Fattening up Otocinclus?

[GekkoGeck0]

I recently purchased one Otocinclus for my 10 gallon dwarf puffer tank.

He's rather thin and I'm hoping to fatten him up. What are the best foods to feed? There are plenty of diatoms in the tank, and I'm feeding blanched zucchini every day, which he nibbles on, but it doesn't really look like he's taking chunks out of it.

Anyone have any advice?

[B-2]

You should get at least one more otocinclus. They love to be in groups and can get very lonely when left alone. I had 3 otos but 2 of them died recently. Now the one remaining is not as active as it used to be. They were always swimming around together but my oto usually just sits around now. I am hoping to buy some more otos very soon. As for feeding, they don't seem to eat very much. They probably find most of their food on plants, rocks, driftwood, and anything else algae will grow on. They will also eat algae wafers and other fish foods. They probably could not live on blanched zucchini alone, so feeding him a variety is the best thing. Also, many otos die in the first week you have them for seemingly no reason at all. So don't get too discouraged if some die. Good luck with your oto.

P.S. If the pet store told you, 1 oto for every 10 gallons, it does not mean you can't keep more than one oto in a ten gallon tank. Also, the pet stores are wrong most of the time and don't seem to know much about fish (especially the ones with more of other animals than aquariums).

[GekkoGeck0]

You should get at least one more otocinclus. They love to be in groups and can get very lonely when left alone.

He was alone at the LFS, aside from this other otocinclus shaped fish that looked almost like it had blisters? I wasn't too sure if that was the natural skin of the fish or if he was ill, but my oto looked alright.

I had 3 otos but 2 of them died recently. Now the one remaining is not as active as it used to be. They were always swimming around together but my oto usually just sits around now.

Very much unlike mine; he/she is everywhere, investigating surfaces for bits of this and that.

As for feeding, they don't seem to eat very much. They probably find most of their food on plants, rocks, driftwood, and anything else algae will grow on.

That's part of my concern, he has eaten some of the diatom algae (on the plants in particular)but a good portion of the diatoms on the glass haven't been touched.

I have no other kind of algae, just diatoms.

They will also eat algae wafers and other fish foods. They probably could not live on blanched zucchini alone, so feeding him a variety is the best thing.

I'm planning to pick up lots more veggies when I go grocery shopping in a few days. The zucchini is just for now.

Also, many otos die in the first week you have them for seemingly no reason at all. So don't get too discouraged if some die. Good luck with your oto.

I'm resisting naming him for that very reason, especially because he is so thin. I hope he pulls through, I am getting rather attached.

P.S. If the pet store told you, 1 oto for every 10 gallons, it does not mean you can't keep more than one oto in a ten gallon tank. Also, the pet stores are wrong most of the time and don't seem to know much about fish (especially the ones with more of other animals than aquariums).

No, I'm just trying to keep my bioload down. Puffers are messy, messy fish and I'm making an attempt not to overstock, especially considering I am going to give one or two amano/cherry/ghost shrimp a try in the future, as an additional clean up crew. If the shrimp don't work (they might end up as a snack bar for the puffers) then I will probably get another oto for company.

I generally don't listen to the LFS, I tend more to get into arguments with them. I did, however, ask what they were feeding their otocinclus. Apparently they think fish don't need to be fed, because otos at this shop get nothing, and the tank he was in was clean as a whistle.

[4zap]

I recently purchased one Otocinclus for my 10 gallon dwarf puffer tank.

He's rather thin and I'm hoping to fatten him up. What are the best foods to feed? There are plenty of diatoms in the tank, and I'm feeding blanched zucchini every day, which he nibbles on, but it doesn't really look like he's taking chunks out of it.

Anyone have any advice?

Hi

Otocinclus are really weakly when they are fresh imported. They need lot's of animal proteins the first time. I give artemia (salt cancers) and frozen water-flee and Cyclops (it's the right translation?) the first time.

