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I'm planning a 20 gallon soft-ish water planted tank, and can't have snails as algae eaters. I would love to know more about them (besides the fact that the ones at chain stores can't be trusted). Some basic questions I've thought of so far:

They need groups, so is 6 a good number, or should I raise that?

I know that there have been reports, but has anybody here bred them? Raised juveniles?

What do they eat, really? Aufwuchs? What kinds of algae? Should I add leaves to grow a film for the Otos to munch on?

What parasites/infections are normally associated with Otocinclus spp. , and how do you get rid of them?

Where is a good place to buy them store-wise? Petsmart or Petco, Liveaquaria? Aquabid?

Teach me everything please!! Post links, personal experiences, quotes from books, etc. Thank you!!

Teach me everything please!! Post links, personal experiences, quotes from books, etc. Thank you!!

You need to do a thorough site and forum search first. These questions will be answered simply by spending a few hours searching and reading.

Here, I'll get you started .
There's even a handy link on that page to search the site for more info. Happy hunting!

All right, did a forum search, under the Husbandry&Reproduction:Loricariidae subforum, and still have the following questions:

I searched "otocinclus infection" "otocinclus parasite" and "otocinclus worm" and nothing popped up on the topic of infections, bacterial, viral, or parasitic. So are there any infections commonly associated with Otocinclus? Do I treat prophylactically for parasites and bacteria, or what?

There was a topic about the fauna of Otocinclus guts dying off due to starvation on recently shipped in fish. Is there a way to repopulate this gut fauna?

If you're just searching the forum section, you're going to miss stuff.

Did you read:

http://www.planetcatfish.com/shanesworl ... d+aquarium

Jools

Jools, I also read that as well, but thanks anyways! At your suggestion, I did a full site search, and looked at all the links pertaining to 'Otocinclus'. Again, the same questions don't seem to have answers, and others have popped up as I've read.

When I get the Otocinclus in, do I prophylactically treat for parasites/infections? I haven't found any reports of them dying due to parasites, so I think that this is a no...

Is there a way to repopulate gut fauna in Otocinclus that have had their gut fauna die off? I'm still quite confused on this subject. The only thing I can link this to, would be bacteria that ferment cellulose in ruminants. Is this similar or different to that process?

I've also been thinking of raising the number of Otocinclus to 7, in order to add for more schooling. Would a planted 20 high be able to cope with this number by providing multiple grazing opportunities as well as what I feed? Should I make it a ratio of 3 F:4 M if the fish are sexable?

Speaking of feeding, it seems that most people have to feed vegetables or nori, as the Otocinclus are not equipped to eat off of wafers. Does the normal recommendation of feeding dark leafy greens like spinach over pale greens like iceberg lettuce still apply?

ichthyogeek, I applaud that you are asking questions and learning, but perhaps you are overthinking this a little? I know from experience that my fishkeeping got a lot better and relaxing once I stopped overthinking. So, in answer to your questions:

do I prophylactically treat for parasites/infections?

I would not bother if they are looking healthy when you buy them, and the fish in the same store generally look healthy. Quarantine is always a good idea though.

Is there a way to repopulate gut fauna in Otocinclus that have had their gut fauna die off?

No idea. If they are fat and healthy, they will eat and they will thrive. If not, they won't last long. Sickly fish will be obvious in the shop. They will be the thin individuals that do not move and are not interested in food. You buy online and you take your chances with this, although having said that, perhaps dedicated online stores and private vendors may take better care of their stock that a chain store.

I've also been thinking of raising the number of Otocinclus to 7, in order to add for more schooling. Would a planted 20 high be able to cope with this number

As with any shoaling fish, the more you have the better. The upper limit will depend on the biological capacity of your system. I would add more than 7 to your 20 high, but you don't state what your other stocking will be.

Should I make it a ratio of 3 F:4 M if the fish are sexable?

Doesn't matter. Just buy a bunch and you will have males and females.

Does the normal recommendation of feeding dark leafy greens like spinach over pale greens like iceberg lettuce still apply?

Yes, spinach is a good food for them. Remember that they prefer it once it starts going a bit yellow, mushy and bad, which is usually only after about 24 hours in the tank. Can try other vegetables too, as well as the occasional algae wafer.

Teach me everything please!! Post links, personal experiences,

Remember to also keep the water nice and warm for them. About 27C+ (80F+) is good.

racoll, thank you! I've had bad experiences with this fish in the past, and decided that before I bought any more, that I would learn as much as I could about them, just to be on the safe side.

In regards to the tankmates, I plan on adding Corydoras pygmaeus (9), and Danio tinwini (8) along with cherry shrimp. The tank will have DIY trickle filtration to make sure that bioload is not a problem. There will be Cryptocyrne undulatus, Pogostemon helferi, Nymphoides aquaticus, and maybe a few Aponogeton bulbs in the tank to help suck up the nitrates produced.

I also forgot to mention this. I saw that some fish can be taught by other species to eat certain foods, so could I add a Siamese Algae eater to help them get used to vegetables since it's a conspecific that the Otocinclus might follow to find a good source of food?

I would not keep Danio tinwini in the same tank. They will require much cooler water at around 70F.

The Siamese Algae eater is also a bad idea, as these will dramatically out-compete the otos for food.

Interesting, with all due respect (which is quite a lot), seriouslyfish.com says that reports of the region that D. tinwini hail from, range from 60-80 F.

As for the SAE, it would only be a temporary addition, just long enough to get the otos to realize that vegetables are good for them, then it would get put right back into the 55 gallon it currently calls home. Unless you mean that one SAE can eat a spinach leaf or zucchini slice faster than Otos realize that food has arrived... Is this still a bad idea?

seriouslyfish.com says that reports of the region that D. tinwini hail from, range from 60-80 F.

Yes, that is the seasonal range, but if you keep them at their maximum summer temperature long-term, they will not live very long at all. I have seen the difference with some danios i bred myself; the ones in the warm water barely lasted 6 months.

As for the SAE, it would only be a temporary addition, just long enough to get the otos to realize that vegetables are good for them

Otos can find food on their own. They don't need any help.