Can I Add A Few Otos?

[showjyr]

I have a 30gal tank moderately planted and would like to add 3 or 4 otos. Here is a list of my current stocking....do i have room?

4 endlers
4 peppered corys
8 cajun dwarf crays
50+/- cherry shrimp

 

[rdd1952]

Am I reading right that you have 8 crayfish in a tank with corys, endlers and shrimp? Since they stay small you may get by with it but I would imagine that they will slowly thin your population, especially the shrimp and corys. Crayfish, lobsters and crabs will catch, kill and eat any fish they can get a claw on, especially at night when the lights go out and the other fish settle down. I would steer clear of the otos as the cherry shrimp should keep the algae in check and the otos will have nothing to eat.

 

[showjyr]

"cajun dwarf crays" they only reach about an inch and a half. They are barely big enough to tangle with a hikari wafer and are about the same size as some of my adult cherries.

 

[rdd1952]

I understand. I would still not recommend the otos as there just wont' be enough algae to go around and the cherry shrimp will eat flakes or what ever hits the bottom of the tank. Otos won't always do that. See the post by Musho3210 (top of page 2) in this thread.

 

[showjyr]

Ok then. Aside from some damn staghorn algae i can't seem to get rid of my tank stays pretty clear of algae. I don't want to get any otos and have them end up starving to death.

 

[rdd1952]

From my experience, they mainly seem to like brown algae. They will clean it up in no time and will also keep the glass clean which the shrimp won't but that can easily be taken care of with a glass magnet.