As a result, they do not get enough food and, eventually, get stressed. Avoid high water flow. Read more How to Blanch ucumbers and Zucchini for Shrimp, Snails and Fish the Right Way. Both of them have a round body that narrows down, reaching their dorsal and anal fins. We highly recommend that you add some to your freshwater tank if you have tank mates that are a good fit. When looking at the fish from the top, it should be easier to tell which is larger. Copeia 2002(4):1063-1069. ), The male and female fish look very similar. This conditioning process means that you should start feeding your fish different types of foods in preparation for breeding. Most importantly, the mating fish should be compatible so that the whole breeding process becomes successful. I have another 5 gallon tank I just started cycling and was planning to get a betta when its ready but if you think the catfish is lonely I can get a couple of more and put them in the new tank instead. Theyre also a joy to watch swim around your aquarium and look great! Its simply based on anecdotal evidence from people who have bred otos in their fish tanks in the past. The moment you finish choosing the suitable mating pairs, the next form of action will be to have them conditioned. As you can see, there are a number of benefits to having Otocinclus in your tank. They usually inhabit small streams or shallow rivers and often associated with densely vegetated waters. They are great against: green spot algae, green dust algae, and diatoms/brown algae. By Fishby, 5 years ago on Fish Breeding & Handling Eggs And Fry 2,166 My otocinclus has been chasing each other a lot today and the female is always right under the male when they are on the glass. . Ammonia levels should be kept at least 3ppm for a week. The Otocinclus have intermediate care needs. Although some people prefer to use a canister filter to get the best filtration. Affiliate Disclosure: AquariumNexus.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. These fish are vertebrates, meaning that their body structure is made up of a row of bones. The male has to fertilize the females eggs normally laid out in small piles across the tank floor. When looking at the top of this fish, a brown speckled pattern is noted. Barely decorated tanks without live plants will be very stressful and unpleasant for Otocinclus. Hai, These are not the easiest fish to breed in captivity, but they can be achieved. Otocinclus catfish are a lot of fun to own. Otos that are too young wont be able to breed. A trick before purchasing these small aquarium catfish from a pet store is to choose fatter fish. . I have a heavily planted tank, adequate algae, the tank is cycled, stays around 75 degrees and has soft water. In the wild, they primarily eat algae and slime (biofilm) that builds up on rocks and plants. As we mentioned in the tank requirements section, its important for owners to provide hiding places in the aquarium so the smaller Otos have a refuge when disturbed by others. Otocinclus Temperature. They have strange behaviors and can often be found lying on their side at the bottom of the tank appearing dead - don't worry this is completely normal behavior for them. The female will lay her eggs in the tank and the male will fertilize them. Below, youll get the information that you need about breeding otos. Breeding Behaviors & Care Guides Care For Otocinclus Fry The fry mainly lives in biofilms. When the fish are ready to mate, you might notice male Otos chasing female ones. Normal snail behavior. Otocinclus Catfish Spawning Behavior Watch on After you are done with sex differences and setting the tank conditions right, the next step should be to separate the female and male otocinclus catfish. The otocinclus catfish is a small freshwater fish that originates from South America. You need some kind of transparent container (large bottle, spare tank, etc.). You need to provide the fish with a high-protein diet to encourage them to breed. Its said that a water temperature of 78.8 degrees Fahrenheit is optimal for breeding these fish. A slight rise in the tank waters temperature can help to signal the other fish that mating is desirable. Most varieties of Otocinclus are small with adults rarely growing more than 2 inches in size. Skittish by nature, Otos will dart for cover if they feel threatened by larger tank mates. Hello, and thanks for visiting Avid Aquarist! Remember to keep the food balanced, and never overfeed your fish. Im new to fishkeeping and a pet store employee told me to purchase this fish as an algae eater for my 5 gallon tank . They should never be placed in a tank with Otocinclus. Male start to chase females. Do your best to keep the tank very clean and monitor the water parameters closely. Otocinclus Size Guide (How Big Do Otos Get?). Otocinclus is a popular aquarium catfish which often feeds on algae. Otocinclus catfish are egg-laying fish. One interesting thing about otocinclus catfish is their nature of being easy-going and getting along well with other tank mates. They have been bred in tanks before, but its not the simplest process. Otocinclus catfish behavior. If you try your best, you just might have success breeding. Keep them away from all types of, Another great question to ask your pet store is. Youll see the fish enter a T-shaped position that signifies that they are mating. Just dont expect that it will be simple since these fish are known to avoid breeding in fish tanks. Hi Merel, Breeding report at thekrib.com Breeding report on planetcatfish.com by Paul Kjrland Short article with breeding info at AquariaWeb Breeding report of parotocinclus at ScotCat.com (may prove useful for otocinclus) Female Otocinclus are wider and larger than the males when observed from above. Before introducing your Otos, your tank should be cycled, fully established, and have algae growth for sustenance. It has a brown or black body with dark spots. Theres a good chance that you have at least one male and one female, but you might not be able to tell the fish apart. Do snails sleep? On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything hes learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium. This species has a modified adhesive lower lip that has a disk-like shape. Michael, Your email address will not be published. Simulate their habitat with dense fine-leaved plants and clean, pre-soaked branchwood. Best Algae Eating Team, You can also read my article Step-by-Step Cycling your Shrimp Aquarium Fishless. Breeding Otocinclus is easy and can be done in an aquarium. Get a bigger tank with enough space. Millie is a passionate aquarist who caught the fishkeeping bug in high school and has been addicted ever since. They are easy to breed and their breeding behavior is most interesting to watch, with the male providing intensive brood care . Then start testing for Nitrates. This is because otocinclus catfish are some of the few species of tank fish that are difficult to breed. The female fish will then swim toward the substrate and look for spots to lay the eggs. Also, they react to changes in their environment easily. Fixing the problems can get your fish back to normal. The players deposit small amounts of eggs by sticking them to the substrate or the glass, but aquarium reproduction is very difficult. Sad fact: Do you know that almost all Otocinclus are wild-caught? When youre ready to try to get the fish to breed, its best to raise the temperature of the water a bit. Yes, they are absolutely safe to keep in planted tanks. Nitrates should be below 40 and water changes can be done to lower the Nitrate levels. Theyre interesting fish to look at and theyre helpful fish to keep in your tank. If you want to breed these fish, its best to approach things very specifically. Once the eggs have been laid, the male otocinclus goes ahead to fertilize them by releasing the sperm onto the laid eggs. In addition, if there are not enough algae in the tank, it can be difficult to keep Otocinclus and Amano shrimp. The Otocinclus is omnivorous with a strong vegetal tendency. They prefer to live near large aquatic plants and grassy shores. The younger fish tend to shadow the alpha, copying their behaviors and movements. They make an awesome community species, but they certainly are not peaceful community fish! You wont regret it! Some of them will if you try your best and give them enough opportunities to eat. . Sexual dimorphism and breeding: Otocinclus is a sheepfish. Be careful with chemicals likecopper (read more). We had a ton of fun putting this one together. As an algae eating-team, they are absolutely awesome but Amano shrimp are voracious algae eaters and in the long run, can starve Otocinclus out. visit: www.fmueller.com! Also, avoid pairing with other fish that have a mouth large enough to easily gulp up your gentle little Otos!. Been studying a keeping records since the first batch of eggs. Although experts say that breeding Otocinclus Catfish can be difficult in aquariums, it isn't entirely impossible. As such, tank conditions, the size, spawning behavior, and breeding environment are essential if you want to have a successful breeding. Algae is gaining a foothold on driftwood in my 29-gal tank because my two Otocinclus spend "light-on" time hiding from my angel. Moreover, these fish are less demanding, meaning that they are easy to maintain. Some of the smallest Otos measure only 1 inch in length. The only problem is that they will compete with shrimp for algae thus it can affect the survival rate of baby shrimp. Keep suitable water parameters. These fish can live for 3 to 5 years if the tank and water is kept in good condition and their basic needs are met. Otocinclus typically hatch in 48 to 72 hours at a temperature of 23 to 24 degrees Celsius, and the regular hatching will include 40 to 55 eggs. They are smaller but excellent algae eaters in an aquarium. Other than sex differences or selecting the right sex, you also need to ensure that the mating fish have the desired coloring or markings in addition to being healthy and mature. As a result, the eggs will hatch after a few days and sooner or later you will start seeing the fry swimming in the breeding tank while looking for food. Females dont carry their eggs for long. Finally, males have a small contact organ formed near the fin base. Otocinclus catfish are reputed for their peaceful nature, easy of maintaining them and their vibrant appearance while in the tank. To cycle your tank takes anywhere from 4 weeks to 2 months. They are also referred to as otto fish or ottos fish or with the spelling variation of oto fish. One thing to focus on is the quality of the water. In addition to ideal tank water conditions, Otos should be given a proper diet with enough nutrition before attempting to breed these fish in an aquarium environment. One interesting thing to note is that these fish prefer living in smaller rivers. The general rule of thumb is at least 6 Otos but the more the better. The temperature of the water must be 21 to 25 degrees Celsius, the value of KH must be 3 to 16, and the value of GH must range between 2 to 18. They are also known for pacific temperament and excellent cleaning skills. In our opinion, the beauty of Otos is seriously underrated! - YouTube 0:00 / 12:14 How To Breed Otocinclus Catfish Part 1 Set Up. breeding answer #2 Fishby 5 years ago Even if it is an amazing Otocinclus. Even though the role of the modified odontoids is not yet clear, experts are of the opinion that it takes part in copulation. The short answer is yes. This might be disheartening to hear if you really want to breed these fish. The point is that these filters have a very large surface area where Otocinclus can feed on. Otocinclus Care Guides They typically grow to be about two inches long and are often used as algae eaters in aquariums. Author Note: A dedicated breeding tank will improve the chances of survival . Eventually, the Nitrites levels will begin to drop. So-so against hair algae. Once the two fish are in the breeding tank together, they might begin the mating ritual. Ask your pet store is are wild-caught for sustenance stays around 75 and. 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