Ok everybody drool :P

We have been setting up a dedicated plant tank. going to use it to propagate plants and store plants we see that we want but don't have a clue where we want it yet.
So we decided some Otos would be nice in there to keep the plants clean and to add fertilizer
We added the second batch today, there are now 16 Otos in the tank. we will probably add some cherry shrimp.
we noticed when we got home with this batch some of them looked different, like they had leopard spots.
Carol

 

Oh that's very cool!!! The one in the middle is definitly some kind of leopard hybred or something... I didn't know otos did that.

 

I didn't realize there were so many kinds of oto. I think this one is my little spotted one though.

If you move your cursor over the otocinclus names a little pic will show up
carol

 

*drools on command*

 

*drools on command*

 

only 16?!

 

only 16?!

I know, if I could, I would dedicate a huge 100 gallon tank to just them and maybe some coolie loaches too. But congrats on your new babies Carol.
Tom

 

Thanks Tom

only 16?!

We bought all they had at two different times Do you think I could put about 10 more in ? If not how many more would you recommend?
carol

 

What size of tank is it? I know the store I just bought a female oto at had about 30-40 otos in a fairly large tank, it looked so cool when they all moved from one side to the other.
Tom

 

Sorry its a 29G tank
Carol

 

Sorry its a 29G tank
Carol

Is that all that is in the tank?
Tom

 

Yep, the tank will be stuffed with plants and otos maybe some cherry shrimp later. It's really going to be a plant propagation tank.
Carol

 

Yep, the tank will be stuffed with plants and otos maybe some cherry shrimp later. It's really going to be a plant propagation tank.
Carol

Mine seem to do really well with my Amazon sword plants. I've alrready had a few lay eggs, but they don't survive more than a day. I'll be interested if yours do and what the outcome is, being in a tank with nothing but otos.
But you might want to consider a couple small clown loaches eventually. They love to eat snails. I started having a snail problem and bought 3; about 1 1/2" or so. I still have snails, but the loaches manage to keep them pretty well in check. Mostly the snails live in my gravel, but as soon as one is stupid enough to show it's shell it becomes a snack. I have yet to see a snail in my tank live to grow bigger than 1/8".
Anyway, it's a thought. You know if you have live plants eventually you WILL have snails. I don't know why, it just happens.

 

I have 5 -1 inch Clown Loaches in th 75G so if I get snails I can always pick them out for snacks.
If the Otos breed so much for the good. I really like the little guys and they aren't big enough to uproot/destroy the plants but they will keep any algae in control that's why we thought of Otos but would like to have a good group. So what do you guys think more would be ok? I'm depending on them to fertilize my plants
Carol

 

lol you have a 29 gallon tank, huh?


I would say you are going to get some of those otos that are more than 1" at their adult size.. closer to 1.5".... 16 otos at 1.5" is 24".... Seeing as I don't think most of them will get that big, but some of them, I would say you could definitely fit in more... maybe 4 so you could have a nice even 20 in there... but some extra 9" in case some of them get big.

 

Since it is to be heavily planted I think the tank could support a few more also
Carol

 

agreed.

I'm a believer of not overstocking too much...too much being the key... as long as you're not a beginner and you actually know what's going on, chemistry and water changes... etc.

 

I would say you could get by with 25 since most of the time they stay small and really don't produce that much waste and considering there's plants I think it would be fine.

 

I agree with ATM... otos seem like the least demanding of fish, I imagine they're one of the ones you could get away with a little overstocking as long as there was enough algae to eat. Especially with live plants to kick some oxygen into the water. I'd even go as high as 25-30.

 

agreed.

I'm a believer of not overstocking too much...too much being the key... as long as you're not a beginner and you actually know what's going on, chemistry and water changes... etc.

I don't want to over stock either but a dedicated plant tank versus a show tank can support more life successfully. It will stay as it is for a bit. If I add more it will be awhile
thanks for the input everyone
Carol

 

Actually, although I still can't get rid of all the diatoms, mine is sort of a dedicated planted show tank together. Most people that see it think it looks great, and I'm proud as heck of how well everyone's doing. The only difference between mine and yours is a few more fish, and all but the 2 angels are bottom feeders or algae eaters of one sort or another.
You just have to plan it out how and which species of plants you want (plantgeek is great for this), and with some careful planning you can make a planted show tank to out-do most any ornamental tank. The best part is you don't need fish to make it look beautiful. You can build like an underwater garden of sorts.
Just ask Isabella... her big planted tank is amazing.

 

You absolutely must take a shot of them schooling. That's really awesome.

This morning only, I was looking up at different knids of otos on the web (planetcatfish). Never saw the leopard one. Looks fab.

 

Actually, although I still can't get rid of all the diatoms, mine is sort of a dedicated planted show tank together. Most people that see it think it looks great, and I'm proud as heck of how well everyone's doing. The only difference between mine and yours is a few more fish, and all but the 2 angels are bottom feeders or algae eaters of one sort or another.
You just have to plan it out how and which species of plants you want (plantgeek is great for this), and with some careful planning you can make a planted show tank to out-do most any ornamental tank. The best part is you don't need fish to make it look beautiful. You can build like an underwater garden of sorts.
Just ask Isabella... her big planted tank is amazing.

yep I loveplant geek( I mod there as well) This tank came about because i'm always finding plants I want and either don't have a place to put them/don't know where I want them. This will allow me to buy them then figure out where to put them later or just grow more of some of them. The otos are just a wonderful fringe benefit I do have live plants in all my other tanks.
Isabellas tank is beautiful indeed
Carol

 

I saw an oto with spots yesterday at the LFS, but the wife talked me out of it. Was probably best, but dang, I hate when I listen to my better half

We definitely want to see some pictures of all these otos when you get a chance!