[racoll]

I would be wary to feed ottos algae wafers on a long term basis. Most "algae" wafers are between 30% and 40% protein, which is way too much for a vegetarian fish. Too much protein can cause bloat and digestive problems. Algae wafers are better for omnivores like Peckoltia and Baryancistrus.

As 4zap said though, they are a great "perk up" food for weak fish.

I feed my ottos spring greens or kale. I freeze it and put a new leaf in when they've nearly finished the last one. It needs to be in the tank for about 2 or three days to soften before they start to eat it though.

[GekkoGeck0]

I would be wary to feed ottos algae wafers on a long term basis. Most "algae" wafers are between 30% and 40% protein, which is way too much for a vegetarian fish. Too much protein can cause bloat and digestive problems. Algae wafers are better for omnivores like Peckoltia and Baryancistrus.

As 4zap said though, they are a great "perk up" food for weak fish.

Are Hikari brand wafers good for a perk up?

He doesn't touch the other sources of protein in the tank. I know I have some cyclops actually breeding in the tank (saw a few under a magnifying glass), but they're so tiny I don't know if he's consuming them or not. He won't eat bloodworms, which is what I'm feeding my puffers.

I feed my ottos spring greens or kale. I freeze it and put a new leaf in when they've nearly finished the last one. It needs to be in the tank for about 2 or three days to soften before they start to eat it though.

I blanch it in boiling water until it will sink, it's pretty soft by that point, I can squish it in my fingers with slight pressure. He still doesn't take chunks out of it, and he only seems to nibble on it when he bumps into it, he never goes to it of his own accord.

So basically any dark green veggie is good for them? What are the best 3 or 4 different veggies to choose to get him into good condition?

[B-2]

Of course algae wafers are not the best food to feed forever (variety is the spice of life ). I only give my pleco an algae wafer on Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday. I think Hikari is a fine brand to buy, but it tends to be more expensive since it is a brand name. Yams/sweet potatoes are a good food to feed. My fish went crazy for it the first time they got it. (actually they will eat any food I give them ). Peas are also a favorite food of many fish. I perfer to feed the frozen ones (the canned ones are too squishy). I take the shell off the pea before feeding because the fish only seem to like the inside.

[MatsP]

I use Hikari algae wafers for my bristlenoses - not every day or anything, but a couple of times a week or so.

It may be that you're actually blanching it too much - it gets too soft and mushy (and lots of it's nutrients go out with the boling water). Stick a teaspoon or tie a rubber band around the veg and a suitable size rock to make it sink.

Make sure you remove anything that hasn't been eaten for 24 hours.

More feeding ideas in my article. Use the ideas in "Herbivore" food.

--
Mats

[Mike_Noren]

Make sure you remove anything that hasn't been eaten for 24 hours.

IME this does not hold for Otocinclus. They don't even touch the veggies until they've been in the water for 24 hours and start going soft and mushy.

[4zap]

Make sure you remove anything that hasn't been eaten for 24 hours.

IME this does not hold for Otocinclus. They don't even touch the veggies until they've been in the water for 24 hours and start going soft and mushy.

Yes, that's right! A few salads or fresh spinace are only get eaten when its under water for at least 24h. Otocinclus dont like it to "fresh" ;o)

[Beersnob]

I've had success with the zuchinni but make sure it isn't floating on the surface or they'll never get it. Peas did not work for me, but even more affordable is seaweed. I have been using sushi grade seaweed for this sized about 4 by 1 inch and clip it to the wall of the aquarium.

Is this a new tank? If so, you should think about "helping" the algae so that there is a "food-source for the ottos! I've noticed that ottos die quickly when the following occurs:

1. big predatory fish - and the otto is eaten
2. more agressive fish - ottos are intimidated
3. not enough algae - ottos starve
4. ottos lonely
5. LFS is in business for the "money" and not for the "hobby." Anotherwords you could be getting poor quality fish from your LFS. This could be a combination of distributors and shipping from South america.

