The Oto Journal

[James0816]

08/23: Been a couple of days since I have been able to check on things but got a chance to today.

First discovery was the loss of my blue brigg. He hasn't been acting rather well for a while and I figured this was going to happen.

Then I focused on finding fry. Best count was (17). They are harder to spot as fry than they were as eggs.

Then I spotted something else in tank. Two small clutches of briggs eggs! No idea how long they have been there. I felt the clutches and they were hardish on the outside. I did the best I could to remove them and currently have them sitting on a wet paper towel in a tupperware container w/ lid in another tank.

 

[abcdefghi]

Started out with (2). Nothing special with the tank other than daily fert dosing, feeding regiment and wc's.

Great! Must have been amazing when you first started noticing eggs, especially when starting with only 2 otos.

I replied to you in my picture thread, but thought I would post here as well. I don't do anything special with the zucchini in my tank. All I do is cut it length ways, and use a veggie clip to attach it to the side of the tank. If I cut it too thick I have to notch out the top a little in order to fit the veggie clip. Occasionally it breaks off, but its rare, and by the time it breaks off anyway its been in the tank too long.

 

[James0816]

Thx ab. I've been cutn them in slices and freezing them. Then I would thaw and nuke for a few minutes. Here lately a few sink only to float back up after a day. Not happy with that.

 

[James0816]

08/24: Found another small clutch of briggs eggs today. I may just leave this one alone as it is not directly under the light.

Lots of babies swimming around. I think I mentioned this before, but it is pretty awesome to be looking tank level and watching them swim right at you and lite on the glass. Saw one baby bombarding the shrimp. Swam right into two of them before liting on the back wall. I'm sure the shrimp were wondering "what the heck was that".

Another thing I've noticed with this newest batch. Seems these little ones are actually seeking out the older siblings and hanging out with them. I'll watch the bigger ones swim away and lite on another part of the wall, and one or two little ones will lite right next to it.

Here's some shots:

 

[Reframer]

James, I love reading about your baby otos, I have the hardest time keeping them.
With regard to your brigs, if you dose its tank with ferts, then you are probably adding potassium to the water and that is deadly for snails.

 

[James0816]

I do dose with both Potassium Nitrate and Sulfate. I have never seen an issue with my snails before. One is even growing like he's on steriods.

Although..I did just lose my blue...but he has been acting weird not too long after I got him. The other three are doing fine.

You have to keep on the water changes so it doesn't build up.

 

[James0816]

Just finished going through the rest of the pictures from today. Here's two more shots: A few of them have already started to color up nicely.

 

[pinkertd]

So cool James! You da oto man!!!!!:headbang2:

 

[lookit]

Wow, James! I love this thread. :grinno: I have three otos in a tank, but all they do is hide from me. Every once in a while, one will whizz by and give me a tantalizing peek at him/her. What are you going to do with all your babies?:cheers:

 

[James0816]

Thx..it's been fun with this project. Eventually I will have to move them. Will have to see how many make it from the latest batch.

I think I'm going to have to set up another tank for the little ones as they get bigger. Don't want them to get too big where as I wind up not knowing who the parents are. ;o)