish tank dripping into your smaller container. Adjust the flow by tightening the knot. You want it to be dripping, not running. I usually let it drip for an hour to two hours. You need to be sure your container is big enough for that much water. Once the waiting period is over, carefully pour fish and water into their new home.

 

[bigbanker]

Great post deb. Just wanted to add to make sure the container is covered to prevent fish jumping out. I've had it happen!

 

[deb_unlimited]

I just bought 3 otos a few days ago. So far, so good. I've lost 2 Corys that came from one of the big chain stores, also a guppy and a betta. I think these poor fish are so stressed by the time you get them home that it's amazing any of them survive. Funny story about the otos...I know they are very shy. I transferred them into the 10 gallon tank (temporary home til the 30 gallon is complete) and then eagerly looked for them. No otos...okay, I know they went in, so look some more...no otos. I spent five minutes looking from every angle and could not see my new fish anywhere and then I saw a tiny head poke over the edge of the clay pot I put in there for a temporary shelter. LOL! They really are shy!

 

[deb_unlimited]

Great post deb. Just wanted to add to make sure the container is covered to prevent fish jumping out. I've had it happen!

Good point! I use a saucer.

 

[My toddlers tank]

Omg that is much simpler than the explanations I have found online. I have placed them in and fingers crossed. I will try this the next time I am adding fish. It will be awhile because I think I am completely stocked.

I like the oto's they are pretty excited about their new environment zipping from driftwood to plant to the glass etc in the Bettas floating log although I only have eyes on three of the five.

Ok I have what is probably a dumb question, I have nutrafin max spirulina algae tablets would the oto's eat this? And what is people options in the expiry dates?

 

[GodFan]

Thanks,

I went back today and she had 4 so I bought them all... They are sitting in the bag now for about 20 mins I haven't done anything because I want to check. I need to find out how to do the drip, I am not sure I have ever done that.

When u mean additional supplement what exactly do u mean?

They need algae wafers or fresh veggies to eat in addition to tank algae

 

[GodFan]

Omg that is much simpler than the explanations I have found online. I have placed them in and fingers crossed. I will try this the next time I am adding fish. It will be awhile because I think I am completely stocked.

I like the oto's they are pretty excited about their new environment zipping from driftwood to plant to the glass etc in the Bettas floating log although I only have eyes on three of the five.

Ok I have what is probably a dumb question, I have nutrafin max spirulina algae tablets would the oto's eat this? And what is people options in the expiry dates?

They may or may not lol

 

[My toddlers tank]

Yippee, put the outdated algae tablet in... Was kinda freaked out but with a great debat with a friend who use to work at the fish store we determined that it should be ok. The algae wafer is no longer stuck to the glass but on the gravel and everyone survived the night in the tank.

Sigh of relief for now...