[Coastlife247]

Hello all, I've had my tank planted and established for about 2 months now.
It currently holds 10 juvenile Red Cherry Shrimp.
I've read that ottos can be safely housed with RCS and I'm considering adding at least one to the tank.
Does anyone have any experience keeping ottos in a 5 gallon planted tank with no filter, only a light and heater?

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[cjstl]

I kept two ottos in an unfiltered 2G bowl for a couple of months. They did fine. As long as the water is clean, it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Kehy]

Maybe look at nerite snails as well? Other than the eggs, they sound like decent algae eaters

 

[Coastlife247]

I kept two ottos in an unfiltered 2G bowl for a couple of months. They did fine. As long as the water is clean, it shouldn't be an issue.

Awesome. How long did they live. And was your tank heavily planted?
I'm still waiting on some of my plants to grow out.
But in the future I will definitely be adding a couple.

Here's a slightly clearer pic.


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[cjstl]

They're still alive - just in a different tank now. The bowl wasn't planted, but had stem plants in it.

 

[AquaAurora]

I would strongly advise against getting oto(s), they are a shoaling fish, and are much more active/comfortable/happy in larger groups. If you get just one it won't be happy, but you cannot fit 4+ in that small of a tank, with or without a filter. They are also very sensitive and cannot have any ammonia or nitrite in the tank, and nitrate must be kept down. I'd suggest going the rout of a netrite snail or other algae eating invert like the amano shrimp. Or just get a glass scraper.

 

[cjstl]

I would strongly advise against getting oto(s), they are a shoaling fish, and are much more active/comfortable/happy in larger groups. If you get just one it won't be happy, but you cannot fit 4+ in that small of a tank, with or without a filter. They are also very sensitive and cannot have any ammonia or nitrite in the tank, and nitrate must be kept down. I'd suggest going the rout of a netrite snail or other algae eating invert like the amano shrimp. Or just get a glass scraper.

I always read that, but I haven't seen it. I only have two in my 12G Edge. They spend most of their day huddled together under a rock and come out at night. I thought maybe that was because there are only two of them. But I added 10 to my 29G after the Petsmart $1 sale. I was expecting them to shoal, but they completely ignore one another and do their own thing. They are definitely more active, but it could also be because that tank isn't as crowded.

 

[Aplomado]

I'd add some more plants to your aquarium if you want a walstead tank... it looks pretty bare to me.