I too am new to the hobby and wish I knew how many different species of otos were available. I originally bought 5 wild caught. Love them to pieces then I went into a store and saw 1 lonely oto and thought I will take you home and give you friends. Well they are friends however it’s a different and smaller oto. Hopefully I will find more like him.
Mine don't seem to care about being different species, they hang out together all the time, even had them try to cross breed. Most have very similar care requirements anyway!
Thank you. He does hang out with the others sometimes but he likes to be all over the tank the wild caught like to hang out in the back under the heater or behind the sponge filter. Until the blue light is on then they all enjoy the whole tank.
Thank you for sharing this information. I love my little Otto. It’s in my betta tank and they are good friends and get along very well. Sometimes I see them swimming together. I want to get some for my community tank but they’re all out in my neighborhood. I love them bc they’re so cute and friendly ❤
I noticed if I keep my blue lights on for 90 min a night I get more algae that the otos enjoy. I don’t mind the look of algae and I know they are eating well. I also feed them northfin kelp wafers but really only 2 of my 6 otos eat them the other 4 just clean the snail shell while the snail eats the wafer.
the biggest issue I have with otos is that they eat slower than my pest bladder snails. If i try and feed the otos, I will almost always get a huge bladder snail population boom. Hoping to get a bunch of assassin snails to combat the issue.Other than that though, otos are some of my favourite fish cause they're so darn cute!
Assassin snails definitely helped me and I breed them now! I keep snails with my otos, never had issues with others like ramshorns or Malaysian trumpets taking food before the otos either, but a couple assassins keep the population in check
I put one Assassin in my 36 gallon to keep the tiny snails that came in my tank from plants. I don’t want to end up with too many assassins , it is keeping the tiny snails in check. I now dip my new plants with some RO water with hydrogen peroxide. Wash all the plant roots and carefully pull the plants apart that come in a group, before dipping. There’s info out there of the exact ratio of peroxide to water. It also kills black beard algae dipping the plants after rinsing as many tiny snails off as possible. I manually remove any snails on the glass at the top of the tank, when you first see them in the morning. I have kept Ottos. They don’t have a long life expectancy in home aquariums when purchased from local fish store. They can be available all the time, then can’t get them for months and months. Especially after 2020 lock down. It really affected the fish hobby. This year we are getting more of the fish back that we’re unavailable. I shop in Indiana at a fish shop that’s been in business since 1965. I’ve been happy with their knowledgeable staff, and wide assortment of fish. The big box pet shops have put a lot of our private pet shops that had aquarium sections out of business since they all started spreading across the U.S. it’s nice to be able to trade with Fish Keepers that learn how to breed . Enjoy your new tanks everyone.
@@bentleytelles7295 Thanks! I ended up getting assassin snails a while back and they've worked wonders for me! I'll keep loaches in mind though since they'll definitely work better for some of my other scapes
I have struggled with this as well. I've had regular Otos, Paraotocinclus Hardoldoi, and Hypoptopoma Gulare (giant Otos). Sadly all have starved over the long run because my pest ramshorns and Neocaridina shrimp (basically pests at this point) never allow them to eat. The Paraotocinclus are the best so far as they actually push shrimp aside for food and they will eat flakes that hit the bottom. I've tried every type of food, and they get food some days, but over the long run (months) I just can't keep them fed in a tank with snails and shrimp. I wish I knew how to beat this problem, but I won't be trying Otos in any tanks with inverts in the future.
I just bought five today and lost one in the first half hour in my chain but it was skinny as a match or a toothpick so I think it was mouth and nursed and weak. The others seem to be doing well. I’m excited they’re cute and interesting to watch.
That's sadly common with otos being wild caught, probably hadn't eaten since being caught. Hopefully you can get a replacement, but good luck with your others! Definitely a top five fish for me, seeing them all together at food time is adorable
i just got four otos and they r very hyper😄 I got them for cleaners but they’re so personable that I actually really love them. They were skinny as a rail when I got them, but they’re already fattening up…in two days..like twice the thickness. They eat and then follow the Coryadoras everywhere. Would you be surprised to know I found my blue dwarf gourami eating hair type algae.. just munching away😀? Yours look great❤️
Congrats! New Otos can be really scrawny at first and be a problem, glad they're taking to food for you! Gouramis never cease to surprise me, small gouramis are great centrepiece fish and I love they're quirky personalities!
