# Otocinclus fading/losing color.



## AquaNeko

I'm curious if it's old age of the fish or  ?

I've had it for more then month so I think it is stable given what I've read on the web that if the otocinclus lasts more then 2 weeks it's a good sign and if it survives a month it'll very likely live on. 

I've dropped some algae flakes down there and one yah it's 'om nom noming' all the time. It's belly is still like pics I've seen online with that round buddha like belly so I know it's eating well. I've done water changes like every week of about 20% and replaced with aged water. I've always had the tank salted with 1/2 tsp/5gal of water.

Could not getting enough light cause it to fade? I've not had time to wire a LED overlight as the tank is in a temp location by my hydroponic tomato/stawberry area where those lights are on a timer shining to the fish tank like a full moonglow. It also gets small bits of natural shaded bright light from a window.


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## Doctor T

I hope your oto is ok, but I thought salt was not good for otocinclus.


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## ameekplec.

Plecos in general don't take favorably to salt treatments. Neither do most plants. Is there a reason you're using salt?


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## Hitch

Like Eric said, salt is not really liked by many south american catfish.

But we would need more details. Like tank size, water parameters, temperature, tankmate etc.

Personally never had much problems with Ottos surviving, just give them proper temperature, planted and a cycled tank.


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## AquaNeko

Hey I think I know the reason for the color fading. Because of the ~8hr blackout and the fact that I don't water change till the weekend I think it was a build up of ammonia in the tank over the last few days.

After I did the water change and got a closer look the oto looked like it had some small red/pink 3 strand something coming ot of it's body. Looked like roots almost. I did a dose of Ich/Velvet/Parasite multi solution in one bottle by Mandel I think is the company name that I got from PetsMart. It said something about CopperSafe on it. I do know that the ingredients said something about copper in it.

I dosed on Aug 13/2009. As of Aug 20/2009 the oto cats color is coming back and those strands of red/pink are gone. I googled online and read that color fading is related to parasites in the fish.

My water reading off the top of my head from yesterdays test were :

Kh: 180
Gh: 120
Ph: 7.5 (stable for weeks, no swingings)
NitRITES: 0
NitRATES: 0


After the blackout when I tested the water the readings were (off memory):

NitRITES: 3 (this I remember clearly)
NitRATES: ~20-40 

5gal tank currently with no tank mates. Oto was put into the 5gal when it was heavy white fuzz and there is still fuzz in the tank for grazing. I added some algae flakes for extra munching. 

Temp is 21-23C stable as the basement is a little warmer in that room due to the hydroponic setup and the thermo off the lighting contained in that room.

So far right now just keeping an eye on the little guys to see how the color return is.


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## KnaveTO

I have used salt on plecs in the past along wilth meds to treat for ich in my QT tank. As long as the concentration is kept under control they will be fine in the salted water.

You also need to get those Nitrites down fast. You should do a 25% water change today and test again tomorrow, if the reading isn't 0 do another 25% water change. Keep repeating till both Ammonia and Nitrites are 0


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## AquaNeko

Blackout was last week. I've been having the RITES and the RATES at 0 & 0 for the last few days already.


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