They are sensitive to new tanks but I thought this is because of unstable conditions, like ammonia and nitrite and this is out of the question in this tank, although new. I stuck enough mature media in this to handle 10 times the ammount of fish in this tank and there has not been any reading of ammonia or nitrite at all for 3-4 weeks since it's setup. It cycled 4ppm ammonia on day 1 within hours without a nitrite reading at all and has been "stable" since, unless the tests are wrong.
Dilemma With New Ottos
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They are sensitive to new tanks but I thought this is because of unstable conditions, like ammonia and nitrite and this is out of the question in this tank, although new. I stuck enough mature media in this to handle 10 times the ammount of fish in this tank and there has not been any reading of ammonia or nitrite at all for 3-4 weeks since it's setup. It cycled 4ppm ammonia on day 1 within hours without a nitrite reading at all and has been "stable" since, unless the tests are wrong.
He won't stay in this tank. He wasn't even supposed to be there. I've got another 90G and a 30G. The only reason I quarantined them is because one of the the ottos that died had a bruise like thingy on it's belly. Unlucky for the others, instead of putting them in the intended tank I decided to quarantine them. Since the betta was new too, it was the least risk to take. I'll get him buddies if this one survives but I hardly think they'll have enough algae for a lifetime. By what I read about them they need dirty enough tanks. I don't even clean the glass on mine and there is no algae, maybe some on the plants that I can see in the 90G but this tank is out of question to risk anything that maybe potentially sick. Do they learn to accept any other food eventually?
Thanks Casgar. Hopefully the poor last one makes it. I forgot to mention that I've filled the tank with plants from my other tanks so the otto would have seen as much algae on the plants of the other tanks as in this one. It's a 7g tank and it has a quite big anubias nana planted on a rock, another unnamed plant that I have had for over a year and two huge hygrophila corymbosa that are taking half the space of the tank. There is a mature bogwood with algae on it, with two javaferns attached that used to be in the same tank for a year before I removed the undergravel filter. The betta and pleco are loving it but not the ottos.
Another food scource that many people use for shrimp is Sushi wrappers, you know the stuff made from seaweed. I tried it in my tanks once, mainly to see if my fish and shrimp would indeed eat it (I seem to have conisour fish), the guppies went pretty mad over it, and even my corys seemed interested. I can't be sure if my BN's or oto's went for the sheet but it certainly disappeared in the tanks they where in. Any way I just thought it might be an option for tempting the oto to eat something, especially since the susi wrap has a pungent smell and you can put it pretty much near where the oto likes hanging out.
Sorry for you lose of the other 2
. I have (or possibly had 6) but of late I have only been able to accurately count 3 oto's who surprised me yesterday and went mad for some live black worms I put in their tank. I could still have all 6 
/ ) but locating them would mean pulling out every bit of wood, ornament and a LOT of moss.
I just had another thought for tempting the oto to eat, blanched lettuce or even a selection of live and dead leaves from plants like Indian Almond or Mulbery trees even Icecream Bean tree if you can get it. At a pinch even rose leaves or petals might tempt it.
Sorry for you lose of the other 2
. I have (or possibly had 6) but of late I have only been able to accurately count 3 oto's who surprised me yesterday and went mad for some live black worms I put in their tank. I could still have all 6 / ) but locating them would mean pulling out every bit of wood, ornament and a LOT of moss.I just had another thought for tempting the oto to eat, blanched lettuce or even a selection of live and dead leaves from plants like Indian Almond or Mulbery trees even Icecream Bean tree if you can get it. At a pinch even rose leaves or petals might tempt it.
I commented by accident on my other thread with the betta instead of here. I saw the betta attack the otto twice, flared at him and all. So yesterday the otto and pleco were moved to my 30G tank which has been up and running for a year. It's not covered in algae or so, but I guess there must be some for them to eat. The pleco went crazy exploring the tank. The otto is still alive but isn't any more active.
Where can I get ths sushi wrappers from, the chinese shop?
Where can I get ths sushi wrappers from, the chinese shop?
The pleco is all over the place, really happy tiny chap. The otto spend a day in one spot, I don't know why he likes the coconut caves so much. Then he moved to the gravel and was laying there, not sickly looking though, belly up or anything. I just saw him happily swimming around the platies and then he goes back to the gravel and then finally settled on the driftwood. He is not touching the zucchini which the pleco found in minutes and spent a few good hours on it.
