Aky Aky Aky, Oi Oi Oi

wrasse · Post by **wrasse** » 29 May 2012, 07:32

These are my latest arrivals. Hisonotus Aky. Bought from Pier, of course!
You just get used to the name Epactionotus and then they go and change it

They are truly emerald fish. And with the camera flash, you see other colours... fire-like opal... little gems!

Aky feeding station

Richard B · Post by **Richard B** » 29 May 2012, 09:07

I saw these first round at Pier - amazing little fish! I gotta say the photos dont do them justice. How many did you get and have you got breeding plans?

wrasse · Post by **wrasse** » 29 May 2012, 14:06

These ones are probably a bit smaller than the ones you saw MrB. These are about 1.5cm long, they have some eating and growing to do...
I bought 6 and hopefully will breed them... Although I've never kept ottos before.
In the 3rd pic, I guess that's a male top left, female on the right. Perhaps too small yet to be sure

Matt30 · Post by **Matt30** » 29 May 2012, 22:06

Mate they are stunning!, I have never seen Ottos like this before, what kind of water parameter do they require ?

sojapat · Post by **sojapat** » 29 May 2012, 22:21

They will only get better

A very special little fish $\M/$

matti2uude · Post by **matti2uude** » 29 May 2012, 23:23

Very nice!

wrasse · Post by **wrasse** » 30 May 2012, 07:37

Matt30 wrote:Mate they are stunning!, I have never seen Ottos like this before, what kind of water parameter do they require ?

good question...
Ultimately I reckon a bit cooler water, perhaps mid-70s. These fish are from Argentina. Not hard and not too soft, but just right...
For now, I have them in quarantine at 80degF. I replace their water with water from another tank, rather than new. PH is around 6.7/just under 7.
When they are fully fit and a bit bigger, I might move them. I was thinking of keeping them in a tank with S Barbatus. Its a question of being sure the Aky get their share of the food.

Matt30 · Post by **Matt30** » 30 May 2012, 14:56

wrasse wrote:
Matt30 wrote:Mate they are stunning!, I have never seen Ottos like this before, what kind of water parameter do they require ?
good question...
Ultimately I reckon a bit cooler water, perhaps mid-70s. These fish are from Argentina. Not hard and not too soft, but just right...
For now, I have them in quarantine at 80degF. I replace their water with water from another tank, rather than new. PH is around 6.7/just under 7.
When they are fully fit and a bit bigger, I might move them. I was thinking of keeping them in a tank with S Barbatus. Its a question of being sure the Aky get their share of the food.

Cheers for the info Wrasse,its a shame they don't like it warmer, likes like I'm going to have to look for more tank space

Flyfisher · Post by **Flyfisher** » 30 May 2012, 15:25

Hi Richard,
Yes, I really like these. Are you going to give them lots of plants? I'm thinking of getting a stack of vallis for my next otto group to get lost in.
My theory on ottos is no matter what food we give them, there's nothing they like more than algae.
I got my zebra onto peppers but I keep meaning to leave smooth stones in a shallow dish of tankwater on the window sill to get them all slimed up for feeding ottos.
I think with barbatus that will be a nice combination. Oh, and some tiny tetras

Gavin

Mike_Noren · Post by **Mike_Noren** » 30 May 2012, 21:25

Oh, what a wonderful find! Allegedly they're not too difficult to breed, so here's hoping you can get a little colony going!

May I be so rude as to ask how much you paid for them?

wrasse · Post by **wrasse** » 31 May 2012, 08:27

@ Matt30 - they might stand normal tropical temps Matt, I don't know.
They might need a cooler seasonal tank.
Once they are fattened up and a bit bigger they will certainly get regular cool water changes which I think will suit them.
One thing is fairly certain... at this size (and being new) they cannot compete with other fish.

@ Gavin - they have some anubias in there, but I'm not doing a planted tank as such. That's more your cuppa tea I know.
I have some slate pieces in water outside to grow algae on, so their diet will be supplemented with a regular supply. They are eating well though.

@ Mike - you are right, they have been bred. I know the guys at Bolton Aquarium have bred them before.
The Aky are £15

It's actually not a bad price for a fish so rarely seen in the trade. And good reason for a little extra tlc at this stage.

The.Dark.One · Post by **The.Dark.One** » 31 May 2012, 09:13

This was taken at Pier, as they were settling in

Mike_Noren · Post by **Mike_Noren** » 31 May 2012, 10:30

wrasse wrote:@ Mike - you are right, they have been bred. I know the guys at Bolton Aquarium have bred them before.
The Aky are £15 It's actually not a bad price for a fish so rarely seen in the trade. And good reason for a little extra tlc at this stage.

I'd consider that cheap, that's not much more than one'd pay for an Otocinclus cocama and the aky is much rarer (and if one can breed them they're doubtless easy to sell).

Based on my experience with other argentinian fish (e.g. O. arnoldi, Corydoras hastatus, Callichthys callichthys, Apistogramma borelli & trifasciata...), I would not expect aky to be very sensitive to normal aquarium temperatures.

bigbird · Post by **bigbird** » 31 May 2012, 11:22

wow they are stunning. good luck cheers jk

Vlacek · Post by **Vlacek** » 08 Jun 2012, 14:49

Congrats to new fellows! The day I saw their photo for the first time, they jumped onto top of my list fish to get. But it's more like dream as I haven't heard anyone ever had or seen these around here

Good luck with them!

BTW - got my o.cocama for almost 15pounds too so I'd not consider it a bad price at all, besides o.cocama are not so stunning as I first thought while aky is simply very different

wrasse · Post by **wrasse** » 08 Jun 2012, 15:36

Thanks Vlacek and JK.

They are doing very well. Were a bit skinny but they have eaten well from the start and now look good.

Vlacek wrote:while aky is simply very different

I agree. Not many animals are truly GREEN. I don't mean olive, but bright emerald/leaf green.
I can think of a few... emerald tree boa, green basilisk, quetzal, wild budgerigar, some of the parrot family, shield bug, green mantis, grasshopper.
No mammals? Tree sloth is sort of green... it's back covered in algae.
Any more?
Even amongst marine fish I'm struggling... certain parrot fish maybe.

- Richard