Yes you can add another Otto if it is a planted 5 gallon tank. The more plants the better. Not so sure on the nitrate numbers. Have 5 ottos in a 30gal now with a few hundred shrimp and about 7 other fish where I can guarantee the nitrate is over 20ppm and all is well in there for the last months. Thing is as allways keep the water clean. Thank you everyone for the advice! Keep in mind that Otos really have their best fighting chance going in to a matured tank.
A matured tank would be about 5 months. They need enough of a food source and the absolute best water conditions. Also, The smaller the tank, the faster it is for the parameters to crash so constantly watch the levels. Any small change and it could be fatal to the little guys. Wow currently my fish are in a 3. I never have a detectable amount of nitrites or nitrates. Actually I also have 2 endlers in the 3. You should try them. Very rewarding. The Oto has a full belly that Cory with Aquarium Coop says to look for.
Also, Cory is right, but not about everything. In the end he's still a salesman and quite good at that tbh. True, highly respect the decision to not ship fish. Sometimes because my experience is different, sometimes it sounds to good to be true. And then there are times when I don't bother because it's about a kind of fish or setup I simply don't have or don't want to have.
IMO, cory is as good as your going to get. You compare him to other experienced aquarists, and you'll still get differences in opinions. My 2 cents : Personally I think the word nanofish is a strange word to use. Strange thing is that no one is keeping an Oscar in a 20G! Also often nano tanks and small tanks are mixed up. A nanotank to me is a tank of an expert copying a tiny part of a biotope. Most tanks on here are simply tiny tanks and not the nano tanks meand by the mentioned experts.
Personally I disagree there are fish that can be kept in such a tiny tank even the smallest rasboras or bettas. The enormoussssses amount of healthissues with bettas at this forum makes me suspect so. While many people recommend oto catfish for a gallon setup, feeding demands will become a problem.
This many Otocinclus catfish will eat more green algae than your tank can produce. A group of for this tank size should be plenty for your fish to school while ensuring there is enough food for all.
While you may be tempted to fill your tank with fast-growing plants to make quick hiding places, you should stick with slow-growing plants, such as Anubias and Java fern.
This will allow algae to grow and provide a natural food source for your fish. It is best to use ceramic tubes as hiding places throughout your aquarium instead. Your algae eaters will not munch on any of the planted vegetation in your tank. Many hobbyists warn about how sensitive Otocinclus catfish are when adding them to an aquarium, even under well-established conditions.
Their high sensitivity is often attributed to how the fish are captured in the wild since breeding in an aquarium setting is not common. Common practices involve pouring diluted cyanide into their freshwater habitats until they are subdued and easier to catch. While some hobbyists attribute the mass die-offs to this inhumane poisoning, overcrowding, and poor water parameters, others think that the fish starve because of lack of food and insufficient diet in clean tanks.
Even in an adequate setup or filthy tank, the effects of the above could cause losses in the first month of the fish being introduced to their new home. Because they are small and peaceful fish, Otocinclus catfish are best kept with other small peaceful species such as the fish on this list. If you keep dwarf shrimp , these fish make an excellent choice since otos have not been reported to feed on baby shrimp.
Other fish that do well with Otocinclus catfish include small rasboras, tetras, mollies, danios, and guppies. As long as the selected species is peaceful and can thrive in similar water parameters, they will do well with each other. As mentioned above, if you want to keep your otos happy and healthy, you will need to let that delicious but often hideous algae build up! Most hobbyists report that their fish will only eat algae, which is a major reason why you should let it take over your clean tank before considering buying otos.
To prevent the fish from going hungry, you can leave the aquarium light on for 12 hours or longer to encourage algae growth. You can also purposely grow algae on other decorations or filter media to help feed oto catfish as needed. Make sure you try to replicate their natural habitat as much as possible which means light during the day and darkness at night to replicate a natural cycle.
If you have a planted tank, plan your light requirements around your overall plant health requirements. For being such little fish, Otos tend to poop a lot. This means you might need a slightly heavier dutier filtration system that you might guess just based on their size.
For this, we recommend you use a canister filter with a gallon per hour GPH rating that is 4x the volume of your aquarium. For example, if you have a gallon tank, your filter should be rated at 40 GPH. In their natural habitat, Otos are used to lots of vegetation, twisted tree roots, branches, and rocks. They tend to enjoy areas where they can hide from view which makes them feel safe from predators. Rocks can be used to build caves for extra secure hiding spots.
Avoid using sharp rocks as they can scratch their skin and cause irritations. Driftwood is another good option. Plants are great for making your aquarium natural. You can add plants of different shapes, sizes, and colors. You can use the plants to help create additional hiding places for them. Plants are also excellent for Otos because they create more surface area for algae growth, which means more feeding opportunities. But they will pretty much be happy with anything you choose.
Important notice: we are not veterinarians at Aquarium Friend so the information below should be used for general awareness only. If you are concerned about the health of your fish, consult a fish health professional immediately.
Otos are generally hardy little fish. However, if there are issues with the water parameters in your tank, particularly high ammonia levels, then you are likely to encounter stressed fish which tend to become sick fish. The best way to avoid this is to do your research and know your fish. Keep an eye on your water quality and test everything regularly so can focus on preventative care. If your Otos do get sick, here are some common diseases to watch out for:.
Keeping Otocinclus away from aggressive fish will also go a long way towards preventing injuries that infections can use to attack the fish. The best medicine is prevention with these fish. If you end up treating your Otos with antibiotics, avoid antibiotics that are not certified safe for catfish and related species.
An important note for Otos. They are often shipped in pretty rough conditions which results in a small percentage of them dying when introduced to a new tank even though all water parameters are correct. This is just something to know about this fish species and an unfortunate side effect of the aquarium trade.
Look for saturated, radiant colors: olive-brown, black, and white. Avoid grey colors and avoid any fish with obvious nicks and cuts. Their fins should have two sharp points at the edges. Unless you see major fin damage, a little rounding is ok. Easier said than done. In nature, Otocinclus spend a lot of their time feeding on algae and slime that builds up on rocks and plants.
However, contrary to popular belief, these fish are not full herbivores. They will also eat tiny crustaceans, protozoa, and small pieces of flesh from animals and fish. In other words, you need to provide extra food. We recommend algae wafers or Catfish pellets. Weigh the veggies down using a Veggie-clip, plant weights, or a rubber band around the veggies and a small rock. This will keep them in place long enough so your bottom feeders can snack.
Make sure you wash the veggies before adding them to the tank to remove any residual pesticides. Feed your Otos once or twice a day. You want to place their food in their territory so they can get to it easily. Feed no more than they can consume in about 10 minutes. Oto catfish are friendly, peaceful fish.
Here are a few types of fish that are excellent tank mate options:. Breeding Otos is not the easiest process. It is very likely that your Otos are wild-caught. We recommend keeping breeding pairs in a tank by themselves. Once the males start chasing a female around, partition off that female with one male.
From there, keep an eye on things to see when the female lays her eggs.
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