2 dead otos

[muddlehead]

ok heres the problem, i had been getting some spot algea on my glass so i cut back on the feedings and light and i purchased 2 otos, i acclimated them and put them in the tank and they seemed happy, swimming and exploring the first day with no problem, a few days later all of my algea is gone, but about three weeks after i got them one died, all of my other fish seem fine and there was no physical damage to him so i just figured it was a natural death, but then yesterday my other oto died and it has been about 2 weeks since the last one died, all of the other fish seem fine, the only thing that i have noticed which is strange is some orangish brown algea on my rock cave, i dont seem to see it anywhere else accept there and that was where the oto hung out most of the time, so what happened??? unfortunatly i dont have a test kit yet so i cant get you any water parameters, thanks for the help

 

[Friendly]

Did your Oto's have a chubby bellies when they died?

 

[Meredith]

Without the test kit it will be hard to say if it had anything to do with your water. But it is probably nothing you did. Otos have the reputation of being a sort of fragile fish, often just up and dieing. I think I read somewhere that if they go too long without eating (like during shipping) the bacteria in there stomachs die and they cant digest food properly even if there is plenty to eat. Don't be discouraged though, Go back and get some more. Preferably a group of 3 or more. Make sure they are nice and plump in the belly area and generally healthy looking. Don't be afraid to examine them once caught and ask for new ones if you notice any thin or weak looking ones.
I went through a few otos before I got 3 that are still around and very well after 6 months.

 

[ringfinger]

Cutting your light back a bit will probably help the most since you were right at the point where Co2 would start to benefit your plants.

 

[malkore]

ottos are often half starved by the time they reach the LFS. They also do best on a diet of light algae...true green spot algae is stuck on the glass so firmly they usually can't get much of it off. They're most efficient at brown diatom 'algae'.

Always try to get ottos with full tummys, not sunken or bloated. I usually buy an extra 1-3 and assume some won't make it the first month.

If they last 6 weeks, they'll live a long time.

 

[muddlehead]

sweet, all good advice thanks, i think i will try to cut back the algea growth without the otos first then i will go back and get three instead of two and hopefullly i will get better results, i feel better now knowing i didnt directly kill them or anything

 

[Friendly]

Also it's good to give them algae pellets to help keep them full

 

[Ryehard]

I've had a similar problem. After my tank cycled and settled in with brown algae I bought two ottos. Within a few days they died even though everything seemed perfectly fine. Several months later I decided to try again and bought four. After a month only one has died so far and the rest are "fat," so hopefully thats a good sign. The only thing I changed since the first two was I use filtered water for water changes now and therefore the water is a lot softer. Not sure how much that has to do with it though. I'll start putting in algae pellets now that they've gotten the brown algae under control and take out what they don't eat and hopefully they'll be alright...

 

[muddlehead]

i tried that but they didnt seem interested, i think they had enough to eat, they were crapping constantly, and there was defenitly enough for the last one on top of the rock that is currently growing, im doing a water change tomorrow with no light most of the day, no worries though

 

[Simpte]

Otos are sociable fish and do best in groups. They are sensative to changes in water chemistry. They are all voraicous eaters. If you purchase more, be sure they have been at the lfs for at least a week.

 

[muddlehead]

yeah i planned on getting another oto to keep the one that was left with some company but i never got around to it