View Full Version : Otocinclus cat or Chinese Algea Eater
Yo_Loach
01-11-2005, 9:07 PM
I have two that were sold to me under the name Algea Eater, They look the same as a Chinese Algea Eater but they look the same as Otocinclus cats aswell. Are there any distinguishing features between the two?
Im rooting for them to be Otocinclus cats since the Chinese algea eaters would outgrow my tank and be no good. So im a bit frightened.
labont865
01-11-2005, 9:20 PM
Generally the Otto tends to have a more flattened look than the CAE! They also have a much shorter body compared to the size of their head than the CAE. Here are some links that will hopefully help you be able to distinguish the two!
This is an Otto
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loricari/otocincl/1158_1.php
This is a CAE
http://species.fishindex.com/photo_3398gyrinocheilus_aymonieri_algae_eater.html
Chinese algae eater (http://home.swipnet.se/pomad/gyrinoheilus_aymonieri.jpg)
Otocinclus (http://fazerty.free.fr/imageslibre/imageslisting/13otocinclus.jpg)
Yo_Loach
01-12-2005, 10:07 AM
Crap. OK mine are both chinese algea eaters. I'll leave them for a while, if they get to big, i'll give them to a friend who needs them. he has a 55 gallon. Poop. Oh well.
Thanks for the response! ^___________^ :D
biogirl361
01-12-2005, 4:32 PM
does anyone know the 'secret' to keeping ottos alive? i got one and it died within 5 hours of being placed in my tank! I never saw anything like it before! In 2 years of keeping various fish, before this guy i have only ever had one die during introduction once (a tetra already pretty beat up from the store netting). even the cardinal tetras I got have 100% introduction success rate. what's up with the otto's? it was lively, had a full belly, and did not appear to be damaged from transit. it just died.
BLACKMOOR_3698
01-12-2005, 4:37 PM
otos are known for being really particular about new places and water conditions, so its not unlikely for them.
labont865
01-12-2005, 5:34 PM
Ottos are also known for just dropping dead! Soemtimes they die with absolutely no explanation. I have heard they sometimes eat themselves to death.
Raskolnikov
01-12-2005, 6:00 PM
I've heard a lot of problems that people have had w/ otos, but I've never encountered them myself. I had 4 otos that lived for about two years w/ a small school of Exodon paradoxus. The exodons would eat anything fishlike in the tank except for the otos, which seemed to do famously. They only died as a result from getting eaten when I decided to focus on a new species (everything in the tank was eaten by the new fish, but I had anticipated it).
I used to give my otos 1/2 an hour to work on an algae wafer before vacuuming out the leftovers. This was repeated daily, as there was very very little algae naturally present in the tank.