Uh, oh! What kind of fish did I get?

[Salukie]

So my little ten gallon tank was cycled and was patiently awaiting fish. I had decided on stocking with ember tetras, red cherry shrimp, and otocinclus.

And then, I changed my mind about the oto. By what I was reading, the otocinclus seemed hard to care for, hard to feed, and prone to spontaneous death for no apparent reason.

So I decided that I wanted some pygmy cories instead.

Now I've been looking for pygmy cories everywhere and no one has them. None of my local fish stores can order them in. I even contacted some not so local fish stores, to no avail.

I was in my most local fish store today to order some cherry shrimp, (I'll order the tetras in a couple weeks) and was discussing pygmy cories with the girl there when she asked me if I had considered getting some otocinclus instead.

So we talked about the oto and she convinced me to get some. It didn't take much convincing since I wanted some to begin with. Plus, it was a fish that they had in stock that I could buy right then.

Now me, being the impatient person that I am and not being able to spend a whole week with an empty tank waiting for my shrimp to arrive, decided, in all my wisdom that I should get three otos like I wanted in the beginning.

So I take my new fishies home, acclimate them very carefully (took me three hours!) and now, I sit here admiring them, (well, two out of the three because one of them is still hiding under the driftwood) and I'm having doubts.

Are these otocinclus catfish?

What did I buy??

Help?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

You are right to have your doubts. That looks like a Chinese algae eater. They get large and mean.



This is an oto.

 

[Salukie]

Gah!! That's what I thought. Great.

Well, I will definitely hold off on ordering the tetras.

Now. Do I return them? Do I get a bigger tank for them? What to do, what to do?

The irony is this: they were housed with red tailed sharks at the LFS and I felt sorry for them.

Not anymore!

How long do I have until they get too big for my ten gallon?

 

[Salukie]

Hmm... I have a friend with a 55g cichlid tank. Maybe she would want them. Would Chinese algae eaters get along with cichlids?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

See if the LFS will take them back. They shouldn't have sold them to you as otos so you have every right to return them. They will be fine with most African cichlids if your friend wants them.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

I would return them to the lfs. They sold them to you as otos, and they should take them back for the mistake. If they give you grief, I would look for a new lfs.
As far as otos go, I have 5 of them betwen my 3 tanks, and they all do great. I would stick to only 1 oto for your 10 gallon, and add it last, after the tank has been established for a while. Otos eat algae (mine are diatom devourers), and most will not eat "prepared foods"of any kind. If the tank is not established enough to have normal amounts of algae, they will starve. A 10g tank will provide enough for 1-2 otos, but not much more. They are great little fish though, I highly recommend them.
Also, those ember tetras are awesome! I have a small school of them, and I wish now I would have gotten more when I had the chance, lol.

 

[Cactuspixie]

Hmm... I have a friend with a 55g cichlid tank. Maybe she would want them. Would Chinese algae eaters get along with cichlids?

Does your friend have a cichlid big enough to eat them??
I wouldn't get ottos for a few months anyway. They will only starve to death in a new tank.

 

[Salukie]

I asked my friend with the cichlids and she doesn't want them. I can't blame her! Lol.

I'm going to return these fishies tomorrow. Hopefully the LFS will take them back. I can't see any reason why they wouldn't.

I'll let you guys know how it goes.

 

[Cactuspixie]

I asked my friend with the cichlids and she doesn't want them. I can't blame her! Lol.

I'm going to return these fishies tomorrow. Hopefully the LFS will take them back. I can't see any reason why they wouldn't.

I'll let you guys know how it goes.

Don't ask. TELL them you are returning them. They will most likely give you store credit which you can save for when your tank is established enough to get a couple of ottos.

 

[Buu]

Don't ask. TELL them you are returning them. They will most likely give you store credit which you can save for when your tank is established enough to get a couple of ottos.

No kidding! Just be honest. Say you got home and when you looked them up online you saw they definitely were NOT otos (in case they ask why you took them lol).

 

[horsedogfish]

check out false julii cories. They are wonderful fun, will clean up the bottom of your tank, and eat anything.

 

[Salukie]

The Chinese algae eaters are returned to the fish store. The girl there was happy to take them back. I got store credit and I managed to get out of there without buying more fish! Lol! I've learned my lesson.

I've got some cherry shrimp arriving Friday. I'll just stick with those for a while.

Thanks for your help everyone!

I looked up the false julii cories. Very pretty! A little big for a ten gallon I think though...

 

[Cactuspixie]

The Chinese algae eaters are returned to the fish store. The girl there was happy to take them back. I got store credit and I managed to get out of there without buying more fish! Lol! I've learned my lesson.

I've got some cherry shrimp arriving Friday. I'll just stick with those for a while.

Thanks for your help everyone!

I looked up the false julii cories. Very pretty! A little big for a ten gallon I think though...

Well done you!

 

[Salukie]

Thanks! Lol!

 

[bluzepher1]

I would return them to the lfs. They sold them to you as otos, and they should take them back for the mistake. If they give you grief, I would look for a new lfs.
As far as otos go, I have 5 of them betwen my 3 tanks, and they all do great. I would stick to only 1 oto for your 10 gallon, and add it last, after the tank has been established for a while. Otos eat algae (mine are diatom devourers), and most will not eat "prepared foods"of any kind. If the tank is not established enough to have normal amounts of algae, they will starve. A 10g tank will provide enough for 1-2 otos, but not much more. They are great little fish though, I highly recommend them.
Also, those ember tetras are awesome! I have a small school of them, and I wish now I would have gotten more when I had the chance, lol.

What is a diatom? Can I see it?

 

[bluzepher1]

The Chinese algae eaters are returned to the fish store. The girl there was happy to take them back. I got store credit and I managed to get out of there without buying more fish! Lol! I've learned my lesson.

I've got some cherry shrimp arriving Friday. I'll just stick with those for a while.

Thanks for your help everyone!

I looked up the false julii cories. Very pretty! A little big for a ten gallon I think though...

What do the cherry shrimp do? I have a 55gal about 6 weeks running. Cycling about complete.

 

[Salukie]

What is a diatom? Can I see it?

Diatoms are very small. You could see individual ones with a microscope but not with the naked eye.

However, where there is one, there's usually more!

I had a diatom bloom right around the time my tank finished cycling. It looked like everything in my tank was covered in brown dust.

 

[Salukie]

What do the cherry shrimp do? I have a 55gal about 6 weeks running. Cycling about complete.

Freshwater shrimp are very cute! They swim and crawl all over the tank looking for food. They eat algae, diatoms, and biofilm in the tank. You can also feed them algae wafers and special shrimp cuisines.

If you watch closely, you can see them picking stuff up with their little claws and stuffing it in their mouth.

Sometimes, they spit stuff back out. Lol.

They're very friendly and I don't think any of them would hurt plants or other beings in the tank but a lot of fish will consider them food and they'll eat them.

Some fish will only eat baby shrimp while others will eat the full grown adults and all.

Shrimp like an aquarium with lots of real plants to hide in and eat on. They especially love java moss, java fern, and marimo moss balls.

I didn't know aquarium shrimp existed a couple month ago, and now, they're my favourite!!

I'm a beginner so this is all I know about shrimp. I'm still learning. I'm sure if you start a new thread asking about them, some more knowledgable folks on here will have more info.

Go look in the new invert section.

Good luck!