I went through a streak over 6 months where I kept losing the ottos. I started leaving the light on overnight to "grow the algae" and had some success. I have some ottos that are pushing 3 years old now, but I'm not sure of their lifespan.

Thanks,

Scott

[GekkoGeck0]

I've had success with the zuchinni but make sure it isn't floating on the surface or they'll never get it. Peas did not work for me, but even more affordable is seaweed. I have been using sushi grade seaweed for this sized about 4 by 1 inch and clip it to the wall of the aquarium.

I started freezing the zucchini instead of boiling it. It sinks once it's unfrozen, but it's still buoyant and gets kicked up easy when disturbed by wiggly fish or current.

I'm tying it with fishing line to a small pebble.

I believe that stuff is called nori, right? I'm trying to find out where I can get some of it.

Is this a new tank? If so, you should think about "helping" the algae so that there is a "food-source for the ottos!

It's been running since September. I have diatoms and blue-green algae, and I'm trying to get rid of the BGA, so I can't leave the lights on. Nothing eats BGA.

Plenty of diatoms to feast on, though. Even when I was cleaning them off prior to the oto, they'd cover surfaces again within a few days.

3. not enough algae - ottos starve

There's enough diatoms, but he doesn't seem to want them. He spends a lot of time on the driftwood. They're increasing, not decreasing.

4. ottos lonely

That's possible. I'm looking into maybe getting another one.

5. LFS is in business for the "money" and not for the "hobby." Anotherwords you could be getting poor quality fish from your LFS. This could be a combination of distributors and shipping from South america.

The LFS that I got him from seems to enjoy the hobby, but they're vastly misinformed. They think otos eat algae and therefore do not need to be supplimented if there is no algae... Not to mention other issues, unrelated to otocinclus and other cats.

I could go to the big box LFS that has more knowledge, but they treat their fish poorly. Ich goes untreated, they sell sick fish...

[racoll]

Make sure you remove anything that hasn't been eaten for 24 hours.
IME this does not hold for Otocinclus. They don't even touch the veggies until they've been in the water for 24 hours and start going soft and mushy.


Yes, that's right! A few salads or fresh spinace are only get eaten when its under water for at least 24h. Otocinclus dont like it to "fresh" ;o)

This is what i've observed too

[GekkoGeck0]

Update: The oto is so emaciated that I'm pretty certain he's not going to make it.

He doesn't eat diatoms, nor zucchini or anything else that I can see. He just hangs out in random places and sits there, doing nothing.

Is there anything I can do? Or should I be faced with the fact that I will probably have to replace him?

[MatsP]

Lets start with the basics - what's your water quality:
nitrate (NO3), nitrite(NO2), ammonia(NH3/NH4)?

What's the temperature?

What's the oxygen levels (ok, so you may not be able to MEASURE this, but what are you doing to keep them up?)

Algae growth - whether diatoms or otherwise - is an indication of a lot of light and a lot of nutrients - nitrate is one of them. High nitrate levels (and worse yet, high levels of nitrite) will prevent the fish from absorbing oxygen from the water, and this will make the fishs' metabolic rate go down, which in turn causes it to not eat.

If you haven't got a test-kit for the above pollutants, take a water sample to your LFS and have them test it. Make sure you get the NUMBERS as the results from the tests, not just a "It's fine" or "it's bad" - Depending on the standards in the fish-shop, they may have different ideas of what's good an not. You should be able to buy a test-kit for about USD 40 or so - a lot of money perhaps, but it's well worth it for checking if there's something up with the water.

--
Mats

[GekkoGeck0]

Lets start with the basics - what's your water quality:
nitrate (NO3), nitrite(NO2), ammonia(NH3/NH4)?

NH3/4: 0
NO2: 0
NO3: about 10ppm, give or take 2ppm. (Test kit scale is a little harder to read at the lower levels)

What's the temperature?

84 degrees Fahrenheit. I'm treating ich right now. Heat and salt method. I'm halfway through the 10 day treatment.

