Ideas on Oto Losses

[HooKooDooKu]

I have a Marineland Corner 5 tank at my office. It's been cycled for over two years. Primary occupants are a pair of male guppies and some MTS. It's planted mainly with Water Sprite but a few small anuba tossed in as well in a very fine sand substrait. The tank has an air stone and a 10 watt heater with a 60 watt eql CFL hood light that is on about 10 hours per day.

The tank gets some alge, with the greatest build up interestingly on the plants. In the case of the Water Sprite, it's not a big deal as the stuff grows so fast I just have to cut out the algae covered stuff every once in a while. But anuba seem to die because algae builds up on the leaves and blocks the light. So I decided to see if I couldn't get an Oto to help out.

Now I know that Oto are supposed to be in groups, but for a 5g tank, I've got to limit it to only one. The first one the guppies seemed to constantly be bothering him and he was always flying around the tank crazily like he was on crack. So when he soon died, I wasn't all that surprised thinking he died from exhaustion or stress. So I tried another on about a month later. It seemed to be a lot calmer. After about 2 weeks, he seemed to really be getting settled in. Then suddenly he looked lethargic in the morning and was dead by lunch. After a few months, I decided to try again. I got this latest Oto during lunch on Tuesday. He seemed to immediately dive right into the algae. Over the next two days, he seems relaxed, the guppies never bothered him, and he was apparently eating well as I frequently found him with thin green poop hanging from him. Everything seemed find when I left Thursday night, but Friday morning, he was dead.

So I know that over the course of 6 months, at least 3 Oto's have died in this tank (and I'm not too sure there hasn't been a 4th). All of them seem to die within about 2 weeks (usually sooner) even though the tank has some algae AND I've dropped some Oto rounds if I ever though there wasn't enough algae in the tank.

Any ideas? Is there such a thing as an algae that can kill an Oto? Might the guppies be ganging up on him at night when I'm not there?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[GodFan]

Otos are mistreated when caught and alot die very early. The tank is alittle small for them but if you are supplementing their diet they can be ok.

 

[aqua_chem]

Were you feeding him? There are only a few types of algae otos will eat, and I doubt that there will be enough to sustain an oto in a 5g long term. The stress from being alone might also play a role.

 

[GodFan]

Were you feeding him? There are only a few types of algae otos will eat, and I doubt that there will be enough to sustain an oto in a 5g long term. The stress from being alone might also play a role.

I agree. The oto will be ok in the tank only if you supplement feeding. I do think you can have just one however as I have only 1 in my tank because all his friends passed on and he seems fine. They do prefer groups but in most individuals I dont think they are to bothered by being alone.

 

[LyndaB]

It's not at all unusual for otos to die within the first month of being in a tank. It's kind of crap shoot, but I do have to agree that a single oto in a 5 gallon is not a good idea.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

Were you feeding him? There are only a few types of algae otos will eat, and I doubt that there will be enough to sustain an oto in a 5g long term. The stress from being alone might also play a role.

I stated that I was placing the algae rounds in the tank... you know, the ones with a picture of the oto and plat on it. Never say any of the otos eat from the algae round.

And the most recent oto had strings of green poop hanging off his rear... yet he died in less than three days.

At the moment, the only other idea is that I don't know how cold the tank gets at nights. I noticed this morning the thermometer I had in the tank was way on the low side. Still in the "green" band, but on the lower side. I've got a 10watt heater in there, but it doesn't have any indication if it is on or not. So as far as I know, the thing doesn't work. I bought a new 25 watt heater with indicator light tonight, I'm going to add that to the tank tomorrow.

 

[savage]

I know tank doesn't have enough algae for them, so I put a blanched slice of cucumber in there once a week or so, and the three of them will scarf it down in a night. They love it, and then just cruise around with their happy pot bellies. Good stuff.

 

[siva]

Most oto's wont eat those type of prepared supplements. Oto's often die from starvation because they are such picky eaters. They are wild caught and go through a lot before they end up in your tank, so losses aren't unusual even if their is enough algae present. It's best to purchase them from a seller who QT's their fish prior to sale..you'll have a better survival rate with those specimens. I wouldn't suspect the temperature changes to be the culprit, especially if the tank was staying around the range of 70-80.

A 5 gal isn't suitable for an oto. Like most catfish, they will not thrive if kept solo, and should be stocked in groups. I would add a nerite snail. Just one (or two if you go with a smaller type) should have all your algae under control in no time. Or reduce the hours per day the light is on.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

Well I got the new heater added, and swapped the dead fish for another oto at the fish store. This one was relatively speaking much bigger. He is much more "quite". Doesn't swim around the tank much during the day. Mostly stays put. I'm finding all sorts of poop loops, so he's getting plenty to eat.

Yet after the 3rd weekend, I came in to work Tuesday and he was dead. At first I though he was hanging onto the Water Sprite in the tank. But then I realized he wasn't breathing and was simply hung between the leaves of the water sprite and the side of the tank.

That's now at least 4 oto's that generally seemed to start of great and then suddenly die. It keeps making me think that there is some sort of poison algae in the tank that the oto's do great until they start eating this hidden algae that is killing them. Otherwise, after having added a new heater (did turn out the old one is busted) I'm out of ideas.

 

[LyndaB]

Otos are very sensitive to changes in water parameters. Do your numbers run steady?

How did you acclimate him?

 

[Maxp123]

What are your params? And what test kit do you use?

 

[HooKooDooKu]

What are your params? And what test kit do you use?

I use the API test kits. The one I have is a few years old.

I haven't tested the water lately, but the tank is well established so I don't think I've had any ammonia or nitrite spike.

I guess the only question would be if high nitrates could kill an oto?

Again, I haven't tested lately, but the last time I did test before a weekly PWC, it showed nitrates were still low enough that I could go longer than one week between PWC. I also have tons of plant life to suck up some of those nitrates. I've got one anuba but several Water Sprite plants (one that covers nearly a 1/4 of this 5 gallon tank).

I'll try to remember to bring my test kit in tomorrow and attempt to measure nitrates before doing a PWC.

But the question there remains: Would slow rising nitrates kill an oto that doesn't appear to affect the guppies?

 

[LyndaB]

Guppies are hardier than otos.

Otos require steady water params. If you don't test your water, how can you know what your params were versus what they were in the tank they came from. A difference in pH could lead to their demise. It's not at all unusual to lose an oto within the first month or so.

 

[GodFan]

Dude it is definetly not your fault. I have shrimp, fish, snails, and plants in most of the tanks in my house but those stubborn otos are the only ones I struggle with. No other fish deaths but the otos die alot. I usually buy 3 only to have one survive any length of time.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

Guppies are hardier than otos.

Otos require steady water params. If you don't test your water, how can you know what your params were versus what they were in the tank they came from. A difference in pH could lead to their demise. It's not at all unusual to lose an oto within the first month or so.

This last one survived a little over 2 weeks.

The pH of local water is a little on the high side, but the fish store is near the office and both locations use the same city water. So pH should be close... but I never thought to test the water the oto came to me in to compare to the water of the tank.

 

[maestromad]

I have had lots of otto losses. From what I've been told if they last a month thn your onto a good thing!

 

[Maxp123]

I would suggest maybe buying a new master test kit because the old one you have may not be accurate how do you do your water changes? Do you use a cup or a gravel vacuum?