Oto with a really chubby belly

I don't have a breeder net :( about the only thing I do have is an empty 10 gallon tank that I was waiting a few weeks to set up... i have a filter for it but no heater or plants or anything

UPDATE: ok I went and got a breeder net just to be safe and she's resting nicely in there. I stuck some algae wafer i nther for her to chew on so hopefully she'll be hungry. we'll see what happens from here I suppose.
 
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I think you have a gravid female on your hands! A breeder net won't be much help, but the spare ten gallon would be. Any chance of getting some plants soon? Do you have a spare (cycled) filter sponge or other media? Your best chance of getting a successful spawn would be to move the otos into their own well planted tank with good water flow and a constant supply of various veggies. If you could add a few plants or pieces of decor covered in algae, it would also be appreciated by the fish. If you leave them in the current tank the eggs and/or fry stand a good chance of being eaten by the other fish.

Keep us posted - I'll be watching this thread with interest!
 
LunchBox said:
UPDATE: ok I went and got a breeder net just to be safe and she's resting nicely in there. I stuck some algae wafer i nther for her to chew on so hopefully she'll be hungry. we'll see what happens from here I suppose.
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Otos aren't livebearers - the eggs would have to be fertilized by a male. If you leave her in the net you won't get any fry. Even if you put the other otos in the net with her I doubt they would spawn in there.
 
ahhhh ok I'll have to get started with something else then... I have had her in the breeder net for about an hour now. I can use some gravel from my main tank as far as having some cycled material in the smaller tank, and I have algae wafers, but I can grab some peas and brussel sprouts for veggies and maye take one or 2 of the plants out of my main tank and put them in the 10 temporarily.

the only thing I'm missing is a heater, and I'm not sure where I could get one this late at night (just after 9 here). from my reading they like the temp around 75 for breeding, so it shouldn't be too hard to get some water in ther the right temp. maintaining it though I will need to get my hands on a heater (which I really need to buy anyway :D )

ok my mission is clear: get the 10 gallon up and running with some veggies a couple plants and put all my otos in there.
 
Good luck! I hope things go well for you, but just to warn you - don't get your hopes up too high. Remember, if it were easy then we would see captive bred otos on the market. I hope to search for the trigger for my zebra otos once I'm able to raise some Hisonotus fry to maturity. So far the longest any have lived was about a month (and that was just one). It takes an awful lot of trial and error!
 
well I wasnt able to get a heater for the 10 gallon tonight. So for now I let her out of the breeder net (since it wasn't doing any good anyway) to let her roam free in the tank with the other 2 otos. tomorrow I will probably go get a heater and move the otos over to the smaller tank. I really have to fight the urge to see if the LFS has any more otos and add 2-3 of them and see what happens.
 
It wouldn't hurt to add more, but you would have to be certain that they are healthy stock. I wouldn't recommend adding more without quarantining them first. It's best (from what I've read) to have a group with a fairly high male:female ratio. On the other hand, if there is at least one male present and they get "in the mood" then the deed will be done. My one male hiso seems to take care of most of the females. Do you have an idea of the other otos' sexes?
 
Well I had the fat-bellied Oto a little over a week ago. This morning I discovered I have babies in my tank. I have no way of knowing if they are Otos or something else. I also have 2 angels, 10 Harlequin Rasboras and 5 Diamond Tetras.
 
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