Will 2 otos get lonely?
- Thread starter BioHazard
- Start date
While otos seem to be more active in larger groups, I can't say I see the 7 or so in my sids tank any more than the two in the discus tank. I actually think the two in the discus tank are out more during the day while the group in my sids tank hide all day and come out when the lights go out at night. Two would be fine. But I'm afraid that your 5G hex tank is too small to add any otos with the guppies and shrimp.
When it comes to stocking, I keep getting confused. I hear from some people that no living thing should ever be put in a 5 gal or you're a fish-hitler, and other people say to put 1 inch of fish per gallon, and others say it depends on the species, others say you can have more guppies or shrimp because they have low bioloads, etc etc.... I'm kinda a newb, and this is confusing... Most people seemed okay with the setup listed above, but I don't want to overload my tank. What would your suggestion be? I always try to keep an open mind. 
The two I have now in my ten gallon at work are always out and about. Been in there for about two years now. I've never known an oto to take prepared foods, these two won't even take algae wafers. IME, they much prefer diatoms to any algae as well. The issue I've always had with otos is not gettin' enough to eat in smaller tanks. My concern would be that a 5 gallon tank may not be large enough to support two.
WYite
WYite
I would supplement their feeding with parboiled vegetables like zucchini, broccoli and lettuce. I also have sinking algae tabs. My tank is running right now with just a single snail to build up algae levels for them. The tank will also contain live fissidens. I could also add some java fern if they would also eat that.
According to otocinclus.com, they can eat algae tabs... Unfortunately all my current knowledge is based on reading rather than actual experience though...
If I only have 4 guppies, 2 otos, 1 snail and a few little shrimp... would that still be overstocked? I guess it's mostly opinion, but I want to do the right thing. I do really want an oto, though. I've always wanted a catfish, but most of them get WAAAY too big, so I was so excited to find these tiny guys...
I hope I can still have one...
According to otocinclus.com, they can eat algae tabs... Unfortunately all my current knowledge is based on reading rather than actual experience though...
If I only have 4 guppies, 2 otos, 1 snail and a few little shrimp... would that still be overstocked? I guess it's mostly opinion, but I want to do the right thing. I do really want an oto, though. I've always wanted a catfish, but most of them get WAAAY too big, so I was so excited to find these tiny guys...
I hope I can still have one...
Unfortunately, they may not be the best choice for you. They really can be difficult to feed, unless you have a lot--and I mean a lot--of diatoms and other algae in your tank. Some of mine will eat zucchini and nori (marine algae sheets), but others won't touch supplemental food at all. And I've never been able to convince a single one of them to try an algae wafer.
I purposefully let my tank get gunked up with algae, because that's what keeps my otos alive. And the only way to have this kind of gunk in your tank is to have an old tank. I bought my otos after my tank had been running for almost a year, and I was confident that the algae was there to stay.
If you really want catfish, and it sound like you do, have you thought about panda cories? Or other dwarf cories?
If you could upgrade to a 10 gallon, maybe you could keep 3 or so pandas with the guppies. A 5 gallon just really limits your options.
I purposefully let my tank get gunked up with algae, because that's what keeps my otos alive. And the only way to have this kind of gunk in your tank is to have an old tank. I bought my otos after my tank had been running for almost a year, and I was confident that the algae was there to stay.
If you really want catfish, and it sound like you do
, have you thought about panda cories? Or other dwarf cories?If you could upgrade to a 10 gallon, maybe you could keep 3 or so pandas with the guppies. A 5 gallon just really limits your options.
I am afraid one oto would starve in a 5 gallon tank let alone two. I can really sympathize with how badly you want them. 5 gallons is just so small, very easily fouled by fish waste and leftover foods, and can only be filtered by a very small filter without blowing the fish and water out of the tank.
The 1" of fish to 1 gallon of tank water is bunk. It certainly depends on the fish. I don't keep guppies or shrimp so I'm not sure what kind of a bioload they have, in my opinion just 4-5 guppies would be stocked full in there. Hoping people more familiar with guppies and shrimp can lend an opinion here too.
How is your snail building algae levels? Snails cannot create soft green algae or diatoms which are the two foods of choice for otos.
Otos are very, very fussy about food and many of them refuse anything but soft green algae and diatoms. They will not eat fissidens or java fern or any other type of plant. Mine will not touch a vegetable and rarely, rarely touch an algae tab or any of the other fish food. A lot of people that keep otos have lots of plants growing so that the otos can suck soft algae and biofilm from the plants leaves.
Is there anyway you can get a 10G tank?
The 1" of fish to 1 gallon of tank water is bunk. It certainly depends on the fish. I don't keep guppies or shrimp so I'm not sure what kind of a bioload they have, in my opinion just 4-5 guppies would be stocked full in there. Hoping people more familiar with guppies and shrimp can lend an opinion here too.
How is your snail building algae levels? Snails cannot create soft green algae or diatoms which are the two foods of choice for otos.
Otos are very, very fussy about food and many of them refuse anything but soft green algae and diatoms. They will not eat fissidens or java fern or any other type of plant. Mine will not touch a vegetable and rarely, rarely touch an algae tab or any of the other fish food. A lot of people that keep otos have lots of plants growing so that the otos can suck soft algae and biofilm from the plants leaves.
Is there anyway you can get a 10G tank?