Otos - How Long Do They Live?

[Deleted member 55926]

Most people here have said that otos are very difficult to keep alive due to their reluctance to eat food provided by their owners.

Just wondering how long did your otos last if they didn't do well, and has anybody had success in keeping them for a long time?

 

[kaivalagi]

Had 3 since November in a 125L tank, so far so good. Not sure whether 4 months qualifies as long for otos though?

I do have a little hair algae prob and deliberately don't clean it off the back pane of the tank, not sure whether they even eat it though as I never see them doing it and the amount doesn't reduce either.

I also have a BN so I feed cucumber/peas every other day or so, no sure whether that has been a factor too? He can't be bothered with the algae, lazy #28###

If I didn't know about the difficulty people have with otos I wouldn't think it existed

edit: I realise now that I have posted this I am jinxed

 

[Inchworm]

Otos aren't particularly difficult to keep if you have an established tank and supplement their diet with vegetables like zucchini, spinach, etc. The hard part is buying healthy ones in the first place. If they make it through their first few weeks their survival rate increases substantially.

The problem with otos is that they need to have a steady supply of food to thrive. If they are starved at any time after they are caught they are not likely to recover. Even if they seem to be eating, they will not be able to digest and use the food properly. It's important to buy only ones that appear plump and well.

 

[BlueGuppy]

I have had many otos for a long time. I had one for the most for 2 1/2 years (he was older when we got him) and died last week . I had another with him for 2 years, but one day I found him stuck in the filter dead, so we got another and we've had her for 6 months now and she already layed eggs with our male that recently died. We are soon going to get another this weekend cause she is full of eggs again.

I basically feed them algae tabs, zucc, and peas every so often. A good variable diet.