Golden Fish

Hello,
I was wondering if anybody has heard of or keeps the Zebra Otto? If so do they require the same care as the regular Otto?
I am thinking of getting 2-3 for a 10g. along with a betta that would be added after the Ottos get comfortable, all unpacked and settled in. The tank is still cycling now, it will probably be a couple more weeks.
Also I have never tried Live plants before. Would they be cool with silk ones or is it healthier/happier for them to have live plants?
I am a little leary of trying live plants for the first time with such a (from what i hear) sensitive little Catfish. Any advise from you Otto lovers? Chickadee?
Thanks guys and gals!

atmmachine816

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog...species_id=353 sounds fine. I would add mature filter media to the tank, I did that to my 5.5 gallon and two died, one was from a bacterial infection that it had when i got it and the other I don't know. It says live plants are essential to it's long term survival so if your up to it I would add them but they aren't necessary, they wouldn't harm the oto's in any way. If you are just going to have a betta and a oto I would add 5 oto's. Hope all goes wel

chickadee

He does not have room for 5 otos and a betta in the 10 gallon in my opinion. The original idea for 3 or at the most 4 otos and a betta is the best idea.

Have you tried the fish's homesite...yes they do have a website? http://www.otocinclus.com

They are not as big a problem as it makes them sound. If you make it through the quarantine period with them, they have really stable and long lives.

The real plants would be a happy environment to them but are not necessary to keep them alive. They do like to have a place to hide in during the day so they can sleep. They do most of their really wild activity after lights out and this is one reason they get along so well with the Bettas. They basically stay out of their way during the day and let them be the Lord of the Aquarium

Rose

Golden Fish

Thanks Chickadee and ATM!
Yeah I think any more than 3 would be pushing it in a 10g. It is going in my bedroom so I kind of have to stay small.
Yes I have seen their site (got it from one of your other post chickadee, along with alot of other info). i was just seeing if there was in major difference with the zebras.
Lords of the Aquarium! thats funny. I have never had a Betta before. My girlfriend has a long time ago and wants another. She is jealous of my Tiger Barbs! LOL. I told her about your set ups (your "children") and if we are getting a Betta we are getting Ottos! I have a large soft spot for most Catfish.
Thanks again. it is really cool to have people on the same wave length, meaning giving sound advice and opinions. Nearly everyone at this site (especially all you moderators) are so friendly and helpfull, you don't try and BS or sugar coat anything. You are straightforward and to the point and I appreciate that!

As for the live plants I think I will wait until I catch up with Isabella and get a 75g or larger to put my Silver Dollar in with some more of his kind so he will be happy and try the plants with my Tiger Barbs in my current 29g.

atmmachine816

I would do plants in your 10 gallon as it would be the easiest to maintain and grow plants in, 29's are really deep and don't come with lights to grow many plants with, I would know I have expierence. Isabella is buying a special light fixture for hers for more lilght. 10's come with enough light to grow plants better than a 75 or 29 especially as it's deeper and if you ever have an algae outbreak it would be easier to maintain and everything would be cheaper. Just a few pro's for doing 10 gallon. Hope you get those zebra oto's would love to see them.

Golden Fish

Yeah I read about that ATM. I was thinking of getting a dual tube (can't find a triple) for the 29g which would give me about 40wpg and starting out with some Java fern, Java Moss and some Anubis and seeing how it goes when I get the big Aquarium.
Right now I am not to interested in getting into Co2, That may change by the time I am able to do this though. If I do go Co2 I think I will invest in a nice Metal Halide or VHO system hung from the ceiling since like you said the 29 is so tall (it is in my living room as a center piece and would look gorgeous with some nice lighting and plants). I would like a nice "groundcover" plant. Kind of like a shorter carpet f grass. However so far I can't find any that is recomended for lower light levels.

atmmachine816

java moss can work but likes low low light is what it thrives in but you would have to keep trimming it to make it look nice. I would buy a glass versa top and put two strip lights over it and a third smaller one in the back which is what I'm thinking of doing to keep it at 50w so I don't need co2.

0morrokh

Otos are very sensitive to nitrates so it would be good to do everything you can to reduce them...such as using live plants. You don't need anything special for them...just buy a few hardy, low-light plants such as java ferns. You could do a mixture of live and fake plants, which is what a lot of people do.

3 Otos and a Betta sounds great. Where are you planning on getting Zebra Otos? I have heard of them but never seen them for sale anywhere.

Golden Fish

ATM,
Do those Versa tops come with the light strips? I have seen two versions from Dr Foster and Smith and theyy do not really specify. From the price I would say no.
Omorrokh,
What is your name from/mean? Also I have seen the Zebras on AquaBid a couple weeks ago. They are not listed right now.

atmmachine816

No they don't but I'm looking into getting them. I'm not sure if I want to run co2 on my 29 yet and if I got a 60w fixture that would be pushing it to not run co2 and so the best thing I can find is to add another strip light or buy a t5 fixture. No they don't come with a strip light so you would need to buy that and another strip light, if you have the time I would wait for a sale. I think it would cost you around 40-50$ for a strip light and versa top.

Golden Fish

I have heard that the more WPG you have then you need to use Co2. Like with low light 1.5 - 2 WPG you don't because the plants do grow as fast? True?

atmmachine816

False they don't grow as fast as they would with co2 and it depends on the plant, a crypt with or without co2 is still going to grow slow, with co2 a little faster, not much. hornwort without co2 slow, with FAST. though with a 60w fixture over a 29 gallon tank you'l have algae I'm guessing if you don't have fast growing plants like hornwort and lots of other plants as with 40-50w not so much, not 100% sure though

Golden Fish

AHHHH gotcha! thanks ATM.
The Algea shouldn't be a problem as I would like to keep 8-10 Tiger Barbs and a few Bristle Nose cats in there. This is a little ways down the road still though.

atmmachine816

Ahh but BN's don't clean the algae you might get

Golden Fish

rats......Silk plants it is.

atmmachine816

can still get it on them, better chance you won't get them with real plants but if you stick to a standard 20w bulb with silk plants you shouldn't have much problems with co2 with the bn's. It's up to you, I love the challenge of the planted tank.

0morrokh

My name means "wonderful person who deserves more fishies". (this implies that they are paid for by parents)
There are Zebra Otos on Aquabid??!! I NEED some!!!!!!!!!!

Wait I'm confused why you don't want real plants. Maybe I didn't read all the posts : Once again I strongly recommend even just a few. You can throw in some java ferns and it is no different from having fake plants...they don't need anything special at all.

atmmachine816

Chuck in some hornwort too, it helps keep away algae as it sucks up lots of nutrients, isn't java fern almost indistructable too 0mmorrokh. O is that really what your name means

chickadee

The tank is 29 gallons right? you cannot have that many fish in that size tank, sorry. One Bristlenose Cat needs 10 gallons so only plant on 2 at the most and you may get by with 8 Barbs.

Rose

Golden Fish

Thanks chickadee. I have not really researched the BNs yet. I won't be able to do any of this soon anyway (i'll change my mind a 100 times between now and then).

Omorrokh,
I have never messed with live plants. Wasn't to keen on starting out with them in a 10g with new Ottos. Atms talking me into it though. LOL. Maybe some Java Fern.

ATM,
yeah it sucks to clean algae off silk plants. I hate it.

atmmachine816

O changing the topic you don't need two bn's in a 29 gallon anyways, one keeps the algae control down, with two you would have to feed a lot of extra stuff like cucumbers.

Plants are really easy, if you get a few live ones like crypts and java fern and throw in some silk plants. I'v heard bleaching silk plants kills the algae or boiling them.