What's the oxygen levels (ok, so you may not be able to MEASURE this, but what are you doing to keep them up?)

Not entirely sure, but my other fish certainly aren't acting strange or gasping at the surface, which would tip me off right away that the levels are too low. Everyone's fine, eating like pigs... Except the oto.

My HOB makes a good deal of surface agitation.

I have an emergency air pump and airstone that I don't like to use if I don't have to, seeing as this is a planted tank and I don't really want to drive off CO2.

Algae growth - whether diatoms or otherwise - is an indication of a lot of light and a lot of nutrients - nitrate is one of them. High nitrate levels (and worse yet, high levels of nitrite) will prevent the fish from absorbing oxygen from the water, and this will make the fishs' metabolic rate go down, which in turn causes it to not eat.

In my experience, and from what I have read, diatoms are caused by excess silicates in the water column and tend to always show up in newer planted tanks.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/foru ... view&id=10

Before I had plants in the tank and when I was maintaining nitrate levels extremely close to 0, I had diatoms and blue-green algae. I let the nitrates creep back up to 5 to 10 ppm and the BGA disappeared. It didn't affect the diatom growth rate.

My nitrates never go above 20ppm, I do 50% water changes every week. Usually they go from 5 to 10ppm, depending when I change the water.

[MatsP]

I would say that high temps are a problem with Oto's. They generally live in areas with flowing, relatively cool water. Salt isn't gonna do them any good either.

So you may well be treating the Ich and causing the fish stress in other ways...

--
Mats

[GekkoGeck0]

I would say that high temps are a problem with Oto's. They generally live in areas with flowing, relatively cool water. Salt isn't gonna do them any good either.

So you may well be treating the Ich and causing the fish stress in other ways...

The oto in question died a few days ago. There wasn't much left of him, he was entirely emaciated.

I have two other otos now that are doing beautifully, and the salt is about ready to be stripped out of the tank. I've lowered the temperature as well, it's about 78-79F. They're feasting on the thick coatings of diatoms on my plants and nibbling on cucumber. They don't seem to like nori or zucchini, but that just may be because they prefer the diatoms.

However, I was reading something to the contrary about high temperatures being detrimental to Otocinclus:

Understanding habitats

To quote:

"Given the slack current and shallow waters in these environments, they are also noticeably warmer than the main river and the water temperature can easily rise to the mid-90s (although this temperature is not recommended for the home aquarium). Amongst the leaves hide banjo cats, small auchenipterids, Otocinclus, and Rineloricaria."

Doesn't this suggest that temperatures in the low 80s wouldn't cause them particular stress?

[Kana3]

Otocinclus are great! Aren't they?

I'll never forget my Hockey-Stick Tetras mistaking an Oto for one of their own, and schooling around after the little bugger as he tried to out-manoeuvre them. Then again, I also had a Rummy-Nose that schooled with my Cory's. Say's a lot for Tetra's, doesn't it?

I popped five Otocinclus in a six month established 250l tank two years back (would love to have a vast number, but they're too bloody expensive down here!). Tank is 27*c, I understand our water supply is on the soft side. I use CO2, so acidity may be up a tad.

Have never seen them take any interest in any regular food. They've always seemed satisfied with what they find on the glass, and the leaves of plants - especially the broad leaves of Sword Plants.

Have noted that they never seem to be that far apart from one another when you care to take a careful look. And if one darts to the far end of the tank, you can be sure the others will follow shortly.

I'm down to two now (will replentish when new Aquarium stock is available), but I have noticed that they're not as active, nor do I see them as often.

My feeling would be if your other fish are still perky, it may be the 'comfort in numbers' aspect.

Cheers!

[WhitePine]

I actually feed my ottos crushed up Wardley's algea wafers every few days as a suppliment. I sprinkle it over some swordplants and the ottos clean it up. The Wardleys first and main ingrediant is spirilina algea. I usually buy about 6 ottos at a time as they seem to be fragil at first... but once they have established themselves they seem to live quite awhile.

Cheers, Whitepine