They usually inhabit small streams or shallow rivers and often associated with densely vegetated waters. The male will chase after the female. My otos have started to breed and have had a lot of little otos but i really havent done anything special of really Desired the younglings. Normal snail behavior. Im new to fishkeeping and a pet store employee told me to purchase this fish as an algae eater for my 5 gallon tank . Color can also be a good sign of a healthy Oto. They are, however, a little bit tricky to keep. Otocinclus are very sensitive to copper. Try to feed them very tiny pieces of zucchini. This type of Otocinclus looks much like the Common Oto at first glance. Scratches on this fishs body surface can lead to infections and other diseases, so efforts should be made to ensure the safety of these bottom dwellers. The otocinclus, also known as the otocinclus catfish from the Loricariidae family are a species of freshwater catfish indigenous to South America. As such, tank conditions, the size, spawning behavior, and breeding environment are essential if you want to have a successful breeding. When it comes to breeding them, you need to be an expert to ensure that the whole process goes on successfully. The other fins are typically transparent in color. Once you see that rocks are turning green, take a few a place them in the tank to feed. Ostracods, commonly referred to as Seed shrimp, are microcrustaceans that can be found almost in any shrimp or fish tank. Each of the couples needs to be placed in separate fish tanks or tank compartments to prepare them for the mating ritual. However, upon closer inspection, the caudal fin is a little bit different. The eggs are adhesive and they can be stuck to surfaces such as rocks. My name is Jeff, and my goal with this site is to share everything I've learned over the years about caring for aquatic life. This area should also be taller if the fish is indeed a female. Below, I will walk you through all the steps you need to know about the breeding process. Any fish should be quarantined first, though many fish keepers do not bother or simply forget about it. A slight rise in the tank waters temperature can help to signal the other fish that mating is desirable. TABLE OF CONTENTS Otocinclus Catfish Facts & Overview Appearance & Behavior Oto Catfish Care & Tank Requirements Tank Mates Otocinclus are susceptible to the most common fish diseases including Ich, cotton rot, tail rot, body fungus, body slime, eye cloud, Hexamita, dropsy, and velvet. Breeding. Here are our guides for slow-growing plants that you can put in your aquarium: Anubias Java Fern Cabomba Cryptocorynes You need some kind of transparent container (large bottle, spare tank, etc.). Otocinclus is a popular aquarium catfish which often feeds on algae. Itll swim up and down the rocks and the male fish will be in close pursuit. Yes, they are absolutely safe to keep in planted tanks. People dont even know how often these fish breed at this point in time. Otocinclus pre-spawning behavior? Leave it under the strongest lighting you can find. One of the most original morphological characteristics is the presence of a suction cup in the mouth, which serves them both to feed, and to fixate on rocks or plants. This conditioning process means that you should start feeding your fish different types of foods in preparation for breeding. Below, youll get the information that you need about breeding otos. For them, diminished numbers is a certain sign of danger, so they hide. The tank should be 78.8-degree Fahrenheit or 26 degrees Celsius which will encourage your fish to breed. What if you want to breed these fish instead of buying more, though? Breeding behavior in otocinclus fish will be easy to recognize. After youre finished reading, you can decide if youd like to pursue breeding the fish. The general rule of thumb is at least 6 Otos but the more the better. 4. Given that otocinclus are schooling fish, you are advised to keep them in groups of 4 or 5. These fish have a complex hierarchy and are usually female alpha. Required fields are marked *. It is a bottom-dweller that feeds on algae. In nature, this form allows Panda Garra to maintain a position in fast-flowing waters, while still feeding on algae and biofilm. Sharp gravel should be avoided because it can injure the fish. The smallest fish species from this genus is the Otocinclus tapirape that only grows about an inch and the largest fish species from this group is Otocinclus flexilis which can grow up to 2.2 inches. The male oto must fertilize the eggs so they can become viable. Others say that its better to separate the breeding fish in different tanks or compartments for one or two weeks first. They are great against: green spot algae, green dust algae, and diatoms/brown algae. Growing to 3" in some cases, these fish, though with similar feeding, looks and behavior of Otocinclus are definitely "easy to spot". The fish may also change colors and produce spots. Also, you need to keep in mind that the nutrient content of vegetables is not the same as the algae. All tank mates should have a gentle temperament and enjoy the same water parameters as the Otocinclus. You never have to worry about them starting a fight. You can also read my article Step-by-Step Cycling your Shrimp Aquarium Fishless. So, if you are not sure what species you have check out here for more pictures. Any leftover food not eaten in 24 hours should be removed from the aquarium. . If you buy Otos from a pet store, there is a likely chance that they will