Parotocinclus sp. "Peru"

[RHX]

But I am still not convinced that algaes are their main source of food.

Comparing with my zebra otos, which are fat & always seen scraping algaes either from the glass or from the plants.

My tiger otos however are always seen scavanging for food at the bottom of the tank. When I've put food at the bottom, they were never seen eating them. Also they are hardy seen either on the plants or on the glass. Don't know why mine behaves differently from others.

By the way, just found another surviving tiger oto. I guess 3 out of 5 survived to this point of time is still not so bad !

Here's my pretty well camoflaged Otos

[Morgan01]

Anyone seen new shipment of either zebra or tiger oto at any lfs of late? I need replenish

[eeeeemo]

haha instead of replenishing, shouldn't we all find a way to breed them??
i am quite sure the shipments of otocinclus cocama are farm bred as they are reported to be easy to breed like otocinclus!

[Quixotic]

Congrats to everyone who's managed to keep these guys alive, perhaps the key to keeping these guys has been found?

Aha, when you mentioned cracking the husbandry of the fish, I was actually expecting it to be a much longer period.

Actually, keeping them alive for a month (or even two) doesn't prove as difficult as one thinks, if they have been acclimatised properly. However keeping them alive for that short period doesn't necessarily mean that they will survive in the long term.

Discounting the initial first deaths upon purchasing them, the losses seem to be occur from the 3rd month onwards, and the longest seem to be around 5 to 6 months (based on the Internet accounts I have read). It may be arguable that their lifespan may just be up to 6 months maximum, but I am not totally convinced.

So there must be some information that we could be lacking. Specific water condition? Specific diet? Specific temperature? Hopefully, we'll be able to find out...

But I am still not convinced that algaes are their main source of food.

Comparing with my zebra otos, which are fat & always seen scraping algaes either from the glass or from the plants.

My tiger otos however are always seen scavanging for food at the bottom of the tank. When I've put food at the bottom, they were never seen eating them. Also they are hardy seen either on the plants or on the glass. Don't know why mine behaves differently from others.

Even for algae eaters, their diet aren't just solely algae itself, they do need some protein based food from time to time. They are likely to eat any food that you throw in your tank, including meat matter, just that it shouldn't be the main diet. Therefore, based on what I have fed and other observations, newly hatched brine shrimp, daphnia or tubifex should be taken readily.

It should be okay to scavenge from the substrate. The algae eaters I have, Otocinclus cocama and Oxyropsis carinata have a habit of doing that.

Anybody game enough to try feeding blanched vegetable in the long run? Would be interested to find out if this would prove to be a determining factor in the long run.

[Panut]

How many are you keeping, Quixotic?

[Quixotic]

That's in the past. I don't have them for this batch and don't intend to keep them anymore. They are on my personal list of fish-to-avoid until:

1. more is known, and/or
2. I am convinced of my own long term commitment of them.

[johannes]

i saw mine eating the hikari algae wafer together with my zebra otos...

[illumnae]

That's in the past. I don't have them for this batch and don't intend to keep them anymore. They are on my personal list of fish-to-avoid until:

1. more is known, and/or
2. I am convinced of my own long term commitment of them.

haha me too Quixotic, though i'm less adventurous and didn't even bother trying once i'm waiting for the breakthrough so that I can learn and keep these cute guys in future. For now, I stick with zebra otos!

[jacian]

I kept mine in 2 separate tank. 1 of the tank got plenty of green spot algae on the glass and can see them busy scraping algaes off the glass and plants.
The other tank I am feeding them with algae wafer, bbs, decap brine shrimp eggs but I do not see them feeding on any of them.

[ranmasatome]

Perhaps it is rotting matter? like leaves and wood? we never seem to have enough of that...
Let me see if i can find them.. then i'll try again.

[celticfish]

You mean like the rotting ketapang leaves in aunties tanks?

[RHX]

I've did that! A ketapang leaf was left in the tank for a week already, but I've yet to see anyone of them munching on it.

Maybe i did not spend more time in front of the tank observing them to notice it.

[ranmasatome]

i mean like old leaves.. or old wood that has been in water so much that you can kind of scrape the wood off easily with your hands.. its kinda like brown diatoms almost.. you know mushy yucky stuff..

[Samuel2618]

i saw mine eating the hikari algae wafer together with my zebra otos...

Mine too.. They are feeding on Hikari Algae Wafer together with all my other fishes.. Actually Not sure if this is true but think they do feed on brown algae too.. Initially before introducing them into the tank.. There were quite an amount of brown algae on my filter.. saw one of the tiger at the filter and the next day.. The filter is free of brown algae..

[Zenislev]

Menn....just found my last piece of tiger oto dead today. It has been in my tank for about a month or so....guess they're really fragile...

[sithspawn]

I bought 2 pcs of them when they first sold in Y618. I kept them in a temporary tank with my dwarf crayfish because my main tank was under treatment for white spot (I rescued the 2 crayfish and a cherry shrimp out of that tank)

The said tank did not have any fltration of any sort and the base was black dennerle sand with no other decor or wood. I must admit that I didn't do regular water changes at all, in fact I;ve only done three 10% water changes so far. Both tigers are still doing fine. Same goes for the 2 dwarf crayfish and a lone cherry shrimp. The only food I feed is that new Sera shrimp food, that silver packaging japanese crs food and hikari crab cuisine.

This tank is my most neglected tank and the tigers are doing fine. Go figure.

[ranmasatome]

Mine that lasted me for about 6mths or so also came from a tank that didn't have filtration..and i hardly did anything to the tank.

[Samuel2618]

Menn....just found my last piece of tiger oto dead today. It has been in my tank for about a month or so....guess they're really fragile...

bro.. take it easy loh.. These fishes are fragile.. But have to admit they are real cute.. keep trying next time..

[RHX]

As of today, 3 of my tiger oto's are still surviving . I've also noticed that they have grown a little bit, maybe a few milimeters.

By now i'm convinced that they are algae eaters. Most of the foods i've thrown into that tank are quickly being eaten by other fishes. They have no what so ever chance of getting to it.

I've also notice, at night most of my otos & plecos will be busy working on cleaning the algae off the glass (Including the tiger otos). So I guess they've got their food supply over there.

Back to the topic of them possibly L229 juveniles. Can any pleco breeders confirm the growth rate of baby plecos? Is growth rate around 2mm in 4 months reasonable?

[Zenislev]

So hows everyone's tiger otos getting along?