@@freeshrimp I lucked out with a friendly gourami. He likes the two female bettas in his tank and is a good boy with them😊 I do love the otos. They are more personable than I thought they’d be.
Mine like to go into the back from time to time, so there are weeks where it looks like I've got no otos, then other days all 7 school around. I've got honey Gourami in with mine currently, with a very protective father Gourami that doesn't bother otos at all
Being wild caught fish, lots of them tend to not make it when you bring them home. Lots of soft algae and an established tank helps a lot. Luckily mine took wafers quite easily but not all can make the switch to processed food.
Thanks for making the point that fish in aquariums are totally vulnerable to our care . They do live in an unnatural environment in our homes. We should try to replicate as much as possible the animals natural habits and needs, this goes for all animals, dogs cats birds horses chickens or whatever else you MAKE live with you for your needs. They only have one life, let’s make it good.
Yes! I completely agree. While the critters will still live in other setups, recreating a natural habitat for them will help them thrive and you'll get to see much more of their natural behaviors!
I can't speak for all tetras, but in general yes! I've got ember tetras, and have also kept with emperor tetra and neon tetra with no issues at all. Otos are very friendly, and most tetras wont bother them either!
On average it should be 3-5 years. I've had my first oto (Pingu) for just about 3 years now and he's still doing great. Keep in mind that being wild caught, the age of the fish sold in stores will vary greatly and it's possible to get a fish that's already quite mature.
Yes they can be. Most (if not all) are wild caught and can't always adjust to life in an aquarium and processed foods. Best bet is adding them to a mature tank with plenty of live plants. This will give them a better chance of finding algae and biofilm until they will accept other foods.
I too am new to the hobby and wish I knew how many different species of otos were available. I originally bought 5 wild caught. Love them to pieces then I went into a store and saw 1 lonely oto and thought I will take you home and give you friends. Well they are friends however it’s a different and smaller oto. Hopefully I will find more like him.
Mine don't seem to care about being different species, they hang out together all the time, even had them try to cross breed. Most have very similar care requirements anyway!
Thank you. He does hang out with the others sometimes but he likes to be all over the tank the wild caught like to hang out in the back under the heater or behind the sponge filter. Until the blue light is on then they all enjoy the whole tank.
I Love OTOS. GOD BLESS YOU MR FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING. You’re a good Hearted Person. Life is BEAUTIFUL 🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this information. I love my little Otto. It’s in my betta tank and they are good friends and get along very well. Sometimes I see them swimming together. I want to get some for my community tank but they’re all out in my neighborhood. I love them bc they’re so cute and friendly ❤
Aw! I love watching otos swim along. They're adorable. Good luck in getting more! They're even more fun to watch in groups.
I'd love to hear more about their spawning - so cute!
I noticed if I keep my blue lights on for 90 min a night I get more algae that the otos enjoy. I don’t mind the look of algae and I know they are eating well. I also feed them northfin kelp wafers but really only 2 of my 6 otos eat them the other 4 just clean the snail shell while the snail eats the wafer.
One of my favorite fish too. Great for nano tanks.
the biggest issue I have with otos is that they eat slower than my pest bladder snails. If i try and feed the otos, I will almost always get a huge bladder snail population boom. Hoping to get a bunch of assassin snails to combat the issue.Other than that though, otos are some of my favourite fish cause they're so darn cute!
Assassin snails definitely helped me and I breed them now! I keep snails with my otos, never had issues with others like ramshorns or Malaysian trumpets taking food before the otos either, but a couple assassins keep the population in check
I put one Assassin in my 36 gallon to keep the tiny snails that came in my tank from plants. I don’t want to end up with too many assassins , it is keeping the tiny snails in check. I now dip my new plants with some RO water with hydrogen peroxide. Wash all the plant roots and carefully pull the plants apart that come in a group, before dipping. There’s info out there of the exact ratio of peroxide to water. It also kills black beard algae dipping the plants after rinsing as many tiny snails off as possible. I manually remove any snails on the glass at the top of the tank, when you first see them in the morning. I have kept Ottos. They don’t have a long life expectancy in home aquariums when purchased from local fish store. They can be available all the time, then can’t get them for months and months. Especially after 2020 lock down. It really affected the fish hobby. This year we are getting more of the fish back that we’re unavailable. I shop in Indiana at a fish shop that’s been in business since 1965. I’ve been happy with their knowledgeable staff, and wide assortment of fish. The big box pet shops have put a lot of our private pet shops that had aquarium sections out of business since they all started spreading across the U.S. it’s nice to be able to trade with Fish Keepers that learn how to breed . Enjoy your new tanks everyone.
