Oto Death

[Bruckm]

Ok, some help is needed in my failure to keep Otocinclus alive. I've bought 9 and 5 have died before making it to 1 week. I got home last night and 2 more were dead after the day before when 1 turned up dead. They were in different tanks.

For the 1st dead Oto (10G), I took a water sample to the LFChain and did a battery of tests myself (with my new kit). Both tests had Ammonia = 0, Nitrite = 0, Nitrate <20. However, my water is about as hard as it can get and alkaline. Guy at the LFC said it 'might' be too hard. There is another Oto who was put in at the same time. Seems to be very well with a fat round belly.

I tested the water from the tank where the 2 died (5G) and the water results were the same.

There are 2 in the 20G and have been there for weeks w/same water parameters.

I've used a lengthy acclimation process with them including turning out the lights after introducing them to the tank.


So, what am I doing wrong?

 

[twoluvcats]

I really feel like otts have a very tough time in the shipping and holding process with the stores...and they often end up starving. I bought 6 and 2 died within 48 hours of bringing them home...but the others have flourished in 2 different tanks, and the 2 I got to replace the dead are doing fine. I have similar water perameters to you...super hard, and alkaline...and the 6 I have now are happy and healthy.

TurbineSurgeon has said before that they often don't get nearly enough food in transport and while housed at the LFS...so basically once we get them home, they are in the late stages of starving to death. Combined with the stress of a move and its just too much.

Personally, I don't think you are doing anything wrong. I think they would have died at the LFS if you wouldn't have bought them...and prob would have died in any tank they were put in.

 

[Bruckm]

twoluvcats,

Thanks that helps. It's just frustrating and kinda tough on the kids. They're 3-1/2 and to them it makes it seem like ALL of the fish are passing away.

Your point seems right as each of the tanks they've died in had plenty of algae for them. It makes sense that they were already distressed. I have put algae wafers in for them, but have never seen them anywhere near the wafer.

Could too frequent water changes also stress them? The 5G I change 20%/week. The fry tank (10G) I change 20% every other day.

 

[twoluvcats]

I don't think the weekly water change would stress them.

And with the every other day one, you'd think that if you are not gravel vac-ing, and moving decorations every day...that shouldn't stress them too much either...mine kinda got used to every-other-day water changes when the tank was cycling and they didn't seemed all that stressed by them.

My otos really don't seemed stressed by much...the ones that have survived seem very hearty and not really bothered by anything...they even check out my hands and the water turbulence when I do water changes...they are not really a skittish fish.

I understand about the kid thing. Thankfully my daughter is only 2...so her understanding of death is limited to "fishy gone" LOL

 

[FroggyFox]

Lookit you! Twoluvcats you're going to cease to be a newbie in my book I think

I totally agree with what she's said. I haven't had any ottos die on me...but I have heard a lot of people say that they'll purposely buy about 8 ottos and expect at least 1/2 of them to die because they are in so poor of shape by the time they get to your tank between horrible care at the lfs and shipping and horrible care at the breeders etc.

On the other hand...I believe it was Leopardess? who bought 8 of them expecting some to die and still had all 8...so sometimes its just luck of the draw.

Next time you visit the lfs you bought them from you should bring them a fact sheet on what ottos like to eat.

Like twoluvcats described her's....my ottos are the same...they're less skittish than a lot of my other fish (although when you wake them up at night or bump the tank they FREAK OUT and are fast little buggers) When I'm cleaning my tanks its like trying to vaccuum the house with a dog that wont move...I have to practically bump them out of the way

 

[twoluvcats]

Lookit you! Twoluvcats you're going to cease to be a newbie in my book I think

awwww thanks!! I'm totally addicted and a fast learner...most of the credit can go to MFT and the wonderful, knowledgeable mods

 

[TurbineSurgeon]

The first otos I got were from a chain store. I had a 40% mortality rate within the first 10 days (2 of 5). Another committed "suicide by Python" soon after.

Oddly enough (or perhaps not), I later bought 6 from the LFS and put 4 in one tank, 2 in the other. They are all still with me.

What does this mean? I dunno, exactly. But it seems that by the time I added the second batch, the tanks were more mature and the fish were in better shape when I got them. It was probably the combination of both that provided the better outcome.

 

[Bruckm]

OK, get this! I took the 2 dead ones back to the LFChain tonight after work. They get new stock on Wednesdays, so I figured to get the 2 fattest Otos they had. Got 'em. I was EXTRA careful in the acclimation process. Then I may have nailed one in my 20G that's been there doing great. I was trying to gravel vac and the timer had already turned the light off. I just did the front area, but at the end I noticed an oto on the rocks near where I'd vac'd. He moved away, but I might have clipped him. Stupid. Today was water change day, so I was going to change the water even though it was late. It was water change day!!

They had a 14" Pacu in there. Someone had brought it in and it took 3 of the employees to wrestle it into one of their display tanks. Now, if you ever been to Petsmart, you know those display tanks aren't huge. So they've got this big Pacu in there with feeder goldfish and he can't catch them because he can't turn around. The guy said a manager with a 200G tank was going to take him. I'd like to be there when they try to get him out! All three guys were soaked.

They also had a single *can't remember the name* glassfish with ridges along his head. Odd fish. Oh, $40.00. Personally I thought it looked ugly.

 

[FroggyFox]

LOL they should have left it in the store for a little while...or at least taken pictures to show any newbies who think those 2" pacus are just 'so cute'

 

[Lotus]

One piece of advice I have is to get otos that have been in the store for a while. Those ones tend to be the survivors. There are a lot of casualties from catching and shipping, and the stronger ones are those that have been in the LFS more than a week or two.

 

[Bruckm]

Lotus

I've noticed at my LFChain that after 1 week most of the Otos are gone. So, I'm thinking, get in early, get the healthiest ones and get out. BTW, there was already a dead Oto in their display tank. Not good. If these 2 die, I'll just get a store credit and get my Otos elsewhere.