Could I get 6 Otocinclus affinis?

[ambrosia0444 24]

It's a 105L, 7.4~pH, 4 months old, 25ºC in winter, up to 28ºC in summer.
It has 14 boraras merah, 7 gastrodermus nanus, 1 honey gourami (2 more on the plan) 4 clithon corona, 3 amano shrimp, 13 adult neocaridinas + all the babies and a ton of ramshorns and bladder snails.
I don't know if 6 or 7 otos would be too much for this? I wanted them from the start but wanted for some algae to grow and now I have some even on the glass.
If they are not good for this set up I won't get them and I'll leave it be after the other 2 honeys are in.

 

[Mazain]

I don't know if 6 or 7 otos would be too much for this?

Otos are good,but they could compete with the neo-caradinas when foraging for algae. However, I would recommend a group of siamese algae eaters as they sleep in the night and forage during the day. Neo-caradinas co-exist well with SAE in maintaining a healthy balance aquarium.

 

[ambrosia0444 24]

Otos are good,but they could compete with the neo-caradinas when foraging for algae. However, I would recommend a group of siamese algae eaters as they sleep in the night and forage during the day. Neo-caradinas co-exist well with SAE in maintaining a healthy balance aquarium.

My LFS only has Crossocheilus reticulatus and Crossocheilus siamensis and both of those group up to 14cm so I don't think those are the ones you are referring to. From a quick Google search it says SAE need at least 40 gallon and mine is a 27 so idk which species you are refering to

 

[Mazain]

SAE need at least 40 gallon and mine is a 27

Yes, they need a min 40 gallon to swim.

 

[ambrosia0444 24]

Yes, they need a min 40 gallon to swim.

Then why recommend them to me? LOL

 

[Mazain]

Then why recommend them to me? LOL

You didnt mention your tank size. 27 to 30 gallin should be fine for 1 SAE.

 

[anewbie]

I would not get a SAE - i had one in a 120 and that aquarium really was too small for it - they are huge when adults.
-
Do you know kh/gh/tds of your aquarium - the 7.4 ph suggest it is on the harder side of things though ph can vary for many reasons. oto i find are a bit more delicate and really prefer super soft water.

You could of course get some mystery snails - they love to lay eggs on the lid and are fun to watch grow up

Also the 28c is really too warm for them and 25c is at the very high end of their range - what you really want are galaxy oto (Parotocinclus haroldoi) which are from a warmer area of south america and are much more comfortable at the higher range - but they also prefer soft water.

 

[MattW47 163]

You didnt mention your tank size. 27 to 30 gallin should be fine for 1 SAE.

105L in the first part of post #1

 

[Essjay46 161]

Unfortunately all Pomacea snails are banned in the EU - one species (P. insularum if memory serves correctly) was found in a river in Spain so all species were banned from the whole EU, even in those very northerly countries where the snails would not survive a winter. Since Brexit, they've been unbanned in the UK so we can now get them again, but as Spain is still in the EU......

 

[anewbie]

Unfortunately all Pomacea snails are banned in the EU - one species (P. insularum if memory serves correctly) was found in a river in Spain so all species were banned from the whole EU, even in those very northerly countries where the snails would not survive a winter. Since Brexit, they've been unbanned in the UK so we can now get them again, but as Spain is still in the EU......

Nerite snails which require brackish water to breed ?

 

[Essjay46 161]

Just snails in the genus Pomacea are banned - importing a breeding. Nerites and lots of other snails such as ramshorns, trumpet snails, rabbit snails even assassin snails are legal in the EU.


I can no longer find the article which explained the ban as it was a government document which no longer applies as they are now legal again here.

 

[ambrosia0444 24]

I would not get a SAE - i had one in a 120 and that aquarium really was too small for it - they are huge when adults.
-
Do you know kh/gh/tds of your aquarium - the 7.4 ph suggest it is on the harder side of things though ph can vary for many reasons. oto i find are a bit more delicate and really prefer super soft water.

You could of course get some mystery snails - they love to lay eggs on the lid and are fun to watch grow up

Also the 28c is really too warm for them and 25c is at the very high end of their range - what you really want are galaxy oto (Parotocinclus haroldoi) which are from a warmer area of south america and are much more comfortable at the higher range - but they also prefer soft water.

