Otto question....
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I have nasty slimy brown algae growing on the glass and plants of my lowlight 55g. The tank is filtered by a Filstar xP2. It has an 18" bubble wand run by a 20g tank pump, so it doesn't move the water very much but releases tiny strands of bubbles.
Inhabitants are four cherry barbs, four rosy tetras, a bristlenose pleco, and a 2" blood parrot.
I am considering getting some otos to take care of that problem but have read that they are very sensitive to water conditions, get finrot easily, and oftentimes die for no apparent reason.
I would appreciate any advice about how to give them the best possible chance of a smooth move. Also: What is the minimum group number for them to feel safe and be happy?
Thanks!!
Inhabitants are four cherry barbs, four rosy tetras, a bristlenose pleco, and a 2" blood parrot.
I am considering getting some otos to take care of that problem but have read that they are very sensitive to water conditions, get finrot easily, and oftentimes die for no apparent reason.
I would appreciate any advice about how to give them the best possible chance of a smooth move. Also: What is the minimum group number for them to feel safe and be happy?
Thanks!!
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Perhaps I am just lucky but the ottos in my tank have proved to be the hardiest of all my fish. In terms of acclimating to new tanks, moving from tank to tank, et cetera, my Ottos have consistently proven to be the fish species that does so first and best. As a matter of fact, when other fish showed signs of illness or stress, the Ottos were completely fine, happily munching away on algae.
I do know that when I brought home my Ottos from the LFS they were malnourished but the algae in my tanks proved more than enough to fill their little bellies. For those rare occations that I did not have enough algae to feed them, I tucked a slice of cuccumber under a rock and the Ottos seems to like that well enough. I also gave them algae wafers but I don't think I will be doing that again—it gets quite messy after it starts to disolve.
Like most fish, of course, Ottos appreciate clean water so frequent water changes help quite a bit.
I have a couple of Amano shrimp as backup—the shrimp can clean in places the Ottos can't go—and I tell ya, watching algae disappear has never been more fun.
So in my opinion, and despite what I have read about Otto being fragile creatures, I consider my Ottos to be warriors. Little algae eating warriors.
I do know that when I brought home my Ottos from the LFS they were malnourished but the algae in my tanks proved more than enough to fill their little bellies. For those rare occations that I did not have enough algae to feed them, I tucked a slice of cuccumber under a rock and the Ottos seems to like that well enough. I also gave them algae wafers but I don't think I will be doing that again—it gets quite messy after it starts to disolve.
Like most fish, of course, Ottos appreciate clean water so frequent water changes help quite a bit.
I have a couple of Amano shrimp as backup—the shrimp can clean in places the Ottos can't go—and I tell ya, watching algae disappear has never been more fun.
So in my opinion, and despite what I have read about Otto being fragile creatures, I consider my Ottos to be warriors. Little algae eating warriors.
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I assumed the spp was short for species, a generic way to say what Tula explained.
I'd like to pick up a few of the Zebra otos, but never see them available.
Connie, otos are the most industrious algae eaters I know of, and brown algae seems to be their favorite, but you can't stock enough to solve a serious brown algae outbreak. Tank conditions need to be addressed. How much light is over the tank?
James
I'd like to pick up a few of the Zebra otos, but never see them available.
Connie, otos are the most industrious algae eaters I know of, and brown algae seems to be their favorite, but you can't stock enough to solve a serious brown algae outbreak. Tank conditions need to be addressed. How much light is over the tank?
James
The lighting is very low. It's a standard 55g long with two hoods, each of which is equipped with an 18" Powerglo bulb.
The tank is planted with an assortment of anubias, water wisteria, a tiny java fern plantling, two small cryptocornes, and baby tear plantlings from my 46g. All the plants are doing well. Some of the anubias have algae on them, but just this afternoon I saw Windex, my bristlenose, slurping them up - without hurting the leaves
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The tank is planted with an assortment of anubias, water wisteria, a tiny java fern plantling, two small cryptocornes, and baby tear plantlings from my 46g. All the plants are doing well. Some of the anubias have algae on them, but just this afternoon I saw Windex, my bristlenose, slurping them up - without hurting the leaves
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Hahaha, Windex! I love it.
Hm, I haven't tried to grow anything under such low light in 20 years. 30W over a 55? My hat's off to you if the plants are actually growing. Do you get any sunlight in the tank as well? Anyway, you could drop about 10 otos in there and see what they do, but for my money, I'll bet the best "algae eater" for this tank would be a dual 55W PC lighting setup!
