I am gonna get 2 more this weekend. That brings the grand total to a whopping 3. I am really wanting them to stay under 3 inches, so I guess I am cool then.
I was going to get 3 for my 10g but after what you said about them starving I think I might only get 1 or 2 and switch to plantastics so they'll eat their fill, what do you think about that? I also have flourescent lighting(and lots of it), so I might switch to incandescent, too.
By the way, I only have very few plants already and I'm going to add a microsword and one more plant soon so long as you think the oto(s) won't starve
I personally would get at least 3 or so, and if there is not enough food just toss in a algae wafer or two. It is worth it to watch their behavior when you have a few of them together.
Im no expert, but, from what I've seen mine do in the past week...all they do is eat. If the tank is clean, and there is no algae, he has to eat, so maybe an algae wafer once a day?
Ottos are naturally shoaling fish so a small group is needed, I have 5 in my 40gal planted and they do quite well.I'm thiinking of addding a few more thoguh.
Is it a bad idea to have to many Otto cats in a tank together? At one point there will be little to NO algae for them to feed on and they will be in competition for food...
I have found that about 1 otto per 10 gallons is about the point that a ballance is reached with food supply and demand for the long term survival of the fish. also the amount of light on the tank is something to consider, higher light means more food for them.
I like to get them as small as possible because as they grow they tend to reach a balence with the amount of algae produced in the tank. they also tend to adjust better that way for some reason. I think they learn the territory and in a familiar space know where the small amounts of algae that remains resides.
just keep an eye on the algae and your ottos and if they drasticly reduce thier activity level in a week and it looks like they have run out then put some algae wafer in after the lights go out for them(I have fish that would eat it if I put it in during the photo period)
I have one of two we bought at the same time probably 3 years ago that started in my wife's tank. then about 6 months later one of my previous ottos died and we moved hers to my tank to be with the other one. he was fine in her tank but started to decline in mine. after its companion died of a stomach problem it really started looking bad and we moved it back to wife's tank. it perked up and has been doing fine ever since even now that it is back in my tank now that she has rift lake fish
it is quite the survivor as it is one of the few fish that survived the power going out during 100+ degree days while we were gone 2 years ago. that was a nasty mess to come back to