die immediately. The best substrate for the tank is soil, sand, and smooth gravel. They prefer soft, slightly acidic water with no ammonia and nitrites, and with nitrates as low as possible, with some movements of water, high oxygenation and some algae constantly available on plants, driftwood, glass, and decorations. The male fertilizes the eggs as theyre laid to make them viable. Your nitrate levels should be between 0-20ppm (parts per million) and have no measurable ammonia or nitrite. Checking the water parameters and figuring out if there are any issues is the first step. Although Otocinclus might seem a perfect member of the algae-eating team and clean-up crew, there is a little more to its care than that. Millie is a passionate aquarist who caught the fishkeeping bug in high school and has been addicted ever since. Otocinclus lay eggs all around the tank on plants. First and foremost, if youre not committed to keeping the tank and water in fantastic condition dont even bother. I started with 3 otos and sadly one of them died. The male will then fertilize the eggs. Because of their nature and small size, they can be harassed or eaten by other larger fish that arent good tank mates (more on this in the following section). At this time, the female oto will swim to the substrate areas and start laying the eggs. An Otocinclus Catfish is an amazing little scavenger for freshwater aquariums. These fish come in roughly 19 different species of the Loricarlidae family. It has a brown or black body with dark spots. Most importantly, the mating fish should be compatible so that the whole breeding process becomes successful. Put them in the microwave for 8 10 seconds, then place them in ice water, so they can sink better. These fish are vertebrates, meaning that their body structure is made up of a row of bones. We highly recommend that you add some to your freshwater tank if you have tank mates that are a good fit. Daphnia, algae wafers, and brine shrimp are all excellent food choices when you wish to breed your Otocinclus. Do not be like them, this mistake can have a very high price. Unfortunately, Zebra Danios don't exhibit any parental behaviors. This will help keep your tank clean and maintain acceptable water quality. This page may contain affiliate links, which will earn us a commission. Breeding otos in captivity is rather difficult. . They can measure between 4 and 5 centimeters (1.5 2 inches) in length and have an elongated shape, rounded on the back and flattened ventrally. Either way, the eggs will be laid in various spots throughout the tank. Furthermore, the pH value must be between 5.5 and 7.5 and must check the nitrate material of the water routinely to avoid the pets from passing away. Their appearance and colorations can easily distinguish males and females. Even beginners can have an easy time with them. These fish will not breed unless the water quality is pristine. In general, these fish spend a lot of time near the bottom of the tank since this is where the algae tends to be. As we mentioned in the tank requirements section, its important for owners to provide hiding places in the aquarium so the smaller Otos have a refuge when disturbed by others. Most significantly, your breeding tank should have enough capacity of about 75 to 80 liters or be large enough to accommodate newly hatched fry. Personally, I would recommend a Matten filter (or sponge filter). They spawn relatively frequently and can produce upwards of 400 eggs at a time! These fish wont become aggressive towards other fish. Hedges are small, . Your email address will not be published. Ideally 24/7. Both couples will assume a T-shaped position as an indication of mating whereby the female will release and hold onto her eggs using the ventral fins. Keep in mind that theres nothing preventing you from trying to breed otos in your tank. This is important to remember if you plan to breed your fish. you might ad some more in the hope of getting a pair. Unless you have a huge tank, algae build up in a stable aquarium usually wont be enough to completely sustain 6 or more Otocinclus. Otocinclus fish breeding was similar to the corydoras fishes . The exact number of eggs that a female otocinclus catfish has will vary. It shares the tank with 3 tetras and they seem to get along OK. Their eyes are Lateral and pushed more forward on the head. Thank you for your article on Otocinclus. The fry will be free-swimming in about 2 weeks. Male start to chase females. Both of them have a round body that narrows down, reaching their dorsal and anal fins. Seed Shrimp Profile: Ostracods in Shrimp and Fish Tank. After you are done with sex differences and setting the tank conditions right, the next step should be to separate the female and male otocinclus catfish. Brazilian Journal of Biology. Otocinclus should not be placed with fish larger than them due to the risk of your Oto being eaten. Im Michael and this is the place where I nerd out about shrimp. They are a high-energy fish that can quickly dart around the tank, which is why a larger tank is always recommended. Use any fertilizer to grow plants in a tank. You can also buy Oto online, even on Amazon. They need to see their buddies in all places to feel safe. You can easily see that the female fish is wider than the male. If youre lucky, youll see eggs on the plants or rocks in the tank before too long. However, the female fish will be a little bit larger and they will have heavier bodies. The Otocinclus Catfish is a great addition to a peaceful planted tank and a small school of them can form a great algae cleanup crew. Otocinclus catfish are known to exhibit pronounced sexual dimorphism. In order to catch them, people often use sedatives (poisons or cyanide), which stuns the fish and makes it easier to catch. Be very careful with Betta, Paradise fish, Siamese Algae Eater, Angelfish. 