Dark_Rider2k3

Okay here's the details:

20 gal tank.
nitrate/nitrite in Aquarium info (the readings are ok).
2 Bettas (divided). 1 Male VT, 1 Female
1 African Dwarf Frog

I am missing all 4 of my Otocinclus!!!!!
I noticed 1 each day disappearing... and now i'm so confused it's killing me!

The filter's intake is too small for them to get sucked in, and even though I know how good they are at hiding, there isn't any hiding spots for them (the tank has a small bit of java moss that I took from my 55, but it's very small and hasn't really "took off" on growing. It does have an ornament (a "temple"), but I have checked and they are not in there.

The only places I can think they are at are:

1. Under the gravel, but how would that happen??
2. Eaten, but who would have ate them?

Anyone else want to take a stab at this. I've lost fish and eventually figured it out, but this is just.....

Ghostfish

I would not think they would be under the gravel. Do you have a top on the aquarium? Perhaps they jumped out. Maybe a cat or dog in the house that may have disposed of the evidence if they jumped out? Thats the only thing that I can think of.

Dark_Rider2k3

I do have a dog, but the tank is "betta-proof", so I doubt they jumped out (I make sure that there is no spots where they can jump out.

BTW, 2 of them are missing, not all 4.. sorry about that lol

MrsM3197

Hey DarkRider, sorry your otos are disappearing. Just a shot, but is your ADF looking a little well fed lately?

Lucy

I keep my ADF by himself because I see the way he snaps at the food when it floats down and I've been afraid he'd mistake the movement of a fin for food.

Have you checked inside your filter?

Blub

Otos do have a habit of disappearing for no aparent reason - from what I gather they are not fed properly during importing and in the LFS which leads them to be weakened and in later life often die for that reason. I'm no expert on it, though.

sirdarksol

Otos are very good at hiding. When I had otos, I sometimes went for a week at a time without seeing them.
But I've got the same question about the frog. Does it have a rounder belly than normal?

jdhef

How is your tank divided? Are the Oto's both missing from the same side of the tank? Which side of the tank is the Frog on?

Barbrella

Look inside the filter. I had TWO baby BNs who got inside via the outflow! Many of these little suckerfish are attracted to the strong current.

Alessa

I actually read the aquarium info and a reading of 5 for nitrite is not "ok" it should be 0. otos cannot survive ANY ammount of nitrite, they probably died due to that and where scavenged. do you have ammonia and nitrate readings?

or did you mean nitrate 5?

sirdarksol

I'm guessing that's actually nitrate, rather than nitrite. The tank was set up six months ago, and unless dark_rider is doing complete water changes, I can't see how it could make it that time without cycling.
But, that's a good question.
Dark_rider, is that really your nitrite reading? If it is, Alessa is right. Nitrite is poison to all fish, but otos are really fragile little fish.

Alessa

yes, thats why I asked if he meant nitrate instead of nitrite.

sirdarksol

Ah, you must have edited that while I was typing. It wasn't there when I responded. Oh well, crazy minds that don't have anything better to do in than check Fishlore in the middle of the day think alike.

Lucy

Hey, I resemble that remark.

Alessa

hey dont blame me, I am stuck at my cube and it is empty and boring

sirdarksol

AAAAHHHHH!!!! Alessa doesn't actually exist! She's just a figment of our imagination! We've all gone toys-in-the-attic-crazy!




(you said you're stuck at your cube, and yet it's empty. The only possible explanation is that you don't exist)

Lucy

sapphirebetta

do u think somethin' ate it ?

Alessa

lol yeah, I am an urban legend
produced by the minds fishlore addicts

Dark_Rider2k3

I may have put the nitrite/nitrate wrong on here =/

I'll re-check in a sec.

Lucy

Look in your filter while your checking your water.

Dark_Rider2k3

aaaaaannd...

I FOUND THEM!

I was looking today and noticed that where the "temple" was, there was a crack on the one side (like.. the gravel didn't cover the bottom of the one side).

So I lifted the temple up carefully, and they were all underneath, sucking on the inside of it :O. When I lifted it up 2 got startled and zipped away, and the other 2 zipped away a second after.

Silly little guys lol

MrsM3197

Glad you found them Dark!

Lucy

You must be so relieved! I'm glad you found them.

MrsM3197

So what's it mean when you're checking it in the middle of the night? OMG! I knew it, I have no life!!!

Blub

Yikes! Good to know they are alive. From what I remember, someone else found their otos in a very similar place once...

Lucy