# Otos



## qwerty (Dec 15, 2009)

I was thinking about Otos as the next addition to my aquarium... But a lot of people seem to experience spontaneous unexplainable deaths with these fish.

What's the deal with this? Is there some trick to keeping them alive? Should I just not bother and finding something with a better reputation?


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

there has been a lot of talk about otos not being the most hardy.

But my experience has always been the opposite, I think throughout my keeping catfish, I only had 2 otos die on me.

But generally due to their lack of treatment by the suppliers and stores due to their cheap prices, so the stores dont take much care with them compared to their more expensive stock.

But as long as your tank is fully cycled and aged, get a sizable group (at least 6), densely plant the tank, pick out the healthiest of the bunch, acclimate them through drip, keep the water conditions up, then you are golden.


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## kaegunim (Jan 15, 2010)

I too have been thingking of some nice docile otos (non-shrimp eaters ^o^V), so I too appreciate the advice Hitch, but the endorsement to hardiness is not necessarily there~

I think that better conditions than a fully cycled, aged and heavily planted tank do not exist (except maybe for the wild)

Then again I have also heard that numbers are a must for these guys. I wouldn't be surprised that alot of this reputation stems from people buying one fish and throwing it in with a bunch of aggressive fish T_T (or perhaps from cheapskates like me that would buy them from their local american clonemart where husbandry is sometimes... lacking)


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## qwerty (Dec 15, 2009)

Hmmm... Well, I can't say my tank is fully aged... Cycled, yes, but my plants still have quite a way to grow out before I can call the tank densely planted...

I think I'll pass on them... Too bad though. They're great with algae, they wont eat my driftwood, they fit in with the other small peaceful fish in my tank, and they're kinda funny lookin'.

They also woulda loved grazing on all the biofilm gathering up on my driftwood...

Yeah, I could just take it out and throw it away... But I mean, it's good natural food... I'm sure whatever I get that wants to eat it would really appreciate it... lol


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

if you want small algea grazers, nerite snails do an amazing job.


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## qwerty (Dec 15, 2009)

I'd prefer to avoid snails, what with the whole rapid breeding... Just not something I really want to be bothered with.


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

research into nerites, and you might think otherwise.


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## shark (Jan 28, 2009)

i had a oto lasted for about a year and a half and mysteriously i found him dead... 

got pleco instead does better job and grows bigger


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

I've found the key to success with Otos - get them a week or two after they arrive in the store, and always keep them in numbers >6.


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## qwerty (Dec 15, 2009)

See Hitch, guess that'll teach me to broadly categorize... 

These nerites are looking like a good option... Will continue reading...


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## WiyRay (Jan 11, 2009)

hey qwerty. 

I've got 2 "horned bumblebee" nerites that I probably will need to remove from my tank if I'm going to add assassins in there.

Just let me know if you're interested in going the ne-right way  haha silly pun i know.


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## Merman (Nov 23, 2009)

*Otto Catzzzzzzzzz*

...I bought about four of these approx. six months ago and lost two, but I have to say these guys are amazing. In one of my tanks my cryptocorynes were covered in some type of red/purple algae - otto's in/algae GONE - from every crevice and crack. If I have to fathom a guess as to why mine are still alive and thriving I'd say it's feeding my tanks with a good beefheart mixture: I put about 25% cooked fresh spinach in/figured it couldn't hurt - so nice to see fish pooping a nice bright green. I've read that they only eat algae and algae/spirulina wafers but mine are forgetten and as soon as I put my beefheart iin there they are - these little guiys are a wonder - 10 out of 10 in my books.


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## qwerty (Dec 15, 2009)

I'm very tempted to go with the nerites... Except the crawl out of water, and I've got plenty of big open gaps in my tank cover -_-

*sigh* back to the drawing board...


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

The reputation that nerites crawl out seems unfounded in my experience. I've kept many (15+) and never had one crawl out, even on uncovered tanks. Beware their evil infertile eggs everywhere though  

As for oto's, if I can add my two cents here: They die on people, in my opinion, because they have no algae for them to eat. They graze on algae - very rarely have I seen them eat wafers or any sort of additional food. Without a good amount of algae (and of the softer types) to graze on, I believe they starve to death in new tanks.


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## qwerty (Dec 15, 2009)

Yeah, on continued reading, I think I've decided the otos may not be the best idea...

As for the nerites though, I'm not sure yet. On the one hand I don't want to step on one or find one dead and dried up behind my aquarium or anything... On the other hand, they seem perfect otherwise. But then I'm not even sure I'll need much of an algae cleaner anyways...

I mean, I'll have shrimp, and I can always just clean the glass myself. Bit of algae on wood actually doesn't look bad... And other than a few traces of diatoms, I have yet to see any signs of algae....


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