tuffpaws

I am moving in 3 weeks or so. My oto's have chosen now to start spitting out babies. Right now I see 3 or 4 that are a week old(ish) and 2 or 3 that are a day or so old. If they live long enough to make it to moving day, how can I save them? I could never scoop them up in a net being so tiny. Maybe a turkey baster?

I'm only moving 3 miles away, so I hope it won't be too horrific.

Butterfly

Turkey basters or siphoning them out are both good ways to move them. You are so lucky! I understand they very rarely breed in aquaria.
Carol

CHoffman

That is great your Otto's spawned..How long have you had them? I would LOVE to pics of your fry..You must have a healthy tank. I recently bought some Otto's and have been researching them, It is rare for ottos to breed, it might be a good idea to document the living conditions, any behavior, water perimeters, any changes that might have set them off to spawn. Congratulations and good luck moving your babies..Here is a site you could check out. http://www.otocinclus.com/

Emory

OOOOHHHHHHhhhhhh! Babies! Really? Well done! That is rare for them to breed in captivity. I would venture to guess that a 3 mile move won't last long enough to be bad. You can try to siphon them out with a tube that has a larger lumen than they are in size. From there they will be fine for a 5 minute car ride in their tank's water. I would wrap warm, just from the dryer, towels around their container. Be sure to have their new tank set up and ready for them at the new place. Since the water conditions are so right for them now, try to keep every drop you can for their new home.

Again, well done!

tuffpaws

We got the oto's when the tank was brand new (to us) about 7-8 months ago. We did a fishless cycle previously. We had 6 oto's and 5-7 male guppies. The oto's were pumping out babies right from the beginning, but the guppies would eat them. Then we made our first big newbie mistake,and lost all but 3 otos. We got a few more oto's, but they didn't make it (or maybe they did and the old ones died, can't tell).

Instead of more guppies, we thought we'd try neons. The neons and 3 otocinclus have been together about 3 months?? And the oto's have just now started spawning again. The little male is such a horn dog, chasing the ladies everywhere.

It's tough to get a picture, as they're so tiny, and and I'm just a point and shoot photographer, but I think I have a blurry one from 7 months ago I can dig up.

CHoffman

That is the most adorable thing I've ever seen..lol..What is your pH at and how often do you do water changes. You are very lucky indeed!!!...That is awesome.

tuffpaws

Well, I shoot for weekly 10% water changes, but it often turns into 20% every 1.5 - 2 weeks. I don't test my pH that often, but when I do it is low.

Yea, the babies are super cute when they wiggle around, and almost impossible to see, even when you are staring right at them. They're transparent, but the older ones are getting a bit of color. I just wonder what I'm going to do if they all survive! That's alot of fishies!

CHoffman

Send them to me

Alessa

Congrats on the baby otos! you are a very lucky aquarist!