Otocinclus breeding tanks

[AdamTill]

Hi folks,

Building on some of the efforts I've seen here and elsewhere, for the last six months or so I've been working towards getting Otocinclus to spawn in my aquariums.

I have two 20Ls set up at the moment, with only otos in both. Both dirt substrate, heavily planted, ph~6.5-7 and very soft water (KH/GH<3).

The high flow tank (the "blue" tank, named for the colour of the antivibration mat it sits on) has only been going for a month or so. Solely huaorani occupants, about 13 at present. Mix of genders and ages, with some juveniles and some fully grown. Substrate has a layer of peat under the sand cap, over the soil mix.





Set up for a circling current around the centre driftwood island, about 300GPH turnover. The otos love this tank, and are much more active than the other one I'll describe. Especially after the weekly water change (25%, RO), they play and jet all over the tank. Their tails are almost always fully spread, which seems a good sign, and they're not at all timid about people going up to view the tank.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3krhUG7dv0M

http://youtu.be/39GuSsiCpRE

On the "green" tank, there are two Aquaclear 50s providing filtration, but no directed current. One filter runs peat and foam, the other biomax and foam. About 20 odd otos, mix of huaorani, vittatus and affinis. Huge range of ages, from really little to fully grown.

This tank has a more densely planted mix, and is over a year old right now. The occupants are quite timid, and dash away at any movement in the room.



http://youtu.be/xslW_3lByTk

I've tried to replicate bio-appropriate water conditions, but so far no spawning. I even use a "rain plate" to deliver the water change water, which is a few degrees cooler than the tank temps (76-77F).

http://youtu.be/GlFNhNZd6go

Both tanks get lots of veggies, which are always polished off within a day or at most two. I supplement with algae rocks which are cultured in another tank.

Any suggestions on what I can do or change? Going to set up another high flow tank, since they seem much happier there. Both tanks rarely have any non-Darwinian losses (ie, oto gets wedged and dies behind filter, in pump, behind plant etc)

[AdamTill]

Sorry, will fix the links tommorow. Can't find the embed YouTube links from the iPad app.

[bekateen]

Hi AdamTill,

You have two very nice tanks and some neat fish. Good luck with your spawning efforts. Alas, I don't often see reports of spawning otos, although I know some people have had success.

Have you read this article? http://www.planetcatfish.com/shanesworl ... cle_id=256

Please keep us updated.

Cheers, Eric

[AdamTill]

Thanks Eric, will do.

I've seen that report, along with the epic thread here by James0816. That one was what inspired me to take this up.

I don't have much issue with keeping otos anymore, and don't have anything like the losses that most people seem to accept go along with keeping them. So yay.

Unfortunately, spawn reports are all over the map in terms of what works and what doesn't. Honestly, it's roughly like throwing darts randomly.

Water:
Some say soft, low pH water is critical for raising fry. High limit seems to be 7.5, which is why 8.2+ tap water around here is out. Peat is used by some, not all. CO2 by some, not all. Low TDS by some, not all. Low KH/GH by some, not all.

Diet:
Some feed some form of animal protein, others all veggie. Some biology studies seemed to indicate that at least some species are obligate herbivores, and no animal protein was found in stomach contents of wild captures.

Flow: most use very moderate flow, but the natural environment of the species I have are generally quite high flow. Heavily planted seems to be a must, and cardamine lyrata comes up a lot, but it's not native to that continent and is a low flow plant.

Most don't seem to notice a particular environmental trigger.

Round and round we go...lol. Good fun in a slightly maddening way.

[AdamTill]

These are also super helpful for fellow otophiles:
http://www.tfhmagazine.com/details/arti ... atfish.htm
http://forums.tfhmagazine.com/viewtopic ... 83&t=13374

The article was available online at one point, now it seems to need a subscription or purchase.

[CharlieM9]

Adam,

Maybe if it is possible to find out where yours were collected from may help? As I imagine otos are found in lots of places, and therefore may be the reason for the different water parameters for different breeding reports. Could help the struggle a little....

[AdamTill]

Good thought, though I can never find out. I always ask, but nobody at the store know more than "from our supplier". Not super helpful lol

[CharlieM9]

Yeah that was what I expected to hear too. Maybe post pics so those good at it can help narrow it down to a specific species that may help narrow the area/water down?

[AdamTill]

I'm actually pretty sure on the species.

These are o.huaoroni, from the separated tail dot, few different ages obviously:




Gold speckling (this isn't a washed out stress colouration) means this fellow and few others like him are likely o.affinis:


Mix of o.huaoroni and o.vittatus (solid tail dot) here, along with an affinis between the two lowermost otos:



The only species that seem markedly different in preference are some folks claiming o.cocama liking a bit of animal protein and lower flow, and o.flexilis which like more of an open tank with sandy bottom. Neither of those here (though I have my name down for any cocama that come in to my local store).

[Jobro]

Did you try some higher CO2 levels, yet? In germany there are reports of spawnings after problems with a CO2-Insertion causing a higher level of CO2 followed by a spawning.

I have no idea what level of CO2 is needed and what is the save maximum for the Otos. But I read this at mulltiple sources now and I'm starting to believe it.
If I had a dedicated Oto tank I would give it a try. Some said they used some soda to start spawning. But no exact numbers to be found, I think they only add very little soda.

I am pretty sure Otos like some carnivorous food as well. They always come around when it's feeding time and eat the pleco wafers in my community tank and they always have big fat bellies.

[bekateen]

Did you try some higher CO2 levels, yet? ... Some said they used some soda to start spawning.

Apparently I know very little about otos because mine always die within 1-4 months of purchase. But to your point of CO2 and soda, whenever I hear that I am always suspicious that the real factor is not the CO2 per se, but the effect it has (acidification) on pH.

But to that point, when you say "soda" do you mean soda as in the soda water (which has carbonic acid and will acidify the aquarium), or do you mean "baking soda," as in the stuff used for cooking, which is sodium bicarbonate and will have an alkalizing affect on the water?

Cheers, Eric

[Jobro]

Sorry, I meant Soda Water. Please do not add baking soda, I guess It could create a terrible mess!

If you are having losses on the Otos It usually has one single reason: the ones you bought were in bad condition!
Those fellows will do just fine on most of the available pleco food. You dont need as much algae as some sources say. They will feast on algae and pleco wafers/tabs, potatoe, zucchini, dried leaves of the Walnut tree etc. I bought my first ones when I was a beginner and added them to a quite new tank. And they did all fine, I lost like 2-3 of 30. But they were in great condition and started eating from day one. They are still in that tank and still all healthy and fine.

On the other hand I ordered some Otos along with other plecos just like 2 Months ago. They were pale, thin, bad condition. They wouldn't start eating. I Placed them in a tank with lot's of algae and I'd say a lot of micro organics. But they wouldn't eat anything. They started getting thinnner and thinner. And they didn't touch potatoe nor zucchini. Most of them died, only some survived. I'am very positive it was due to the bad condition they were in when they arrived.