I may have mentioned it earleir, can't remember and have no notion of reading my rubbish posts again but the other two ottos were different shade of colour than this one from the start. I thought this one was the less healthy one, but the other two died first and since these are my first ottos I of course was probably wrong. This otto was more brownish in general from the start and the contrast between the black stripes and belly not so great, the stripes of the others were more visible and I think this was because they were paler and probably not so healthy. I noticed the night before they died they would get even paler bellies, though the stripes were still black so the fading was not over all the colouring.
Only talking to myself here but if this one lives, I'll be watching out in the shop for the same shade of colour when buying his buddies.
Does anyone have experience, picture or video of a healthy eating otto?
I may have mentioned it earleir, can't remember and have no notion of reading my rubbish posts again
but the other two ottos were different shade of colour than this one from the start. I thought this one was the less healthy one, but the other two died first and since these are my first ottos I of course was probably wrong. This otto was more brownish in general from the start and the contrast between the black stripes and belly not so great, the stripes of the others were more visible and I think this was because they were paler and probably not so healthy. I noticed the night before they died they would get even paler bellies, though the stripes were still black so the fading was not over all the colouring.Only talking to myself here but if this one lives, I'll be watching out in the shop for the same shade of colour when buying his buddies.
Does anyone have experience, picture or video of a healthy eating otto?
I guess not too many people keep otocinclus fish
I've been watching the otto when the lights are off. He seems obsessed with the curved glass tank, swimming up and down. So was my common pleco when he was little. I read somewhere that if an otto survives for two weeks, then they must be eating something. I am yet to see him munch on something long enough. I keep a cucumber/zucchini or both at all times. The albino bristlenose baby pleco is nuts, super hyper active and not bothered by anything. He seems he just can't decide between the cucumber, the zucchini, the invisible algae on the glass or plants, the driftwood or even sucking up the gravel. He's all over the place. I love plecos.
The pygmy corys were so understanding all day. They kept bunching up around the otto. It seems the similar colouring makes them think it's one of them.
I've been watching the otto when the lights are off. He seems obsessed with the curved glass tank, swimming up and down. So was my common pleco when he was little. I read somewhere that if an otto survives for two weeks, then they must be eating something. I am yet to see him munch on something long enough. I keep a cucumber/zucchini or both at all times. The albino bristlenose baby pleco is nuts, super hyper active and not bothered by anything. He seems he just can't decide between the cucumber, the zucchini, the invisible algae on the glass or plants, the driftwood or even sucking up the gravel. He's all over the place. I love plecos.
The pygmy corys were so understanding all day. They kept bunching up around the otto. It seems the similar colouring makes them think it's one of them.
phocoena
Fish Fanatic
It's entirely possible you had 2 different species - I know I have
Anyway I'll try and get a pic of mine for you. One is always hiding and the other two weren't out today. It'll be at least tommorow evening though.
Anyway I'll try and get a pic of mine for you. One is always hiding and the other two weren't out today. It'll be at least tommorow evening though.
The mystery with different shades of colour ottos is solved!!! Definately not different type. I went to the shop today to buy friends for the otto and saw the two different types, brownish and black on top and white and black on top. I asked and explained I bought three of them before here and the ones that died were white and black and the survivor darker and he said that the lighter coloured are the ones they only got recently. So they must be more stressed. Strangely enough they don't go pale all over the body, the black stays, but the colour around it goes white. There were a few from the old batch that looked brownish like my survivor. He picked a couple of them for me and offered them for free 
I came back home and one is looking healthy but the other has a half missing tail 
Anyhow, my otto has a couple of buddies now. And I couldn't resist a treat of 5 sterbai corys
I came back home and one is looking healthy but the other has a half missing tail Anyhow, my otto has a couple of buddies now. And I couldn't resist a treat of 5 sterbai corys
phocoena
Fish Fanatic
If you still want the photos of mine I'll try and get them for you.
They are still in hiding though.
They are still in hiding though.
No, it's fine. Thank you!!! I think I came across a bad batch. The new ones are way more active for a start and the other had liven up already, but even more so with the friends.
The sushi wraps you should be able to get in the Asian section of any grocery shop, sorry it took so long to get back to you about it.
As for an oto, here is a couple of mine not actually feeding but they are usually on the glass or on the timber in the tank.
These photos would have been taken not long after I got them, they are now pretty much full grown with nice solid black lines along their sides and a sort of black triangle near the baser of their tail.
Congrats on the sterbia
Great fish I have 17 of them, and love
them all.
As for an oto, here is a couple of mine not actually feeding but they are usually on the glass or on the timber in the tank.
These photos would have been taken not long after I got them, they are now pretty much full grown with nice solid black lines along their sides and a sort of black triangle near the baser of their tail.
Congrats on the sterbia
Great fish I have 17 of them, and love
them all.Most reactions
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