Otocinclus questions. :)

[Salukie]

Hey everyone!
I have a ten gallon that's almost done fishless cycling. I'll be adding fish soon and I'm having trouble deciding on a bottom feeder fish.

Plecos are out because, well, they're way too big for a 10g.

Flying foxes are awesome but also too big.

Corydoras are out because they like sand and I've got nothin but gravel.

So I was thinking otocinclus. They're small and don't mind gravel. They don't like being alone, though, from what I've heard.

Would three otos be okay in a 10g?

Also, what do I feed them?

I'd also be interested in hearing about any tips, suggestions, or otocinclus stories from all of you guys with otos.

Thanks!

Also, feel free to suggest some other suitable bottom dwellers for a 10g.

[Rivercats]

Oto cats are not bottom feeders and need to be put in a mature tank if at all possible. Their diet consists of bio-film, diatoms, and green dust algae. They after won't eat processed food and can starve.

Bottom feeders would be something like shrimp, dwarf or pygmy cory cats. These would be suitable in a 10g. Burmese Rosey Loaches would also work well in a 10g due to their small size.

[Salukie]

Thank you, rivercats.

I think otos might be a little too high maintenance for me, after all. I might get some in the future when I get a much bigger tank. One day... Lol.

[Salukie]

I looked up the Burmese rosy loach. It's soooo cute! But so not for beginners. I think I'll just stick with cherry shrimp for now.

[Goldfish loach boy]

Why don't you get pigmy cories?

[FishCr8zy]

Originally Posted by Goldfish loach boy

Why don't you get pigmy cories?

Cories like sand or dull edged gravel. Do you have sharp edged gravel?

[Darkseid76]

You can have cories as long as substrate is smooth and not rough edged.

[FishCr8zy]

Originally Posted by Salukie

I looked up the Burmese rosy loach. It's soooo cute! But so not for beginners. I think I'll just stick with cherry shrimp for now.

Cherry shrimp are great guys. Easy to keep and breed easy enough. If you switch to sand, the choices are a lot wider since the majority of bottom feeders have barbels which can be worn down by sharp gravel. Pool filter sand is very cheap and prob costs less than your gravel FYI.

[Salukie]

I have gravel. I've heard that anything other than sand will damage Cory cats' barbels and they'll suffer.
Also I think they need to be kept in large groups. Six corys would be too many in my little 10g, wouldn't it?

I'm definitely getting sand for my next tank! One day...

[FishCr8zy]

Originally Posted by Salukie

I have gravel. I've heard that anything other than sand will damage Cory cats' barbels and they'll suffer.
Also I think they need to be kept in large groups. Six corys would be too many in my little 10g, wouldn't it?

I'm definitely getting sand for my next tank! One day...

Can you get a pic of the gravel? Only sharp gravel can cut the barbels as I said before. And most store gravel I ok. Many people actually keep cories and other bottom feeders with gravel and they do fine. And they don't need to be in that big of a group. 3-4 is ok too.

[Old Scales]

If you have aquarium gravel or any of the planted tank style substrates like Eco complete or Flora max, Corys will be perfectly fine. I've have Corys on gravel for many years and NONE had worn barbels caused by the gravel. OS.

[Rivercats]

People often blame substrate for barbel erosion in cory's when in fact most of the time is caused by poor water quality. I have 25 cory's alone in the 220g that has Eco Complete.

[Salukie]

What kind I water do the Corys like?

Or do you mean ammonia by "poor water quality"?

[Rivercats]

Poor water quality can be ammonia, too high nitrates, not enough WC's where there is too much dissolved organic and inorganic matter.

[Salukie]

Okay... That makes sense.

So how many and what kind of corys would you recommend for a 10g, low light planted, with cherry shrimp, and ember tetras?

[Salukie]

Okay... That makes sense.

So how many and what kind of corys would you recommend for a 10g, low light planted, with cherry shrimp, and ember tetras?





Oh, and pond snails. I always forget about the snails.

[Rivercats]

4-5 Pygmy or Dwarf Cories would be best or if you can't find those then 3 Panda Cories as they tend to be the next smallest. Also if you could find any Apisdoras, which are in the cory family (I keep these and you can find them on Aquabid if you watch) you could do 4-5. They are very active little guys and add a lot of movement to a tank.

[Salukie]

This is my gravel. Does it look okay for corydoras?

[Rivercats]

It's fine!