Don't neglect your otos!

fishdude07

fishdude07

Superstar Fish
#1
Mar 30, 2004
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#1
heres a little profile:

common name: otocinclus, oto
scientific name: otocinclus affinis
origin: brazil, south america
diet: herbivore
max. size: around 2 inches/5 centimeters
temperature: 68 degrees-79 degrees fareinheight (spelling?)/ 20-26 degrees celcius

otos are diurnal and can be very hard to breed

so... ive noticed alot of people keep like 1 oto or 2 in huge tanks...and i just thought id make this thread just to inform people about otos. first of all, THEY LIKE TO BE IN GROUPS!! otos love to be in groups and are much happier in groups. they work better in groups also (eat algae, help keep a tank clean). otos are GREAT with algae, so if you have an algae problem, i recommend a group of otos for the job. if you have a larger tank, have a larger group of otos! i have a 29 gallon with 6 otos and theyre great. id recommend like at least around 10 otos in a 55 gallon...theyre much less shy in groups, people!! much more fun to watch when theyre in groups and they swim around more often too ;). so, thats it. i just thought id inform some of you that keep 1 or 2 otos. keep in mind im not saying youre bad for only keeping 1 or a few otos...im just recommending that you keep them in groups for their hapiness. theyre fine alone, but i think theyre much happier in groups.

this message was funded for by the DNYO group ;) (dont neglect your otos) anybody with opposing positions or anything to add?

edit: oh and another thing, this is the same with cories...ive noticed alot of people like to keep like 1 cory of each kind in a group of different types of cories...i think theyd rather be in a group of their own kind. please also keep cories in groups (and schooling fish of course like danios, tetras, etc.)
 

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TurbineSurgeon

TurbineSurgeon

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#11
Feb 27, 2004
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#11
I have 4 otos in a heavilly planted 75 gallon tank. I have never seen all 4 in the same vicinity of each other. Occasionally 2 may cross paths, but that seems to be about it.

The same is true in my 58 gallon, where I have 3 of them. They are usually out in the open, but rarely together.

I'm not really sure about the nocturnal thing, either. Mine seem diurnal.
 

Angelfish

Angelfish

Superstar Fish
#12
Apr 14, 2003
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#12
Yeah when I had my ottos they were always about in the day time, and IMO they do fine in pairs, like TurbineSurgeon said when I had more than two they were never seen together. I disagree on them being hardy, Id probably put them closer to the other end of the hardy spectrum.

That was my opposing parts ...

Now my thanks - Im glad you made this thread because I didnt previously know that ottos could survive in temps as low as 68*f.
 

fishdude07

fishdude07

Superstar Fish
#13
Mar 30, 2004
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#13
well...like i said, they do fine in pairs yes, but i think theyre happier in bigger groups. and bigger groups in bigger tanks. they seem more active and generally healthier in groups. now that you mention the diurnal thing...i kinda think so too so ill change that. its weird how some people have super-hardy otos and some have otos that arent hardy at all...mine all seem to be super hardy and ive never found a dead oto.

i encourage all of you (darkside, turbinesurgeon, and angelfish) to get more otos ;)

turbinesurgeon- i think the reason your otos dont hang out much is because theyre in a planted tank and there arent many of them...ever since i added plants to my 29 gallon tank, my otos have been more independent than before. i think with plants they feel safer...the same goes with any decoration they can hide in. i think less decoration= more sticking together
 

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R

RobD

Medium Fish
#14
Jun 14, 2004
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Mt. Pleasant, MI
www.cst.cmich.edu
#14
I try to have more Otos. But mine seem to think that when one dies off, the rest of the group should do the same. The three I have are my originals, but I've gone through a dozen or more (from different places: LPS, Walmart, Petco) in trying to get my numbers up.

It's too bad, I have all this nice green carpet of algae for them to munch on. They seem to like the back wall of the tank more than the yummy stuff growing on the fake rocks.
 

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Phooka

Large Fish
#16
Aug 22, 2004
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#16
Probably the best view. What's thier line of vision like, anybody know? I'm gonna assume they can see to either side of them and behind them (because that's what most non-predatory animals see like.) From the back wall of the tank they'd be able to see everything that's going on, including what's outside of the front of the tank.
 

sandboxes

sandboxes

Medium Fish
#18
Jun 11, 2003
87
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Springfield, MO
#18
I'm going to have to agree with RobD. My oto problems have shown that the fish just aren't very hardy. I have a smaller tank (5 gallon) and can't seem to keep one alive for more than a few months.

And really....do you KNOW a fish is happy?? Are fish really happy?? I like them and think they are cool, but come on. Isn't that subjecting complex human behaviors on something with a simple brain that's about the size of a piece of gravel on the bottom of my tank??
 

fishdude07

fishdude07

Superstar Fish
#19
Mar 30, 2004
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#19
my otos seem to be super hardy for some reason. anyways, about the happiness...i try to keep my fish "happy" because i think fish can be "happy". you cant really KNOW a fish is happy but you cant know ANY animal or human is happy really, can you? other than yourself of course
 

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