James
Hm, I haven't tried to grow anything under such low light in 20 years. 30W over a 55? My hat's off to you if the plants are actually growing. Do you get any sunlight in the tank as well? Anyway, you could drop about 10 otos in there and see what they do, but for my money, I'll bet the best "algae eater" for this tank would be a dual 55W PC lighting setup!
James
The tank is positioned against a wall in our livingroom. The room itself gets lots of light, but there is no direct sunlight on the tank.
The plants DO grow - slowly but surely... except the water wisteria... which is shooting out new leaves every day!
The plants DO grow - slowly but surely... except the water wisteria... which is shooting out new leaves every day!
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That's great, Connie. I could only get Java moss to really survive under those conditions.
Why don't you try some otos- just a few to start if you like. I don't really think it will solve the brown algae problem entirely because that stuff is so prolific. But otos are great fish, and love brown algae. They can be sensitive to changes in water chemistry, but more often do just fine. They aren't particularly social, so the number will not really matter outside of getting enough to dent the algae. I would take care to acclimate any fish to my water. I have a specimen box (the clear plastic ones you see used to remove fish to in the fish store) and I put the fish in that inside the tank. Then I use a turkey baster to remove water and replace it with my tank water gradually. This gives the fish time to get used to differences in hardness/pH, and it works really well for me.
Also, Mike, sorry for hijacking the thread! I think you had your answer already anyway, so hope it's OK...
James
Why don't you try some otos- just a few to start if you like. I don't really think it will solve the brown algae problem entirely because that stuff is so prolific. But otos are great fish, and love brown algae. They can be sensitive to changes in water chemistry, but more often do just fine. They aren't particularly social, so the number will not really matter outside of getting enough to dent the algae. I would take care to acclimate any fish to my water. I have a specimen box (the clear plastic ones you see used to remove fish to in the fish store) and I put the fish in that inside the tank. Then I use a turkey baster to remove water and replace it with my tank water gradually. This gives the fish time to get used to differences in hardness/pH, and it works really well for me.
Also, Mike, sorry for hijacking the thread! I think you had your answer already anyway, so hope it's OK...
James
I went to three LFS Saturday in search of otos. Only one said they usually carry them but were out that day. When I asked what they would recommend as a tankmate for a lonely blood parrot, the girl said goldfish - because parrot cichlids are a mix of goldfish and red devil. :shock:
Considering this level of misinformation, I'd rather not buy anything there... Who knows what they'd sell me as otos?!!
Considering this level of misinformation, I'd rather not buy anything there... Who knows what they'd sell me as otos?!!
Well, an otto is an otto. I wouldn't worry so much about how little the clerks know, so long as you can identify what you are buying. It would be best if you could quarantine your new fish first so that you don't give your current tank inhabitants any nasty diseases.
I've got 8 otos in my 30. Occasionally 2-3 will hang out in the same place, but nothing you would really call schooling behavior. More likely I'll have 2 or 3 hanging on various walls of the tank, 2 or 3 working away or just hanging out on various plants, and the rest doing the same on some rocks - either on flat surfaces or wedged into crevices.
I must have been fortunate, b/c I've seen otos in a bunch of places - both LFS and big boxes - tho not predictably in any location. I'd bet if you just keep your eyes open and make your trips to fish places more frequent, you'll start seeing them more frequently.
From what I've read, sometimes they experience considerable stress while in the store. You should only buy otos with fat bellies. Almost a "tadpole" appearance.
I've never had any unusual problem maintaining otos.
I must have been fortunate, b/c I've seen otos in a bunch of places - both LFS and big boxes - tho not predictably in any location. I'd bet if you just keep your eyes open and make your trips to fish places more frequent, you'll start seeing them more frequently.
From what I've read, sometimes they experience considerable stress while in the store. You should only buy otos with fat bellies. Almost a "tadpole" appearance.
I've never had any unusual problem maintaining otos.
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All 6 Otos I have bought during the last half year (since I started again) turned within hours from starved sick-looking individuals to tadpoles. As a fact, Otos are always sold around here, and I have never seen them with a fat belly in any store. Experiencing considerable stress? You mean have nothing to eat for a few weeks? Yeah.eds said:
I keep 2 in my 10 gal and 4 in my 100 gal, and they have their times when they just play with each other, or rest, or scrub plants. Each time I see them in the stores I am tempted to buy some more to help them out of their misery... but of course then the next batch will be in the same situation.
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