Need some Quick Advice: About to buy school of Oto Cats

[philipraposo198]

Anyone got some protips for good acclimation / keeping these guys alive?

Anything you feel that can help with survival would be great to know before i leave to go buy em. I been searching high and low in my area and finally someone got some yesterday. Petsmart. 14 day guarantee too.

 

[Laser]

Feed them blanched greens if your tank doesn't have a substantial amount of brown algae. These guys are sensitive so try to stay on top of your water changes.

 

[PerfectDepth]

Feed them blanched greens if your tank doesn't have a substantial amount of brown algae. These guys are sensitive so try to stay on top of your water changes.

Actually, I wouldn't say they are sensitive fish, otos are actually very hardy fish once they become healthy again. They're just unhealthy at first because of the way they are caught. Because of this, they may have trouble digesting veggies at first.

Philip,
Is this for your newly setup 75g? For best results, my advice is to wait. Otos eat mainly algae and biofilm, which takes at least a few months to establish. If you're set on getting them now, you should grow algae on some rocks, then put the rocks in the tank. In my opinion, it's also a good idea to wait until they've been at the fish store for a couple of weeks or longer. Half of them tend to die after arriving.

 

[venymae]

Well, he already has him so bridge under water, and they are guaranteed! I would do drip acclimation over an hour or two. Set the bag in the water, and every 5-15 minutes add a tsp of water from your tank to the bag. Keep doing this until the bag is getting full. This will help them get used to not only temperature, but nitrate level, pH, Kh and all the other micro stuff that we (probably) don't know or think about. Keep the lights off, to minimize stress and keep activity levels around the tank low also. (If you can't do this, throw a towel over it to block the view! I have a 2 year old so I know this isn't always possible.) Since otos are micro and algae eaters you might get some algae wafers for them. Cut one into 1/4 pieces to start, so you can see how much they eat and not waste so much/pollute your water.

 

[venymae]

Also if you feel like going the extra mile, some people use desk lamps and beam them into a corner of the tank to promote a little algae for their fish who like to munch it. Just an idea.

 

[philipraposo198]

i actually have tons and tons of diatoms and other algae in the tank. i have been leaving the light on 12 hours a day because i been waiting on this shipment.

The otos looked pretty good in the store to be honest. the thing I did notice is all their tail fins have been a little damaged. still fin there just not perfect condition. I have no idea how this would happen. They just got them from the supplier too. keep in a tank by themselves.

I got 7 of them. I have blanched veggies and algae wafers for them plus like i said a lot of algae in the tank.

almost 3 weeks ago many of you here advised against cycling with cardinals and golden rams, I choose to do that and I have perfectly healthy fish. not one death.

If fact my rams laid their 2nd batch of eggs few days ago and they all doing great minus a few that went wait which they ate. I suspect I will have some wigglers by tomorrow night.

I am acclimating them in a 5L Tupperware floating in the tank. Put alot of floaters in there to keep it dark and broke up a wafer for them to eat if they wish. i will add little bit of water every 15 min for 2 hours ish. I got 7 oto's I wish they had more but didn't.

 

[venymae]

Great that you had a good cycle. If you are careful enough you can fish-in cycle with about anything, but most people are just not devoted enough to do it properly, and some fish really don't do well with it on average. Glad it worked for you though!

If you have a lot of algae then I would forgo the wafers and veggies all together! They'll have plenty to munch on for a while, and you wouldn't have to worry about the food polluting the water It's up to you though!

The fins could have a bit of fin rot, from bad water at a previous location. It's not contagious and clean water will fix it in no time, so I wouldn't worry. And if it's just tears, clean water will do the same for them too Post pictures when you can, we'd love to see your little guys!

 

[philipraposo198]

will do.

 

[PerfectDepth]

Mine would never eat algae wafers, anyway. They absolutely love green beans, though.

There's a good chance your cardinals will gorge themselves on the algae wafers before the otos ever take notice of them.

 

[philipraposo198]

here is a quick vid
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzqBYVcBGk4HRF9XV0s0ZHJXM2c/edit?usp=sharing

 

[philipraposo198]

ok so they are in the tank now. about 2 hours of acclimation. Pretty much just staying in one spot for now. A little of what I think is sucking / eating from the glass but i am not sure. I think they are just stressed out. One swam from the glass to a piece of DW and is not laying on that. the other move but just on the glass in the same kind of area.

 

[Laser]

Actually, I wouldn't say they are sensitive fish, otos are actually very hardy fish once they become healthy again. They're just unhealthy at first because of the way they are caught. Because of this, they may have trouble digesting veggies at first.

Philip,
Is this for your newly setup 75g? For best results, my advice is to wait. Otos eat mainly algae and biofilm, which takes at least a few months to establish. If you're set on getting them now, you should grow algae on some rocks, then put the rocks in the tank. In my opinion, it's also a good idea to wait until they've been at the fish store for a couple of weeks or longer. Half of them tend to die after arriving.

Thanks, I never really thought of it that way. I always assumed they were sensitive because so many don't survive the first week or so.

 

[philipraposo198]

Just an update: all otos are doing great, its now been 16 hours and they are all active and eating well.