otto's?

[O-man21]

Ok guys...I feel stupid asking this..But what is an "otto"?
Is it like a "Chinese Algae Eater", cuz I just got 2 of those for my krib tank. If you can get a picture it would help.
Thanks

[kveeti]

Not the best pic but this is one of my otos. (Otocinclus)

http://members.shaw.ca/kveetka/q_otos3.jpg
compared to a CAE
http://members.shaw.ca/kveetka/q_sam2.jpg

Otos are much, much smaller (grow to only 1-1/2 inches).

[O-man21]

My two look a lot like that, except they have a black bar,but it kinda has like bumps on the sides on the black bar.I don't have a digital camera so I can't get a picture. I got them at petco(I know it goes againt's what I've said, but they just remodeled and got new fish tanks, so I thought, "if the waters kinda new..then how bad can the fish be".I looked in ALL the tanks and there were no dead fish,even the saltwater, so I think there doing better with their fish), and they might have just miss-identifyed them. I think one is an otto and one is a CAE,cuz they're a little different.

[kveeti]

The oto has a pointier nose. The solid stripe goes right to the nose. The tail markings are a bit different too. The CAE may have a duller stripe above the solid one, the oto's is more dotty.

[O-man21]

ok..thanks... especially the second one. I got a identification.
from a wed site and your posts. there both ottos. I kinda wanted them anyways. I always thought they were hardier then CAE.

[jiggerpolebill]

you should know whether or not you have otto's in a few weeks. if they die in a few weeks, they were ottos.

just kidding:p

i never had any luck with them, but from wht ive read here, when you get a good stable stock, they'll be serving your algae needs for a long time. ive had both in with my kribs. they go after the CAE's pretty hard charging, but with the ottos, they always seemed to cut them some slack. like they knew the ottos didnt mean them any harm. whatever the case, if and when your kribs start breeding, they'll be chasing away anything in your tank.

[O-man21]

while were on the subject of breeding kribs....Today (1/21) my kribs layed eggs again....cept this time the male is with the female so I think there may actually be fertile this time.. last time they weren't. I can sell the babies to a LFS for like 5 bucks each or sumin...