Random otto deaths

**Limming** · 03-13-2013, 04:44 PM

I introduced 3 ottos to my 20 gallon after two weeks in QT last Friday. This morning I found one of them dead in the filter intake. My water parameters are 0 ammonia and nitrite and 5 to 10 nitrates with a ph of 7.8. Is this just a case of random death? I had plenty of algae in the tank before I put them in and didn't notice any of them being skinny they all appeared to be healthy.

**genocidex** · 03-13-2013, 04:48 PM

possible.... whats the other stock? i know otos are incredibly sensitive...

**Limming** · 03-13-2013, 04:52 PM

Its 12 bloodfin tetra but I haven't seen them bothering the ottos and didn't think that would be a problem seeing as ottos get kept in much bigger community tank.

**genocidex** · 03-13-2013, 05:23 PM

Sounds like you had a good home for them, so i would say its just because the oto was so sensitive.....

**Limming** · 03-13-2013, 05:41 PM

Thats what I thought just wanted to check any other possible reasons for the death.

**bethyMT** · 03-13-2013, 06:15 PM

I had several otos do this me as well. No discernible reason, just up and croaked. They are sensitive; so much so that we can't always identify what they're sensitive to - they just die. They say this will often happen within the first month. I found it happened slowly over several months.

I'm sorry this happened to you.

**Limming** · 03-13-2013, 06:29 PM

Its ok I've read the same thing over and over I just thought things were going really well. I'll see how the others do and replace the 3rd in a few months. The tank has only had fish for 2 months now so maybe it just needed more time to mature.