Chances are if you have some of these fish, you got ’em for eating algae. That’s typically how things begin. You see green stuff on your glass. You think about scrubbing once more and then realize that little armored cleaners might be just the ticket to doing the job and looking good in the process. One of the most popular choices (and rightfully so) is the otocinclus, it’s cute, moves around fast, and has a sucker mouth.
There’s a hitch though, one that catches many beginners by surprise. These aren’t low-maintenance machines. They’re delicate animals who demand certain environments to live beyond their initial 30 days. Knowing what sets them apart will go a long way toward your success at keeping them alive.
How to Keep Otocinclus Fish Alive
There are half a dozen common species and this chart (above) explains why knowing your fish isn’t just important… It’s vital. They’re all sold as “generic otocinclus,” but come from different places and each has subtle differences that can give a clue to its hardiness. First up is the vittatus, sporting the solid dark band from eye to tail. It is a workhorse among the bunch. It is widely available and robust enough for beginning keepers.
Next we’ve got the affinis. It looks similar, but it has more rounded body and a broken stripe near the tail. Hailing from other Brazilian water systems, this one’s usually considered slightly more delicate. Others (rarer) include such fish as the huaorani (with its spotted rear end), and also the zebra oto with its dramatic zig zag pattern.
Don’t worry about learning their Latin names; it doesn’t matter what they’re called to make them happy. Knowing the name of a particular species will tell you why it thrives in your tanks when another species of similar conditions fare poorly.
So now you know what kind of fish you have, now comes the hard part: water quality. Catfish originate from fast-moving South American rivers with plenty of oxygen and constant water flushing out waste. They cannot stand stale water. In fact, low oxygen content is a silent killer that strikes before you realize there’s a problem. To maintain healthy dissolved oxygen levels, you must ensure good surface agitation. Low oxygen is the silent killer that strikes before you even notice a problem.
Temperatures is also important. While many aquarium hobbyists like running their tanks hot, otos like cool water. Maintain tank’s temperature in the range of 20-26 degrees Celsius. Higher temperatures increases their metabolism, which significantly shortens their lifespan.
Speaking of which, let’s talk about food. A word of caution: don’t expect your otos to graze on black beard algae or those stubborn hard green spots. Those are just the types of algae that otos won’t eat, they prefer soft algae and biofilm instead. They feed on biofilm and soft algae.
So once they’ve cleaned all your glass, that’s a bad thing for them because they’ve just removed their food source. Immediately begin feeding them sinking wafers or even blanched zucchini once they’re done cleaning up. Waiting till you see their belly become sunken is usually too late. The classic giveaway is that sunken look behind their pectoral fins. It’s a dead giveaway of starvation.
Lastly, there’s size of group. Because these are schoolers. By definition. And they require a minimum of six to feel comfortabley enough to feed freely. A single oto will hide in the corner and die of starvation, even where there’s a lot of food. It is not a suggestion. When you have several kept properly (lots of soft algae, good water flow), you’ll get some pretty interesting behavior out of them: grazing as a group, resting on leaves en masse, and zipping around as a synchronized burst of activity.
Yes, you got ’em for the algae, but keeping them turns into rewarding, entertaining pets if you treat them right.
You should of known that fish needs better water than what you have. It would of been easier to keep them if you had more experience. Actualy, many people fails at this. One moddern tank setup can help, even if the furnitures is old. If they dissapears, it’s because of bad water. Just make sure the fish stays healthy and livig well.
