When can I add Oto Catfish?

[JCarnes]

My 55 planted aquarium has been running about 1.5 months total, it has had fish in it for two weeks (the plants have been in from day one). I am starting to notice a little bit of "slime/scum" on things in the past few days.

I always planned on adding Otos but I am not sure when or how many... I want to try to stay ahead of algae growth but I dont want to starve these guys either. I am thinking about adding 5 (I already have 6 cory cats).

Is 5 enough/too many in my planted 55 with 6 cory cats?

Should I wait a few more weeks, or would I be ok to add them this weekend if I supplement with algae wafers/cucumber/zuchini?

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[HN1]

I know it isn't what you want to hear, but I would advise waiting several months before adding otos. They really do need a well established tank.

 

[threnjen]

Otos are startlingly efficient.

Here's my story, and it is my only reference:
Tank 4 months old, good amount of brown diatom algae, lots of "scum" on the wood, diatoms all over plants, green algae on glass

Got 6 Otos in my QT tank which had some algae. Within half a day the tank sparkled and they had nothing to eat.

I moved them to my sump (there is a UV sterilizer between sump and tank, so if they had bacteria it wouldn't go to my display). In my sump I have an algae growing screen, it was absolutely COVERED with algae. Within 4 days there was nothing in the sump to eat. I lost one in the sump (they are so, so, so fragile) so I had 5. I moved them to the display out of necessity. I tried giving them algae wafers in the sump and they would not touch them.

It took about 48 hours for all of the diatoms to be gone. I increased my daily light time to grow more algae on the glass so they have more food!!

Moral: They are MACHINES. Make sure they have the food, and yes I would wait a while. I worry now I did not wait long enough.

 

[henningc]

I'd wait another3-4 weeks then add them two at a time. I would not stock over 4 and you will have to supply food, blanched peas works well.

 

[Caliban07]

Yeh they chew through cucumber like it's going out of fashion.

I don't know how true this is so it may require more research but something I've come across with ottos is that the way they are wild caught makes them super fragile and sensitive. I heard the are poisoned in some parts so they can be easy to net.

 

[threnjen]

I read that too!! It's really terrible. They are not humanely farmed.
I've also read that if they make it through month 1 they will be all right, but a lot of them don't make it through the first month of acclimation.

(for me that's why I didn't worry overmuch when I lost 1 in the first few days)

 

[Fishperson]

Yeah, they put traces of arsenic in their rivers and then net them as they all float down the stream.

It is really mean, but they do it because we all know how hard it is to catch an oto!