MamaM

Hi! I plan to get 5 Otos tomorrow and quarantine in my 10 gal tank (empty except for algae & plants). After a couple of weeks, I plan to keep 3 in that tank, and move 2 into my established 10 gal with my danios. Will they have problems being separated like that? Should I quarantine them in separate bunches? (The 3 in the 10 gal, and the 2 in a smaller q tank I have for emergencies?) Any advice?

Thanks!!
Sharon

chickadee

They should be okay as long as you don't play fruit baskey upset with them again. Once you have them split into groups then they need to stay together from that point. For some reason once they get a pairing type of thing going, they do not accept outsiders well.

My Tuck was the last one of a group left and now he will not go with any of the others and they do not go near him and it is sad. When I move any of them I have to be careful to make sure that Dopey and Dingbat stay together and Sleepy and Doc are together because they would never accept any of the others.

I am getting 5 new ones also as I am increasing the size of my tanks to 3 12 gallons and 1 25 gallon so I hope to find room for 5 more little ones.

Good luck and send pictures when you can.

Rose

MamaM

Thnaks for the advice, Rose! Unfortunately, Petco had just received them the day before. The gal working there said they were quarantined, but that they were fine so she let me have them. I was skeptical, but as an eternal optimist, I really did have hope for them. I have lost all but 1 since Wednesday, and he isn't doing so well. After they got home, I noticed redness on their gill/head area, but was still hopeful they would recover. I was wrong. At least they are quarantined and alone in their own tank and not exposed to my other fish (learned my lesson). And yes, I made sure my tank was cycled & levels good before adding them...I have learned that fish keeping requires MUCH patience! With this newfound patience, I think that I will quarantine each group separately so I can keep "friends" together (because I will get more otos, and I will give them all the love and care so they will live!).

Take care
Sharon