another dead oto

[chris_1127]

After losing an oto last week (found him floating belly-up), came home to find another one floating upside down at the surface last night. its 15gal, ammonia 0 nitrites <0.1 pH7.2 nitrates about 20-30mg. Tankmates now 5 tiger barbs (just moved 3 albino tigers out into bigger tank) and a freshwater bumblebee goby plus one other oto. Both otos that died seem to have had very swollen (inflated almost) abdomens when i've found them (floating belly up) but no other external sign of disease or injury. I'm down to my last one now, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated to increase his chances.
(incidentally i did lose a tiger barb last week too, just completely vanished without trace!)

 

[Wyld-Fyre]

Long shot here, but I think it could be a case of 'bad'/gone off food that they may have devoured. Check that your fishes are eating well, and make sure their feeds' fresh.

 

[breezer40]

If there is no obvious signs of desease then I would edge my bets that the water they are in is somehow not right. The first thing I would do is a water change and while your at it have a look for that barb. If whatever is killing the otos has also killed the barb then his body is either rotting in the tank or has been eaten by his tankmates.

You say your nitrites are <0.1 is this a new tank set up? Normally this should be 0 if the tank is fully cycled and everthing is going well.

What temp is the tank at and is there enough aration?

Sorry for all the questions but the more info we have the better we can help.

 

[chris_1127]

The tanks been set up for a couple of months now, its fully cycled (fishless ammonia cycled, levels to zero before any fish added). when i say nitrites <0.1, thats the lowest scale on the chart so probably safe to assume its zero. Theres an airstone as well as the standard Juwel filter running, and i did a 50% water change last week as nitrates were creeping up a bit. I;ve been feeding them an algae wafer between them every other day, as well as supplementing with cucumber pieces a couple of times a week, but generally there doesnt seem to be much left over - the tigers see to that!! he tanks at a constant 25.5c, and i warm and dechlorinate the water at water changes, as well as reducing the pH a bit (tap water round here about 8).

I will try another water change tonight, and clean the filter whilst i'm at it - and have a good hunt for the missing barb too. Cheers for the replies

 

[chris_1127]

update - did the water change and cleaned filter last week. Didnt find any sign of missing barb. Remaining oto looked ok so bought 3 more at the weekend. Last night 2 more died - found them on their sides at the bottom of the tank this time, one of them was swimming in small arkward circles before he died. Still no external sign of any illness or damage, so no idea whats killing them off. Water parameters all ok still, nitrate 20, ammonia 0 and nitrites <0.1. Am down to 2 again now, dont think i will replace these if anything happens to them.

 

[daza]

Otos are weak fish. I lost four over the course of a few weeks. One of the bodies was never found. It's a shame because they are great looking little fish.

you say above that you are reducing the pH a bit. How are you doing that? If it's with the chemical pH up/down then I have never used it myself, but I have read almost everywhere that it does more harm than good.

 

[Aquamick]

Do you have any decor in the tank that could be leaching chemicals? That might be why it's not detectable by test kits. I lost eight fish once from a 'mystery' disease that turned out to be a plastic ornament.



Also, do you have a tight fitting hood? Tiger Barbs are great jumpers, I'd check the floor around the tank for your missing fish.

 

[chris_1127]

ive been using true ph minus prior to adding water to the tank - treating with dechlorinator then true pH minus in a bucket. Having just spoken to a guy in a local shop he suggested i try an anti-internal parasite medication - two of them had slightly swollen abdomens when i found them, and one of my tigers has a slight bump in his stomach which i assumed to be a hernia as it only appears after he's eaten. Will see how it goes anyway.
No other decor other than a couple of rocks, a bit of bogwood and a few bits of fanwort

Also, checked everywhere on the floor round the stand for the missing tiger - no sign anywhere. one of those mysteries i guess!

 

[Inchworm]

Hi chris_1127

How long have you had your otos? They do tend to be one of those fish that die quickly when first purchased but those that survive this period should be fine. This has to do with the manner these wild caught fish are caught and shipped.

Have you been doing large enough and frequent enough water changes? It's normal to have harmful bacteria in your tank, but keeping them under control by frequent water changes will help keep your fish healthy.

 

[chris_1127]

hi there, i got the first three about 3-4 weeks ago now, i have been keeping on top of water changes, at least 25% a week, and all the levles have been ok. I got the last 3 on sunday of last week, when only one of the original 3 was left; so two of those only lasted 4 days they were from the same shop, the last of the batch that i got my first ones from. They all seemed to be feeing on pleco wafers and cucumber fine too. Think i will give the internal parasite med a go over the weekend and see how the other 2 get on, fingers crossed for them!!

 

[smithrc]

We're never getting ottos again... we had 8 that died... some quickly and then others over a period of 3 months.

the water tested fine and everyone else was fine... we just got random otto deaths.

We've moved onto other anti algae methods now.

[edited] really bad spelling - sorry

 

[chris_1127]

yes im with you there, if these two die then i wont be replacing them, except for with a lovely looking clown plec i've just seen although fingers crossed this internal para med will work...

 

[Clare]

Just a warning, we have had similar experiences with losing Ottos for no apparent reason. Just one other thing though, we also lost an Axelotl who tried to eat the dead Otto and choked as they are very spiney.
We didn`t get to remove the otto quick enough obviously. So beware of keeping them with any fish likely to take them if anything should happen to them, or else you may end up with 2 deaths as we did.
Clare

 

[freddyk]

Oto's are best in planted tanks, they seem to do much better this way.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi chris_1127

Unless you have some specific reason to treat your fish for internal parasites, please do not do it. If what I read about the method that is used to catch them is true, and I have no reason to not believe it, they have already been given enough of a shock to their systems. What I heard is that the people who catch them drop poison into the water to stun them, and then they just pick them out.

Please be gentle with these little fellows who have already been through so much.