BettaFishMommy
finkids make me happy :-)
i agree with others that have said ottos do better in groups. i do not have any ottos, but have read quite a bit about fish i don't personally keep, as well as practices i don't employ.
Otto along with betta in a 3g
- Thread starter katuuuz
- Start date
I kept a betta in my eclipse 3 along with anubias and java fern and never encountered noticeable algae issues. I used the stock light that comes with the tank, too. Are you doing weekly water changes for the betta's tank? When excess nutrients build up in an aquarium, they can help further an algae outbreak along. Weekly water changes will dilute the excess nutrients. There are many reasons for algae outbreaks other than excess/insufficient lighting. If you do get an oto, watch it with the betta for a good while to make sure the betta will not try and attack the oto.
BettaFishMommy
finkids make me happy :-)
your plants may do ok with what is known as a blackout period. this involves not turning on the light at all for a prescribed amount of time and wrapping the tank in material to block out all light. i have read this helps with algae. have not had to employ this method myself, but hopefully others here will have more detailed info on it.
Just fyi, I researched otos extensively online before buying mine, and every single web page about them says that they are a social fish and should be kept in groups. Many sites say a minimum of six, but http://hubpages.com/hub/Otocinclus says: "Although they are often purchased singly for algae control, Otos are social and should not be kept in groups of less than three."
A few more examples:
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=1083
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/fish/Otocinclus-sp.php
http://www.squidoo.com/otocinclus
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PlantedTksSubWebIndex/otosags.htm
http://www.planetcatfish.com/shanesworld/shanesworld.php?article_id=178
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile76.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otocinclus
Everything I have ever read about Ottos says they are social and you should keep them in groups.
If you want Ottos, why don't you get a 15 or 20 gallon tank and give your betta more space and room for a few ottos too. Then everyone will be happy.
If you want Ottos, why don't you get a 15 or 20 gallon tank and give your betta more space and room for a few ottos too. Then everyone will be happy.
I would hardly call that proof, the Oto eats the algae which does have the benefit of keeping the glass / plants cleaner, but its not like they are actively cleaning the tank, they are eating the algae to survive.
The owner of the tank keeps it clean via regular maintenance, water changes, gravel vacs, using a mag float etc.
For a 3 gallon tank I would look at a snail instead to eat the algae if you really can't get rid of it any other way. Oto's are sociable and do need company, I have 4 of them and they are always together.
We have a small group of otos in a 120 gallon, and they don't seem to hang out together much (probably because the tank is so big they can't find each other 
). That said, I would resist the temptation to add an oto to a 3 gallon tank. IMO the likelihood is high that it would get ahead of the algae growth and slowly starve to death. A better place to start would be cutting the photo period, possibly reducing feeding, whatever you can do to try and place the cause of the algae.
). That said, I would resist the temptation to add an oto to a 3 gallon tank. IMO the likelihood is high that it would get ahead of the algae growth and slowly starve to death. A better place to start would be cutting the photo period, possibly reducing feeding, whatever you can do to try and place the cause of the algae.