I was literally thinking of adding corydoras too because I've never kept them, maybe some smaller species, my only concern is will they uproot plants?
Otocinclus dying?
- Thread starter FrancisFloe
- Start date
Jan 1988 to Apr 2001
I had an Oto for over thirteen years.
This was from Jan 1988 to April 2001.
I have it written down and there is no mistake.
My brother gave me his fish before he left England and went to live in Singapore. They included 10 Pygmy Corydoras and 10 Otos. I kept them carefully, as per instructions, in a 3 foot tank in case he came back for them but he was away for many years. When he came back he was astonished to see this exceptional little Oto darting around.
I had an Oto for over thirteen years.
This was from Jan 1988 to April 2001.
I have it written down and there is no mistake.
My brother gave me his fish before he left England and went to live in Singapore. They included 10 Pygmy Corydoras and 10 Otos. I kept them carefully, as per instructions, in a 3 foot tank in case he came back for them but he was away for many years. When he came back he was astonished to see this exceptional little Oto darting around.
Most aquarium literature claims Otos require pH of 6 o 7.5, "but" below is some collection point data analysis where they are found.
These areas where they are found receive daily deluges in rain, so 100% of their water is basically changed every day, so (as you can see) contains almost no minerals, or hardness,
What these waters do often contain, in the shallows where Otos come from are piles of leaf litter that exude tannins and provide microflora and fauna for constant grazing.
When keeping them, I placed rocks and other decor outside in shallow ponds in the sun, to provide enough nutritious algal growth to be regularly exchanged as the Otos mowed that growth down.
Although not an Oto below in the shot, this is the kind of sun grown algae crops I would provide for these type algae eating fish.
and the type of leaf liter on top of the substrate
These areas where they are found receive daily deluges in rain, so 100% of their water is basically changed every day, so (as you can see) contains almost no minerals, or hardness,
What these waters do often contain, in the shallows where Otos come from are piles of leaf litter that exude tannins and provide microflora and fauna for constant grazing.
When keeping them, I placed rocks and other decor outside in shallow ponds in the sun, to provide enough nutritious algal growth to be regularly exchanged as the Otos mowed that growth down.
Although not an Oto below in the shot, this is the kind of sun grown algae crops I would provide for these type algae eating fish.
and the type of leaf liter on top of the substrate
That was my worry also… they have uprooted a cple crypt parva. There very large tho. One is 8-9 yrs old.
wahh thanks for the data Duanes, this is very informative and those conditions quite differ drastically in a home aquarium.
I do notice that they graze around the dead leaves of my anubias and java fern, I did put like 3-5 dead leaves from mango and catapa but i dont want to put too much that it will create tannins.
Also are those a type of hair algae because it looks like it, I did grew a bunch in driftwoods by also leaving them in the sun but idk if they're exactly the same. I like the aesthetic they give to the tank, but I never observed the oto graze on it, they just kinda sit there.
I do notice that they graze around the dead leaves of my anubias and java fern, I did put like 3-5 dead leaves from mango and catapa but i dont want to put too much that it will create tannins.
The 1 cory is that old lol… 2nd one is 6-7.. pretty wild they live that long. Had em both in a “fish room” tank so i put them in a nice display upstairs to live out their final days in class despite uprooting a cple plants
It is not my secret, it was the Otto's secret. I never found out. The other nine did not live many years.
I haven't kept a lot of fish as my Clown Loaches have dominated my fishkeeping hobby and they are 30 years of age now.
I did have an Arnold’s Red-eyed Tetra (Arnoldichthys spilopterus) male that lived for 16 years and 5 months.
I had a Hillstream Loach (Gastromyzon borneensis) for 12 years.
My Glass Catfish shoal lived for 11 years.
I would say I keep fish in a simple, basic and inexpensive way using outmoded technology such as undergravel filters and outmoded practices such as lower stocking rates but I maintain them well and consistently and never lapse. I try to eliminate risks where possible. It is something I have a knack for and I have been lucky.
