Ottos

[Tigroscr]

I was thinking about getting some ottos for my 55 g that I will be setting up soon, but from the research I've done on the Internet it seems like they can die off rather quickly after putting them in the tank. Anyone have them and does this happen often? The only other bottom dweller I will have in there would be a bn pleco. any advice on this is greatly appreciated! Oh and will also have a few yo- yo loaches as well.

 

[adadkins1]

Otos are notorious for being quiet sensitive. They need a well established tank with plenty of algae for them. I have never had any, but some people on here have had great success, while others have problems with them dying shortly after adding them.

I have a BNP and I love him, so I would say go with on of them. They devour algae in no time and are very hardy.

 

[Dale_I]

I have 4 Otocinclus in my 55 Gal corner bow front, as well as 1 Bristlenose. Had it to do over again, I might have opted for only 3, but now I add algae wafers a few times a week to make sure everyone gets enough to eat.

I had no problems with them, but introduced them into a pretty algae rich environment, which makes it easier on them to aclimate to the new environment. I took about 20 minutes to aclimate them to the tank water before putting them into the tank.

They are one of my favorites, very active, excellent algae eaters, and very peaceful to the other fish.

 

[alLexX]

i got 3 ottos a while ago,and havent had any casualtys. ive had better luck with them than zebra danios

 

[Tigroscr]

Otos are notorious for being quiet sensitive. They need a well established tank with plenty of algae for them. I have never had any, but some people on here have had great success, while others have problems with them dying shortly after adding them.

I have a BNP and I love him, so I would say go with on of them. They devour algae in no time and are very hardy.

Yeah! I dont think I want to invest a bunch of Money in them if they're not very hardy I'll probably just go with my original plan of bn plecos and yo- yo's I just wanted a little more variety

 

[-Mac-]

I have otos, and as of my last late night ninja spot check, all five are alive and well. Mine went from day time to night time active after their first month so now if I want to see them, I gotta pull late night tank raids. However, I was able to get mine from home into a tank full of diatoms which they mowed down in 48 hours. I used drip acclimation for about 90 minutes then in they went, and a few hours later I was boggling at the abrupt reduction of diatoms.

I was lucky, I guess. I do note that if my params go south they are the first to act listless, so they are sensitive to nitrates. up to about 30, they are forgiving and happy, at 40, they sulk. As with all things YMMV. Good luck.

 

[Dale_I]

My wife was also astonished at how quickly they cleaned our tank up. We went from, "Wow... can you see through the glass?", to, "Awesome tank!", in about three days.

 

[Tigroscr]

My wife was also astonished at how quickly they cleaned our tank up. We went from, "Wow... can you see through the glass?", to, "Awesome tank!", in about three days.

Yeah that's why I wanted them cuz nothing in my tank does a real good job of cleaning up the uneaten food and with pfs you see everything! What variety do you have? I was looking at possibly the zebra variety. But I don't think they're any hardier

 

[alLexX]

Yeah that's why I wanted them cuz nothing in my tank does a real good job of cleaning up the uneaten food and with pfs you see everything! What variety do you have? I was looking at possibly the zebra variety. But I don't think they're any hardier

ottos dont eat uneaten food,just algae and some veggies

 

[alex07]

Yeah that's why I wanted them cuz nothing in my tank does a real good job of cleaning up the uneaten food and with pfs you see everything! What variety do you have? I was looking at possibly the zebra variety. But I don't think they're any hardier

Ottos wont eat uneaten food for that get ghost shrimps.

 

[Tigroscr]

ottos dont eat uneaten food,just algae and some veggies

Oh my bad! I thought they did! Oops!

 

[-Mac-]

If you're looking for scavengers, though really the trick is to under feed a bit, yes, then go for shrimps and cory's

 

[alias452]

I got some oto's yesterday but they don't seem to be eating anything. I have some brown algae spots on the glass of the tank, but they just seem to hang on to the clean bits. I tried putting in a blanched courgette, but my betta was much more interested in it. I didn't put it in that long ago so I'll see if they eat it later.

Other than that they seem ok, quite lively, just worried they aren't eating much...or maybe I just don't see them eating. I love watching them though, seem like great little fish.

 

[-Mac-]

Well it's their first day. I consider my guys a bit odd, given how much they ate in the first 48 hours but I had a crazy diatom bloom going, so I had plenty of their favourite thing on hand. So long as they are active, and have gently rounded bellies, they are finding food to eat.

 

[alex07]

Well it's their first day. I consider my guys a bit odd, given how much they ate in the first 48 hours but I had a crazy diatom bloom going, so I had plenty of their favourite thing on hand. So long as they are active, and have gently rounded bellies, they are finding food to eat.

That is why they recommended in a well established tanks. I've never fed any of my ottos and they're very active.

 

[absolutangel04]

When I got my first 2, I did not do any special acclimation or anything, I just floated them and put them in the tank. They did fine. I have since bought 2 more and did the same bare bones acclimation and they are fine as well. I have not found them to be very sensitive. I do suggest an established tank for them because mine prefer real algae over any wafers.
Personally, I prefer pitbull plecos. They are a similar size, like groups, and do an awesome job on my algae.

 

[Demonknight]

mine are crackheads and never seem to slow down, I started with 5, added 4 more and I think I have lost maybe 2 or 3 over the last three months.. hard to tell as they are in a heavily planted 125g tank.. i do know I have seen one body and parts of what may have been another. And I have taken to leaving all my lights on longer and longer as theres no sign of algae anywhere.

 

[LyndaB]

ottos dont eat uneaten food,just algae and some veggies

Mine will also eat algae wafers.

I have my original 3 and they are all fat and sassy, swimming around at all times of day or night. They're funny and have a great little personality.

 

[sumpnfishy]

As others say an established tank should work, especially a planted tank.

I never had good luck with them but decided to try them out as there were inexpensive at about $2 each. Bought 8 of them (they are very social) and put them in my 10 gal quarantine tank that had some algae growth.

Spotless the next morning!

Later moved them to a heavily planted tank with corys and RCS. That was 2 years ago and I still have several of them left....

 

[Tigroscr]

As others say an established tank should work, especially a planted tank.

I never had good luck with them but decided to try them out as there were inexpensive at about $2 each. Bought 8 of them (they are very social) and put them in my 10 gal quarantine tank that had some algae growth.

Spotless the next morning!

Later moved them to a heavily planted tank with corys and RCS. That was 2 years ago and I still have several of them left....

That's cool! Cuz from what I've read about them hard to keep them alive because supposedly they're all wild caught and they put cyanide in the water to slow them down I guess so they can catch them. Sounds horrible!! Thx for the advice I might give them a try