[Shana]

I was in Petco yesterday looking at their sad fish selection when I saw some otocinclus catfish. They were very small, about .5in, and were eagerly munching on an algae wafer. I've been looking for these fish for a year, and these looked young, healthy and hungry so I decided to buy all six of them (they were also super cheap). I got them home, floated the bag in the tank and gave them a bit of algae wafer. I tried looking up acclimization methods on my phone (no computer at home) but didn't have much luck, so I decided to leave them untouched overnight and look on a real computer at work. The bag was open but the top was clamped between the light and tank. In the morning I discovered that someone (I suspect a feline) had moved the light and the bag had fallen into the tank. All six otos and the nasty Petco water that came with them were swimming around in the tank. So much for gradual acclimization.

So what can I do to help them survive at this point? They were all swimming merrily around and were quite excited when I gave them an algae wafer. My tank is over a year old, heavily planted and stocked with friendly fish. I did a 50% water change on Wednesday. Will they eat squash and zucchini like my plecos?

 

[jmowbray]

you can try to get them to take the veggies but some times they just don't like them. The acclimization they went through was actually better then what you had planned. If your cat didn't knock them in Ammonia levels would have went through the roof and they would have all been dead by morning most likely plus O2 levels would have droped causing them to sufficate.

The 50% WC helped out cleaning the water up but now you just have to sit and wait. I can tell you that yours are actually doing quite well if they are swimming and eating waffers.

 

[wendyjo]

It's probably best that they are out of the bag and in the tank as toxins can build up quickly in such a small amount of water.

 

[ncharlie]

My Petsmart ottos are doing fine.

All I do it float the bag, then slowly mix tank water and bag water.

I have 2 in a 6 gallon FLuval Edge.

I have 2 in an Ebi. (I had 2 and one died and I replaced it).

I put in algae waffers but they never seem to touch them?!?!?

 

[secuono]

Why did you leave them in the bag over night??
I think Ich would be something to watch for. Every time I get a Petco fish, no matter which one I buy from, Ich shows up.

Mine usually don't eat wafers, they do go to the fresh, raw cucumber at night. Mine are almost always on the glass or leaves chewing the algae.