I see, I already have some horned nerites and I don't really know the kh/gh/tds bc I don't have the tests for those, I should really stop putting them aside haha
My neocaridinas are molting super well and from the tap from where I'm from people say its PH: 7.8 GH: 6 KH: 3
idk what that means, I have to study water hardness still lol
Edit: just looked at Parotocinclus haroldoi and I love them but they are 30€ PER INDIVIDUAL omg
what about 1 L136B HYPANCISTRUS SP or 1 L144 ANCISTRUS SNOW WHITE are they too big when adults?
I may ponder on getting 180€ worth of fish when my birthday comes in November xD, more biofilm for them

 

[ambrosia0444 24]

Just snails in the genus Pomacea are banned - importing a breeding. Nerites and lots of other snails such as ramshorns, trumpet snails, rabbit snails even assassin snails are legal in the EU.


I can no longer find the article which explained the ban as it was a government document which no longer applies as they are now legal again here.

https://www.miteco.gob.es/content/dam/miteco/es/agua/temas/estado-y-calidad-de-las-aguas/Especies-invasoras-en-medios-acuaticos-continentales/fichas-especies-ex%C3%B3ticas-invasoras/Pomacea%20spp.pdf

Caracol manzana (género Pomacea)

Caracol manzana (género Pomacea)

www.mapa.gob.es

here are 2 official (in spanish) pages taking about them in Spain

 

[anewbie]

I see, I already have some horned nerites and I don't really know the kh/gh/tds bc I don't have the tests for those, I should really stop putting them aside haha
My neocaridinas are molting super well and from the tap from where I'm from people say its PH: 7.8 GH: 6 KH: 3
idk what that means, I have to study water hardness still lol
Edit: just looked at Parotocinclus haroldoi and I love them but they are 30€ PER INDIVIDUAL omg
what about 1 L136B HYPANCISTRUS SP or 1 L144 ANCISTRUS SNOW WHITE are they too big when adults?
I may ponder on getting 180€ worth of fish when my birthday comes in November xD, more biofilm for them

gh 6/kh 3 is on the hard side of soft - definitely not hard but the high end of the soft range. I suspect your actual ph is lower and the 7.8 is from additive the water company to protect pipes but that would dissipate over time.

If you really want a pleco i would try a L280 or LDA25 - not sure the L280 can adapt to your water.

There is also the gold spotted dwarf pleco (parotocinclus spilosoma)

All three of these are smaller pleco with the L280 being a meat eater and the other two are more biofilm/veggie but you need wood. Hum... you can read about them on planetcatfish.

I would avoid L144 which are bn pleco - they range from 3 to 6 inches and you have to wait till it grows up to know the size
L136B is a larger pleco.

I love L239 but again not sure it will do well in your water; sounds like it would be ok it is definitely larger than the other one i mentioned but smaller than the one you suggest. Nice colouring it has if you are into blues.

 

[ambrosia0444 24]

gh 6/kh 3 is on the hard side of soft - definitely not hard but the high end of the soft range. I suspect your actual ph is lower and the 7.8 is from additive the water company to protect pipes but that would dissipate over time.

If you really want a pleco i would try a L280 or LDA25 - not sure the L280 can adapt to your water.

There is also the gold spotted dwarf pleco (parotocinclus spilosoma)

All three of these are smaller pleco with the L280 being a meat eater and the other two are more biofilm/veggie but you need wood. Hum... you can read about them on planetcatfish.

I would avoid L144 which are bn pleco - they range from 3 to 6 inches and you have to wait till it grows up to know the size
L136B is a larger pleco.

I love L239 but again not sure it will do well in your water; sounds like it would be ok it is definitely larger than the other one i mentioned but smaller than the one you suggest. Nice colouring it has if you are into blues.

then would Otocinclus affinis not work at all?
what about Otocinclus hoppei? I've read they are better adjusted to hotter temps
how many for parotocinclus spilosoma? I've seen 6 but I don't know if that'd be okay for my current stocking and tank size? Either way I cannot find a vendor that sells them at all

and the l239 pleco is really cute but I read it needs a minimum of 55 gallons and I cannot provide it that
L239 BARYANCISTRUS BEGGINI idk if its the same but that one says needs 100L but does better in a small group? But I'm afraid they'll become territorial with the corys, they seem too big for the aquarium