Oto fry??

I just posted on another thread how I moved my betta out of my 10 gallon that was with a few otocinclus. There are only snails in there now. This morning I was staring at what I thought was snail slime on the glass and realize they have a circle like head and a tail. Is this an oto fry?! I'm trying to get a picture because my camera battery needs to be recharged.

What in the world do I do with them if that's what it is?

 

I've counted 6 so far. I'm sure there are more. Do I need to remove my mystery snails?

 

There's a really clear of an oto fry here. Is that what you're seeing?

 

Yep. I've lost count now as to how many. They're all over my driftwood and anubias. I guess the heavy planting I did to protect my otos from my betta ended up making them spawn?

 

That's awesome! I've read that most otos are wild-caught, so your tank-bred fish are something special!

Do you think you'll be able to raise them? I mean, as far as giving them room to grow and feeding them and whatnot?

 

That's what I'm trying to read up on and find out. The largest tank I have is a 10. So, I'm a bit puzzled as to what to do because even if I set up a larger tank it would be new and have to be cycled and wouldn't have much algae.

Any advice? I did start an "alage farm" with some stones and rock for my otos last week so I'm hoping that will help supplement some in the meantime.

 

Cool! I would let them find their own food, they should be able to find enough little algae bits on their own. If too many live though, you'll have to find something to do with the extra fry... a private LFS might take them, or you could sell them on craigslist.

 

Fair warning: I've never raised otos of any age. This is what I'd do, though.

The 10gal should be a decent growout tank for at least a short time, except that there might be a couple dangers in there.

Your profile and the post above suggests the only adult fish in the tank is a betta. I'd probably try to confine him somehow, probably by using a tank divider, so that he couldn't get at the fry.

I'd get a prefilter on the filter intake, if there's not one already, to keep the fry from getting sucked in.

The link I posted above has some food recommendations. I'd try to get at least one of those foods into the tank ASAP.

I'd run the lights 12-14 hours per day to build up at least a little algae. I might regret it in the long run, though, especially with the live plants in the tank... so this might not be great advice.

Questions to research: will adult otos eat their young? (If not, then one or two adults back in the tank might help keep algae from going too insane if you follow the lighting suggestion.) What else can young otos be fed? How quickly will they grow (which kinda sets the timetable for getting a bigger tank cycled ;D)?

This is a lot of trouble and expense. I personally would be giddy with excitement and rushing off to get things arranged for my new baby fish, but I don't know your situation. I hope you get to experience raising these fish, but I know you might not be able to make it happen. Good luck!

 

Thanks! I added a prefilter about a month ago, so that's done. I moved my betta last night so that was actually just in time! I'm reading up on food stuff and wondered about if otos eat their young. Trying to figure this all out.

I'm actually quite excited by it all. Just shocked by it.

 

Ok, I lied earlier. I said I would be giddy with excitement. I would be beyond giddy.

Heck, I'm excited vicariously.

I sure hope this works out for you.

 

Me too! As soon as my battery pack charges I'll post some photos.

 

Here are some pics. I'm not really good with this camera yet, but you can see it hiding at the bottom of the tiny terracotta pot and on the side of the driftwood. Also another hiding on the front side of the anubia leaf by the snail.

The first pic is as close to a super macro zoom as I could do. These things are TINY.

 

You should take photos of your entire tank as well as list stuff like water temp and PH so in the future people can use that as a guideline for good breeding conditions. Maybe breeding Otos can become more common .

 

You should take photos of your entire tank as well as list stuff like water temp and PH so in the future people can use that as a guideline for good breeding conditions. Maybe breeding Otos can become more common .

I had the same thought. Since this morning, I've decided that breeding otos is now on my "bucket list," and it would be awesome to know what worked!

 

For sure!. I'll probably be getting a large school of Otos once we move and are settled.

 

I'll get a full shot later when the reflection from the window is gone. As far as tank conditions, the water is 79degrees, ph 7.2 with various live and silk plants. I have anubias, wisteria, java fern and a banana plant. I just did a water change yesterday morning, but the nitrates are always below 10.

I find it amusing because I couldn't make this happen again if I tried.

