Fat Oto Cat?

**sunshineb** · 12-26-2012, 04:27 PM

Hi, I have 5 Otos in my 40 tall, and I have noticed the one on the left getting larger in the stomach. Could it be constipation or pregnancy? I'm worried that this may be lethal and/or contagious.

**Shidohari** · 12-26-2012, 06:20 PM

it has been said on some articles that a fat oto cat is a happy oto cat, however I am not the expert on the species. If it's pregnant i want pictures of the fry if any result.

If it is over eating, it could be that this one is very aggressive and wants all the food for themselves before any of the others can get it.

Either way i agree he's a bit chubby lol.

**madagascariensis** · 12-27-2012, 02:46 AM

neither of the otos in the picture seem too chubby to me, but i still would keep
an eye on the guy on the blue tube. swellings in the "upper" belly have never been a good sign for my otos. I don't think it is gravid either. gravid otos have a gentle yellowish bulge in their LOWER abdomen behind the pelvic fins. the yellowish tinge comes from the eggs and if you shine a flashlight at them then you might even be able to distinguish between individual eggs.

**sunshineb** · 12-27-2012, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by madagascariensis

neither of the otos in the picture seem too chubby to me, but i still would keep
an eye on the guy on the blue tube. swellings in the "upper" belly have never been a good sign for my otos. I don't think it is gravid either. gravid otos have a gentle yellowish bulge in their LOWER abdomen behind the pelvic fins. the yellowish tinge comes from the eggs and if you shine a flashlight at them then you might even be able to distinguish between individual eggs.

You're right :( It wasn't a good sign at all, because he/she was dead this morning. I would like to know what caused the swelling though, in order to try to prevent it in the future. I love oto cats, and I have at least one in every tank I own (besides the bettas!) They are my go-to algae bounty hunters and I hated having a fishy funeral for one of them.

**madagascariensis** · 12-28-2012, 03:08 AM

oh dear, sorry for your oto.

unfortunately random deaths just seem to be the way things are with otos, especially if they are new to the tank.

**bethyMT** · 12-28-2012, 03:28 PM

Sorry you lost him/her. They really do keel over easily...I had seven when I began my oto adventure, now I'm down to four two months later. It's so sad when they die; I'm emotionally invested in my fish like a big sap.

I have seen the bloaty stomach thing on mine too, although I can't tell you if they were the ones who died though. I wonder if they get blocked up because they are eating constantly.