Try loaches to get rid of the snails
@@bentleytelles7295 Thanks! I ended up getting assassin snails a while back and they've worked wonders for me! I'll keep loaches in mind though since they'll definitely work better for some of my other scapes
I have struggled with this as well. I've had regular Otos, Paraotocinclus Hardoldoi, and Hypoptopoma Gulare (giant Otos). Sadly all have starved over the long run because my pest ramshorns and Neocaridina shrimp (basically pests at this point) never allow them to eat. The Paraotocinclus are the best so far as they actually push shrimp aside for food and they will eat flakes that hit the bottom. I've tried every type of food, and they get food some days, but over the long run (months) I just can't keep them fed in a tank with snails and shrimp. I wish I knew how to beat this problem, but I won't be trying Otos in any tanks with inverts in the future.
I just bought five today and lost one in the first half hour in my chain but it was skinny as a match or a toothpick so I think it was mouth and nursed and weak. The others seem to be doing well. I’m excited they’re cute and interesting to watch.
That's sadly common with otos being wild caught, probably hadn't eaten since being caught. Hopefully you can get a replacement, but good luck with your others! Definitely a top five fish for me, seeing them all together at food time is adorable
Thanks for this rare information ❤
They're so cute 😊
Blanched sugar snap pea pods. They are all over them plus the pea pods make comfy "hammocks".
I don't know why I never thought to try those, I'll have to pick up some more now!
Nice footage! Well narrated too :)
i just got four otos and they r very hyper😄 I got them for cleaners but they’re so personable that I actually really love them. They were skinny as a rail when I got them, but they’re already fattening up…in two days..like twice the thickness. They eat and then follow the Coryadoras everywhere. Would you be surprised to know I found my blue dwarf gourami eating hair type algae.. just munching away😀? Yours look great❤️
Congrats! New Otos can be really scrawny at first and be a problem, glad they're taking to food for you! Gouramis never cease to surprise me, small gouramis are great centrepiece fish and I love they're quirky personalities!
@@freeshrimp I lucked out with a friendly gourami. He likes the two female bettas in his tank and is a good boy with them😊 I do love the otos. They are more personable than I thought they’d be.
Mine like to go into the back from time to time, so there are weeks where it looks like I've got no otos, then other days all 7 school around. I've got honey Gourami in with mine currently, with a very protective father Gourami that doesn't bother otos at all
Octocinclus, great fish, nightmare to keep alive. I buy them in fives, and I'm lucky if three survive
Does your tank have enough algae? Enough supplemental food?
Being wild caught fish, lots of them tend to not make it when you bring them home. Lots of soft algae and an established tank helps a lot. Luckily mine took wafers quite easily but not all can make the switch to processed food.
If they die, I would stop buying them in large numbers and look into more care facts. Fish don't die for no reason.
Supposidly doing a large waterchange triggers the spawning
Cold water change to start them spawning
Thanks for making the point that fish in aquariums are totally vulnerable to our care . They do live in an unnatural environment in our homes. We should try to replicate as much as possible the animals natural habits and needs, this goes for all animals, dogs cats birds horses chickens or whatever else you MAKE live with you for your needs. They only have one life, let’s make it good.
Yes! I completely agree. While the critters will still live in other setups, recreating a natural habitat for them will help them thrive and you'll get to see much more of their natural behaviors!
❤❤❤❤👍👍👍👍
I just bought one of those and will get two more. Can I add tetras with these guys?
I can't speak for all tetras, but in general yes! I've got ember tetras, and have also kept with emperor tetra and neon tetra with no issues at all. Otos are very friendly, and most tetras wont bother them either!
Could you tell me what the lifespan of the ottos is thank you.
On average it should be 3-5 years. I've had my first oto (Pingu) for just about 3 years now and he's still doing great. Keep in mind that being wild caught, the age of the fish sold in stores will vary greatly and it's possible to get a fish that's already quite mature.
I can’t keep them alive. Very sensitive fish.
Yes they can be. Most (if not all) are wild caught and can't always adjust to life in an aquarium and processed foods. Best bet is adding them to a mature tank with plenty of live plants. This will give them a better chance of finding algae and biofilm until they will accept other foods.