Oh, and it turns out I have 5, not 3 adults in there. I bought 6 originally and one died on the day I got it. Then I lost track of two others and assumed they had died and the mystery snail had eaten it. After a really good look this morning I found all five.

 

Cute! Those are so small! I'm planning on getting a school of ottos- hopefully I'll get fry out of them too!

 

This morning's picture. I was so nervous that the snails would squash them all overnight, but they're actually trying to swim around this morning...wiggle around is more like it.

 

Wigglers!. lol

 

Awesome!

 

How darling! I've heard it is very hard to get them to reproduce in captivity. Whatever you did you must have done it very right. All the best to you and your new babies!

 

Here are a few pictures today just to make me feel better since yesterday was rough with my betta dying. Here's to new life!

 

Sorry about your betta. Glad the fry are still doing OK!

 

Sorry about your betta. Congrats on the fry.

 

Thanks. I can easily count 5 fry on the glass and 3 in the leaves and I'm sure even more are hiding. They are difficult to find. I've been leaving the lights on bit longer in hopes to have enough algae for them to eat.

 

Anything new?.

 

Here are some pictures from yesterday. I still count about 6-8 fry in the leaves and on the glass. If these all survive I'm going to have to seriously consider what to do. I'd like to keep them, but I'll have to get another tank set up.

 

I awoke to find my adult oto's chasing and playing with each other. Last time I saw this I ended up with babies. Goodness. Part of me hopes this doesn't happen while part of me is excited to see if it does.

 

For anyone curious, I set up a 20 gallon tank and am moving all of the otocinclus to it. Once again I can't count. In my 10 gallon I could only see 4 adults and 4 babies. I netted 5 adults and used a cup to catch 9 babies. Oh my. I see another tank in my future. I'll post a picture of the babies later.

 

Yay! Otos are such cool fish... so neat to hear the wee ones are doing well. Thanks for the update!

 

New pictures:



This is their new home...for now.

 

Hope they are still doing well.

Amazingly, about three days ago I noticed oto eggs in my 10 gallon (4 otos with a betta). One is trying to hatch... can see its tail wiggling fiercely.

Must be the season! The only thing I have done is a large water change last weekend.

 

how are they doing?

 

Wow, Amber, you have something really rare going on here. From what I've heard/read, otos are very sensitive to water parameters. Here in Florida only a few stores have them and they often don't last. If adults tend to be fragile, I can only imagine how their fry are. Your babies look healthy! And it's fun to see as they grow from your last pictures. Please keep posting about the baby otos. We are really enjoying your journey with them.

 

They're doing great. Here are a couple of new photos. Last night I counted 8 babies and 5 adults, so I know most are thriving.

(There are 4 otos and a snail in the last picture...can you spot them all? You can see that the "baby" on the top left is bigger than the "baby" next to him. They were born about a week apart)

Tigerlily: Be careful that your betta doesn't have an oto baby snack! Mine stayed still on the glass for a few days and your betta might pick them off!

 

Congrats! Every time I hear about Otos breeding it's by accident Good job with the algae farm if you can grow algae on rocks it will help the fry also blanched veggies are usually accepted.
Carol

 

Yes, mine take zucchinI very well and the occasional algae wafer. I also leave the lights on for 12+ hrs to give some algae a chance to grow. Everybody is doing well and the transfer to the new tank last week went smoothly. I didn't net the fry...I just caught them in a cup. That took a while.

 

Very cute! How old are they now?

 

I first noticed them on Feb. 10th, so they're approximately 1mth old.

 

Tigerlily: Be careful that your betta doesn't have an oto baby snack! Mine stayed still on the glass for a few days and your betta might pick them off!

They are looking great! Congratulations!

I saw 12 at first... not so many now but there are lots of hiding places and live plants.

I suspect Maynard (the betta) may have eaten some if he saw them. Most stayed on the other end of the tank from where he hangs out. He is almost 4 years old, very placid and has never eaten live food... not because I didn't try him on it but because he doesn't seem to have any "prey drive".

These fry were a total surprise. I never for a minute thought the otos would lay eggs, let alone that any would hatch. I've got an empty ten gallon to put together and move Maynard into. He's been King of the fishes around here so I have to find another place from which he can survey his domain. LOL