Yesterday at Petsmart I saw a tank of small algae eaters called otocinclus, and I was wondering if anyone had some information or experience with these fish. I've always been afraid to get other algae eaters because I did not want them to out grow their tank, but it seems like these are a smaller type...

they stay about an inch and a half. they do best in mature tanks where they have a couple other otos as friends. 6-7 ph, and give them places to rest, like bogwood or something like that. they are of the catfish family, so while they do eat algae, very well indeed, you should supplement with veggies and the like.

What do they look like I have never heard of them.

Here is one to look at...


They are one of the few pleco like fish that don't get aggressive towards goldfish, and are extremely hardy. I had one for over 4 years, and most of the time I didn't see him because he was hanging out on the algae covered back wall or the inlet pipes of the filters somewhere. He survived a rather "unprofessional" removing of a 3 inch gravel covered bottom of my 160 gl tank, and 3 moves over the years. Small little troopers!

I am going to the LFS this weekend to pick up an Otto.

I already have one, and their great. But, a word of caution, when you select one try to choose one that has been at the store for a few weeks. These fish are hardy once they adjust to your tank, but are fragile at first. Sometimes the shipment, then the LFS tank, then your tank is just too much for them.

Just bought 2 ottos for my 10-gal betta tank. Cos' the algae in the tank is one the thin side, any ideas what veggies do they like? I know they like zucchini and cucumber, but any other?

i think they like leafy veggies too, like lettuce, kale, spinnach, that sorta thing.

***bump***

i've got a couple of 3.5 gal tanks which started to get covered in algae so i've got a small oto for them each.

they're about an inch each ... small, but they don't seem to be cleaning out all the green algae. i'm getting tufts of sof algae on the glass/rocks/leaves etc and i still have to scrub it off with magnet cleaner... what's wrong with my oto???

Otos prefer brown algae and other soft covering type algaes, they dont really have munching mouths for the tuff stuff like bigger plecs might.
Theres nothing wrong with your fish, he just has delicate taste in food

Heres a couple of links on Otos

http://www.otocinclus.com/
http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/catfish1/p/otocinclus.htm

so should i get something else for the tufty green algae??? (i thought that this type would be soft enough for oto's to eat - it comes off with the scrub of my finger)

it's starting to overtake the glass again! LOL or more oto's for the work cuz it seems like the one can't keep up?

I really dont recommend keeping otos with goldfish (as some people had mentioned previously) because they can easily be eaten. They, like all catfish, have spiny fins which will get lodged inside a bigger fish's mouth. Heres an excellent example of why: (and these stories are far too common) http://www.kokosgoldfish.invisionzone.com/...showtopic=49440

As for the tufts of green hair algae, I've found its just easier to remove it myself. My otos never touched it either. I mostly just kept them for looks because I love catfish.

i have one os those i feed it zucchini and cucumbers and its small

jsrtist i've got them in small 3.5 gal tropical tanks currently living with some white clouds in one and zebra danios in the other.... goldies are in another tank so no way that's gunna happen!

they are cute little things! i like it when they cling upside down on my java moss... looks like more scrubbing for me!

Hey E-n, are these ottos new? New ottos are very often diseased and overly stressed. They only eat brown or soft green algae like Lucy said. Can you post a photo of the algae so we can identify it? Try doing more waterchanges and the algae might go away. It seems like there are a lot of fish and those are pretty small tanks. High nitrates promote algae growth of all kinds, but nitrates are not good for fish, especially sensitive ottos.

I have a posted photo of my two ottos in the "Updated Photos" thread if anyone's interested in another otto pic.

kissy i've had them for about a week and a half now

the tank with all the algae in it has 4 zebra danios and the oto. i put a fake plant with lots of diatom algae in about 3 days ago to see if the oto would clean it up but it hasn't

tha other tank has 4 white clouds and an oto. i also did the same (put a fake plant with diatoms in) and the plant was cleaned overnight!

maybe i've got one weird oto which doesn't eat algae! LOL

Thats weird, I hope their not sick Have you tried algae wafers or blanched veggies listed above? Are their times flat and trim, or slightly rounded?

the "lazy" one's tummy is FAT AS! compared to the "active" one in the white clouds tank

looks like as if it's a female (being fatter and rounder) but... so inactive compared to the other one

Hmm well there is such thing as too fat. Does the fat one look bloated? When I feed mine algae wafers they are usually nice and plump the next day, but two days later they are trim again. If it looks unaturally bloated there may be an internal bacterial infection.

well looking at him/her now... gone back to normal!

still lazy... but no rounded belly anymore... hmmm