Otocinclus pictures

[dskidmore]

Well, I decided I had to turn in the 3" angel, he just wasn't compatale with the type of community I want to build. (He ate some of the shrimp I bought recently. I tried to hide them in the plants, but the stupid things took off scared into the open when I let them go.) So I was in the LFS with $3 credit and an empty QT at home.

I wandered back and forth, and kept stopping in front of the Otocinclus tank. There were only three left. I kept telling myself that it was the wrong day of the week to pick up ottos, that these guys have probably been starving for a week, but even after confirming my suspicions about a lousy diet, I couldn't resist.

Looks like two of the three are acclimating to veggies. I provided a little salad bar, cooked on one fork, raw on the other. They like the raw zucinni, and the cooked broccoli stems. Don't seem to be touching the kale, I'm going to try freezing that one. Don't seem to be touching the broccoli florettes, but that's fine with me, the husband eats those.

I was very happy to see one of them pooping on his third day. We're up to day 5 and the two smaller ones are regularly hanging out on the veggies. The larger one I havn't seen on the veggies yet, and is hiding today. I hope he acclimates before it's too late.

I'm a bit worried about the ratty zucinni. I took out the cooked veggies that weren't getting much attention and started to look nasty, but the ottos seem to prefer the really nasty looking raw zucinni to the fresh one I put in. I don't want to remove anything they're actually eating as long as the ammonia is steady.

[dskidmore]

oops. Second picture was .bmp, no wonder it wouldn't load.

[Zagz]

Nice pics.

Don't seem to be touching the kale, I'm going to try freezing that one. Don't seem to be touching the broccoli florettes, but that's fine with me, the husband eats those.

LOL do you feed them to the husband after they are in the tank. Just kidding, couldn't resist, had a mental image of you taking the broccoli out of the tank and feeding to your husband.

[dskidmore]

: )

Na, but it's convienient if the ottos like scraps from what I feed the husband. Husband doesn't mind my giving away the stems to my fish. Doesn't come out of my personal budget that way.

[dskidmore]

Yay! Today all three are latched onto vegetables! I think they're all going to make it after all!

I'm proceding with a course of parasite clear as a preventative, given the high incidents of internal parasites in wild-caught ottos.

[rich311k]

Comgrats I am glad the little guys are doing well.

[dskidmore]

Update:
Everybody survived through QT (yeah, I shaved it a little bit, 3.5 weeks.)
I've only seen two at a time since moving to the big tank, but there are so many places to hide there, so that doesn't mean anything bad.

I picked up another group of 6 from the same supplier. Had a bit of trouble with a "volunteer" helper at the store. (Going to get them myself if they're that busy again.) One died after 4 days at home. (Of course past warranty period.) At least 3 have discovered the wonders of kale and zucinni.

My green water problem is clearing up, hopefully I can start taking good pictures in the main tank soon. My driftwood however is not co-operatively sinking, that's what I get for being cheap. Going to have to pick up some slate if I'm going to put these in the tank soon.

[Peregrine]

Veggies' for Oto's, eh?
Never tried it.
I produce quite a bit of brown algae and it keeps my oto's not only fed, but very fat. Having a hard time getting a pic of the one that seems to always have a fat belly.
I have 3 in my 55. It's funny you mention 2 seemed to hang together in the beginning. Mine are just like that. I have 3. 2 are constantly near each other, even kind of schooling together when they swim. Meanwhile the 3rd, although very healthy, seems to be a loaner.

[dskidmore]

The 6 in the QT seem to bunch off. 4 together then 2 together. I guess the geeks hang out together for company. Or at least that's what we outcasts did in High School.