Hungry Otocinclus

[profquatermass]

Nice looking Otocinclus macrospilus you have there.

BTW, the aerator isn't required. It drives out CO2 and your plants will suffer.

[Sinneahtes]

@profquatermass Thanks! The video's a couple of years old and I think I got rid of the aerator not too long after I filmed it. :) 

[BusaFalconer]

@Sinneahtes This is not a good idea in tanks over 78 degrees and adding salt can make it even more difficult to breathe.

[XxKoNFLicTxX]

sorry for so many comments but i just had an idea. Would you trust a tank bought from eBay or craigslist?

[XxKoNFLicTxX]

Okay well some people said the filter is very loud and the seams aren't properly sealed. I have been looking at fish stuff almost non-stop today, haha. Do you know of any good kits or tanks that i can get that you are familiar with? Thanks!

[Sinneahtes]

@XxKoNFLicTxX Hmm... the 10 and 20 gallon kits I bought were the Tetra/Aqua Culture ones from Walmart or Petco, I think (I'm sure there are 55 gallons available), and for those I just ditched the filters that came with them and use sponge filters. Those have lasted for a couple years now (one of them, I've had since 2007 with no problems). I don't know of any other kits--for the 30 gallon tank I have, I just bought each item separately.

[XxKoNFLicTxX]

@Sinneahtes Why are the prices of the separate tanks so pricey though? It kills me to think about spending 250$ on a just a tank. I don't understand why 6 pieces of glass glued together costs so much. (I am a 14 year old with out a job. But i am looking into one to get my fish hobby started)

[Sinneahtes]

@XxKoNFLicTxX Wish I knew! I know Petco occasionally has a sale where tanks are sold at $1 per gallon--I got my 30 gal tank for $30 that way (but then had to pay regular prices for everything else). I've heard of other people being satisfied with tanks bought from eBay or Craigslist and think it'd be worth a try if you're desperate (but I personally prefer new things for pets). I've also heard of a site called aquabid.com, which is basically an auction site for fish supplies, but never tried it.

[XxKoNFLicTxX]

I am new to fish owning, in fact i dont even have a tank yet. But do i need to not get a filter if i have algae eaters? Wont the filter take away the algae and starve the fish?

[Sinneahtes]

@XxKoNFLicTxX I would definitely recommend a filter--they clean and help oxygenate the water without taking away all the algae, and you can feed your fish algae pellets to make sure they get enough food, too. Good luck with your aquarium!

[XxKoNFLicTxX]

@Sinneahtes Okay, thanks. I was looking for a good tank to start with and i found a starter kit. The top fin 55 gallon starter kit. My friend has also purchased a 55 gallon tank but not a kit, but i want to have the same size as his. Would you recommend this kit to me? Thanks again!

[Sinneahtes]

@XxKoNFLicTxX I'm not familar with the Top Fin Starter Kit--from what I've seen from googling it though, it looks good. You may want to get a different thermometer--apparently strip thermometers aren't all that accurate. (And definitely be sure you have a very strong, sturdy, and level stand or surface to put it on! I once thought a bookshelf looked sturdy enough for my 10 gallon tank, but a few months later it was sagging under the weight of the water.)

No problem!

[XxKoNFLicTxX]

@Sinneahtes So then would i need an aerator?

[Sinneahtes]

@XxKoNFLicTxX An aerator might be a good idea, but depending on the fish you're getting, you can probably get away with not having one. You do want to make sure that there's a lot of water movement on the surface (bubbles from an air pump will help, but even better is the "waterfall" from a filter or something else that creates a splash at the surface)--that's where most of the mixing of air and water happens.

[FeudalMoon]

I love all these kids of sucker fish they eat everything that falls, and i don't have to worry about constant maintenance. own two otos and a massive algae eater

[andreaeatscabbage7]

Is this a zebra oto?

[Sinneahtes]

@andreaeatscabbage7 (Sorry for the late reply) I don't believe these are zebra otos, but I can never remember what they are.

[MInibarJG]

how big is this tank? do the otos really help in cleaning the tank? i want to get them but do u hav to suppliment them with algae wafers?

[MrDmcb123]

did oto eat brown algae ?

[Sinneahtes]

Yup, my otos keep my tank clear of brown algae. This was a relatively new tank when I filmed this video, though.

[fishcrazy104]

he looks really healthy

that is a really loud air pump. Can i suggest the Whisper brand of air pumps much more quite

[Sinneahtes]

Thanks!

This video's a bit old and the air pump I have now is much quieter. But thanks for the suggestion--I'll keep it in mind for the future! :)

[milkarandy]

can teh oto come be together with the betta fish i have them together i have 2 of them with a betta fish and a water snail is this good? the betta doesnt mind but when he sees him he chases him away.. please help.

[Sinneahtes]

I think you can usually keep otos with bettas (assuming the tank is big enough for them all), but it can depend on the individual betta. (Some bettas are just more aggressive than others.) Keep an eye on the otos to make sure they're not getting hurt (giving them some places to hide would probably help as well) and the betta might learn to live peacefully with them, but you might need to have a back-up plan (like an extra tank you can move the otos to) if he doesn't relent after a while.

[SirSteffox]

We have 3 otos with a betta and tetras in a 20 gallon, we chose a betta that was in the tetra tank at petco and seemed to be friendly, and he's working out great. At first he had to establish that he was alpha fish, so he chased the others around, but now he gets along great with everyone. I recommend checking out bettas that have been living with other species.

[jsthgrt]

does it help clean the plants?

[Sinneahtes]

Yup! They're not like, miracle fish that mean you'll never have to clean the tank again, of course, but usually once I add enough otocinclus to a tank, I utterly cease to have algae problems.

[willberb]

@Sinneahtes do they get aggressive with other fish such as guppies and guppy babies? Also do they ever keep you awake at night splashing and calling your name out when your just about to fall asleep? That would piss me off.

[Sinneahtes]

@willberb (Sorry for the extremely late reply) Haha, no. They're not aggressive at all. Every once in a while one will wake me up from dozing off by rushing to the surface and splashing loudly as it gulps some air, though. :P

[Fishy20100]

Hey! it looks like you have a Otocinclus macrospilus. That's why it has the spot near its tail. good find!

[Sinneahtes]

(Late comment, but...) Thanks for the comment! I was wondering what species they were. :)

[Fishy20100]

Your oto is really pretty! Mine don't have that spot near the tail.

[batasushi]

I love otocinclus fish! the are so adorable!

[DLNF]

These guys should NEVER go hungry.

Your tank may be too clean (free of algea) so you need to feed them vegies!

[Sinneahtes]

Thanks for your concern, but my otos do this sort of thing even when there's a nice slice of zucchini or plenty of little algae wafer bits or algae for them in the tank. They don't go hungry, they just *are* hungry.

[DLNF]

Thanks for responding!

Just fed my oto's zuchini an hour ago.

I have five of them in a tank on their own, hoping to get li'll ones :)

[Sinneahtes]

Adorable little critters, aren't they? I love when they all hang out together on the same plant or the same patch of substrate. :)