Barbie - Zebra Otocinclus

LyreTail · Post by **LyreTail** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 2:23 am

Barbie - I have an opportunity to pick up a bunch of the Zebra Oto for $7 each - Did you tell me before that you had spawned this fish? If so, is there any special advice? I have not heard of many people breeding Otos. I will troll the internet for some more info

Post by **Barbie** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 4:25 pm

Nope, I haven't spawned any species of oto yet. Zebra otos are great fish that I've purchased groups of twice over the years, only to lose them one by one over a few months. They were in well planted and established tanks both times, and the last time with my blue rams and apistos, which I tend to credit with being somewhat sensitive themselves. It's probably the last time I'll try them. The importer from Peru brings them in, so I'm assuming they just need cooler water than my other fish can tolerate. I haven't researched that fact though, so don't quote me

.

Barbie

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 1:16 am

I too have not had much luck with ottos over the years, I haven't braved buying the much more expensive zebra variety. I figure that if I can't keep the regular variety alive for more than a few months there's no point. Do let me know Barbie if you manage to fingure out how to keep the little buggers alive.

Cheers.

Adam

LyreTail · Post by **LyreTail** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 12:36 pm

I have had trouble keeping a percentage of otos alive, but half seem to thrive. I have a pair right now that I have had for 6 months living in an overcrowded krib tank. That was why I was going to order about 10 and place them in a dedicated tank. That should keep the water clean. Apparently some people have had luck breeding them and observe they breed like Cory cats do except the spread eggs all over the place - probably the same triggers as well.

I am all about buying expensive fish, breeding them and selling juveniles to LFS at a cut rate ( LFS' love me

Post by **Barbie** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 10:29 pm

Oh don't get me wrong, I have regular otos, red fins, O. flexilis, all of THOSE do great. Zebra otos died in the same tank, just one at a time over a period of time. I don't know what I wasn't providing for them. The others are fat and sassy and occasionally fill up with eggs and provide caviar or live food for the tank, I'm sure. I've found the secret to keeping otos over the years is either to skip the quarantine process (HIGHLY not recommended, but it works), or take plants from the main tank and add them to the quarantine tank for grazing. They NEED forms of algae that aren't prepared to jumpstart their digestive tract. Wood from established tanks also helps. I don't know that they are actually grazing for the wood, or the biofilm ON the wood (which is what I actually think they need).

Barbie

LyreTail · Post by **LyreTail** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 11:30 am

MIke was sold out of the Otos, so I guess I'll have to wait anyways

Des · Post by **Des** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 11:02 pm

I too bought 3 lots of 6 over the last few months at approx £9 each and each time ,just like Barbie, lost them over a period of time. So I too have decided no more for me !!!!!!!!. I thought too that it might be due to the high temps in my plec tanks of 82 to 84 F, so put one batch in my planted community tank at 78F but they too did not survive, However the "dwarf Black" otos are fine in the warmer tanks and breeding too.

Regards,
Des.

Dana · Post by **Dana** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 8:11 pm

OUawou ...

It's a beautiful fish ... I have had one a few years ago but he dead

(bad water quality) and he was alone ...

I will try to find other but it's so difficult

. Now, if I found them , i will take a big group

... for my great tank (1000 liter)

McEve · Post by **McEve** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 4:07 pm

I was also warned before buying otot's, but they have now survived for over a year in my Zebra tanks. They get the algae not wanted by the Zebras

I have lost a couple, but I don't find that a high percentage as I bought 16, 8 for each tank.

Spawning? nope, so they must be missing something... Honestly though, I haven't put a lot of effort into finding out what they need to spawn as I keep them for tank maintanance only... But they seem to do better than I was warned about, and that's something I guess. This is the ordinary oto.

Maybe it's the soft water that makes them do ok? I have such soft water in the tap that I really should add minerals, but don't do it on a regular basis.

The Zebras like it, and that's what counts

LyreTail · Post by **LyreTail** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 2:32 am

I decided to not get the oto cats and got some Koi angels and some more species of Apistogramma instead.

Apparently the Otocinclus genus spawns a lot like the cory cats

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 1:45 pm

LyreTail wrote:Apparently the Otocinclus genus spawns a lot like the cory cats

I found this thread on PC of a recent zebra oto spawn. Looks like they may have been stimulated by the spawning cory cats in their tank.

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... hp?t=13663

Adam