2002DOI: 10.1643/0045-8511(2002)002[1063:OTANHC]2.0.CO;2, Otocinclus batmani, a new species of hypoptopomatine catfish (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from Colombia and Peru. There is some controversy about whether the fish will eat their own eggs. A female otocinclus catfish will be a bit wider across in the area that is in front of the dorsal fin and behind the eyes. Tip: If you shine a light on it in the dark you should be able to see them if it has eggs. There are around 19 species in the genus Otocinclus from the loricariidae family, and the term Otocinclus can refer to any of them. They can measure between 4 and 5 centimeters (1.5 - 2 inches) in length and have an elongated shape, rounded on the back and flattened ventrally. The female oto will look for good spots to lay its eggs near the substrate. The eggs should hatch and begin their lives as fry after a few days. There isnt any true evidence to say that this has an impact. Get a bigger tank with enough space. Youll see the fish enter a T-shaped position that signifies that they are mating. The lower levels were busy, but the middle . DOI: 10.1590/S1679-62252006000400001, Otocinclus cocama, a new uniquely colored loricariid catfish from Peru (Teleostei: Siluriformes), with comments on the impact of taxonomic revisions to the discovery of new taxa. It all depends on how selective your fish is, you'll need to get lucky. Golden Oto's are most commonly found in smaller creeks around the Amazon river. However, it can be done with trial and effort. Itll take a few days after the eggs hatch for the oto fry to become free swimmers. All types of Otocinclus Catfish are particularly peaceful and docile, and they don't show any aggression towards other fish. There are some reports that Otocinclus really like, To start your cycle, drop fish flakes into your aquarium about every 12 hours. Test Nitrite and Ammonia for a few weeks. At the same time, do not give up and keep training your Otos to eat algae wafers and vegetables. Look out for Otocinclus catfish (the best choice for nano aquariums), farlowella catfish (strange, twig-like bottom-dwellers . Otocinclus have peaceful behavior so they need small fishes as tank mates. Otos are also very mellow and peaceful fish that can be paired with a variety of tank mates. Its crucial for them to eat frequently, so food needs to be available almost all the time. The eggs are then deposited in a safe area with no further parental care. It is possible to breed otos, but its not common for these fish to breed in captivity. In big groups, they are constantly visible and way easier to feed. They want to avoid conflict since they are naturally passive. Otocinclus breeding tank - The Oto Journal 20long - Otocinclus Juvenille tank 29g - Cherry barbs, Oto's, Long finned danios, Spotted cory's, 2 Bristlenose plecs 55g - High Fin Pleco, Harlequin Rasboras Breeding Otos. Generally, the brown stripe pales or disappears by the time it reaches the fin. 2004 scielo.br), Potential Problems Associated with Otocinclus, The only problem is that they will compete with shrimp for algae thus it can affect the, In addition, if there are not enough algae in the tank, it can be difficult to keep Otocinclus and, Absolutely not! She's rounder every day, and she won't let anyone t pose her anymore. Eventually, the male will catch up to the female and the mating process will start. These fish can live for 3 to 5 years if the tank and water is kept in good condition and their basic needs are met. One thing to focus on is the quality of the water. My first course of action was, of course, some Otocinclus (see the author's article, "Oto Pilot: Buying, Keeping. Then the male will swim away from the female. These fish lay a sticky group of 4 to 6 eggs at a time. However, some of the commonly found otocinclus catfish in aquariums include the following: In general, the entire body structure of otocinclus catfish is elongated but widens in the middle and narrows towards the tail and the head. Therefore, its important to keep live plants in your aquarium to encourage algae growth and leaves for the biofilm growth. So, success keeping them is less likely in such tanks. Remember to keep the food balanced, and never overfeed your fish. The recommended care for Otocinclus catfish is relatively simple and requires little extra effort. Once the two fish are in the breeding tank together, they might begin the mating ritual. Behavior Otocinclus are shy, solitary fish with unique eating habits. When it comes to their behavior, Otocinclus Fish alone in an aquarium could seem rather plain. Fish, crabs, shrimp, and crayfish do not tolerate copper-based medications. You should feed Otocinclus daily. Golden Oto (Otocinclus Affinis) Golden Oto's are an average sized species of the Otocinclus breed. Behavior Otocinclus spawn much like Corydoras species. Sometimes the fish will swim along the sides of the aquarium as well. Also, they are small, affordable and fun to watch. link to Snail Sleep: A Closer Look at Their Resting Behavior, link to Seed Shrimp Profile: Ostracods in Shrimp and Fish Tank, Repashy Soilent Green (check the price on Amazon), You can read more about algae and Otocinclus in my article Types of Algae. Breeding report at thekrib.com Breeding report on planetcatfish.com by Paul Kjrland Short article with breeding info at AquariaWeb Breeding report of parotocinclus at ScotCat.com (may prove useful for otocinclus) This helps to keep dangerous accumulations of nitrates and ammonia from building up. Some aquarists even say that it may be best to remove the mating couple from the tank after the eggs have been laid and fertilized. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. No, otos are fish that just lay their eggs and then leave them alone. Your mating tank should be at least 80 liters (20 gallons) to be able to hold all the soon-to-be-born fry. They dont do anything special to protect the eggs. Within three to four months, the babies will be fully matured since they grow rapidly. You wont regret it! Do snails sleep? & Breeding Otocinclus Catfish," TFH February 2008). Which are flooded with plant life. The pH levels and hardness levels of the water should also be at the proper levels in order to successfully breed. You can read my article to learn more about it The Best Filtration System for Breeding Shrimp. This is a very small fish. Otocinclus ( pronounced Otto-sin-klus ), referred to as Ottos or Otos in the aquarium trade, are a genus of small herbivorous suckerfish in the Loricariidae or armored catfish family. Otocinclus will not eat staghorn algae, red, or Black beard algae even when they are starving. A trick before purchasing these small aquarium catfish from a pet store is to choose fatter fish. Its also good for dealing with rough surfaces that they might encounter while scraping algae from sandy river bottoms in the wild. Place a variety of decorative items throughout the tank to also serve as refuges for these fish whenever they become tired or stressed. Be careful because many commercial fish foods, medications, and plant fertilizers have copper or more commonly copper sulfate. When looking at the top of this fish, a brown speckled pattern is noted. As for the differences between male and female (sexual dimorphism), you can tell the gender differences between a male and female Otocinclus through their difference in shape and color. Snail Sleep: A Closer Look at Their Resting Behavior. Most fish experts say that breeding Otocinclus can be difficult when in captivity. When youre ready to try to get the fish to breed, its best to raise the temperature of the water a bit. Also, the otocinclus catfish have a tough cup-like shaped mouth and transparent fins that make them unique among other tank fish. For starters, they help your tank by eating up algae that builds up over time. Anything over pH 6.8 will eliminate any possibility of the Otocinclus breeding in your tank. They also have an unofficial name called "dwarf suckers". Spotted: 1. The point is that these filters have a very large surface area where Otocinclus can feed on. You can use soft flow air stones to increase oxygen levels. My hesitation is that you said they dont take well to being moved and I cannot move the tetras to the new tank. So, if you are interested in getting into this hobby or just want some extra tips and tricks, well this is the right place for you. Typically, the eggs will be stuck to plants or nearby rocks. Choose the right mating pair (Step -1) Preparing the tank (Step-2) Otocinclus catfish is also known as dwarf fish, Oto Catfish or simply referred to as otos. So far (apparently by accident) its doing well. Spirulina powder and algae should be their food. Re: Otocinclus Breeding Post by apistomaster Sat Apr 17, 2010 7:05 pm In WalMart's pet dept they sell incandescent threaded base compact fluorescent daylight(6700K) bulbs which are only about 15 watts and they run cool, last a long time and grow plants well for only about $6.00 each. Use the water that comes from water changes. They can swim very fast, and youll quickly notice that these little guys can easily zip across the tank if bothered or scared. They should be round in shape and youll find them on rocks or other objects in the tank. Best Algae Eating Team. They try, and she whips at them and then swims away. . Otocinclus are a genus of catfish native to South America and some species are quite common in the aquarium hobby. But with the right knowledge and breeding facilities at your disposal, nothing should prevent you from achieving this feat. Description of the Otocinclus This is a very small fish. So what can we do in this case? If you have a planted aquarium with a lot of algae, the fish should have what they need to survive at first. The fish are normally lighter colored with darker blotches of color. Conditions should be perfect, . If you are looking to breed, you should have aquarium plants in your breeding tank. 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Start your cycle, drop fish flakes into your aquarium to encourage algae growth and leaves the! Be able to see their buddies in all places to feel safe and fish... Sadly one of them have a very large surface area where Otocinclus can on. Have an unofficial name called & quot ; rocks or other objects the. Waters temperature can help to signal the other fish that just lay their eggs then... You said they dont take well to being moved and I can move... Youll get the fish may also change colors and produce spots advised to keep in mind that the nutrient of. Simple and requires little extra effort refuges for these fish will be stuck to plants or nearby.! Good fit acceptable water quality is pristine and crayfish do not tolerate copper-based..