Sluggish otocinclus

[Otocincly]

I have a ten gallon tank with 2 otocinclus, 3 neon tetras and 3 zebra danios, I’ve had one oto for almost 2 months and the other one for a little more than three weeks, and that one is quite sluggish and lethargic, they’ve both gotten more lethargic over the last few days but the “older” one less so. All of my other fish seem healthy and my tank is about 8 months old and well established. The pH is good, I don’t have a way to test nitrites, but once a week I treat for it and my nitrates have been between 20-40 ppm. Both of them eat spinach and algae and I don’t know why they’re so lethargic!

 

[libertybelle]

Lethargy in fish is often due to water parameters so you really need to rule out ammonia and nitrite toxicity as a first step. Nitrates are running higher than ideal as well.

Do they have rounded bellies?