How important is a school for ottos?

**dizzydezzy** · 09-10-2012, 10:10 PM

Ok, so I have this 26 gallon tank that currently houses the following:
1 male betta (Mr. Fishyface is very laid back)
10 emerald eye rasboras
12 celestial pearl danios (8 adults and 4 juvvies)
8 khuli loaches (well, I put in 8 some months ago. hardly ever see the little raskals)

The tank is dirted, and densely planted, filtered with an aquaclear 50. It's a custom built one with weird dimensions (32"long by 14.5" wide by about 13" tall, so it's kinda wide long and shallow..). I rake handfuls of plants out of it every couple of weeks, but it doesn't take long to fill out again... Ammonia and nitrites and nitrates are all 0.

The thing is, there is a bit of algae happening on the glass and some of the plants. I don't really mind it that much.. But I was thinking of getting a couple of ottos to keep the garden clean. Can't get freshwater shrimp over here.

The thing is, the ottos (otos?) that you get here are all wild caught and not in the best of shape, and whenever I got them in the past, I couldn't get them to eat any "added" food - they would only eat algae, and once the algae was gone, they would starve. No amount of cucumber or algae tabs would ever tampt them. I have read somewhere that, to keep an otto fed and happy, you should count for about 10 gallons of tank space per otto to "grow" enough algae and slime and such. So, I could put in 2, maximum 3 in my tank... question is, do they need a larger group to be happy? anyone with 2 or 3 happy ottos out there who are doing ok?

**smaug** · 09-10-2012, 10:38 PM

I have 10 of them in my 58 gal and when you start looking for them they are usually far spaced,far enough they wouldn't even be able to see each other. I have never seen them grouped up and interaction between them is rare. To summarize,unless my otos have some sort of telepathic bond with one another then I can comfortably say that they don't need a group at all

On the other end of the spectrum I had only 2 or 3 for almost a year in the same tank and there behaviours were the same. Skitter along the leaves and eat algae,same thing they do when there is 10 pf them.

**Lady Hobbs** · 09-11-2012, 12:22 AM

Ottos's can't count so I guess as long as they have a couple of friends, they'd be happy enough. They will be competing for food so too many wouldn't be a good thing, either. I think 3 would be fine in your 26 gallon. I have 3 in my 29. Mine love cucumber, too. I put it in the tank for the shrimp but the otto's get right after it, as well.

**dizzydezzy** · 09-11-2012, 01:36 AM

Thanks guys! I might start looking around the local pet/fish stores for some ottos now ;)

**Lady Hobbs** · 09-11-2012, 06:49 AM

We always hear ottos have a short lifespan. I have one that I know is at least 4 years old (if not 5) and probably 10 more that are now a year old. I have lost some in the past year tho as I don't see as many as I used to have.
I am suspicious perhaps the Excel I had used a few times may have killed some.

**smaug** · 09-11-2012, 11:13 AM

I have one that's 3 to 4 yrs old. Too! They get real cool looking if they have good water and nice algae. They always look near death when bought. Nake sure to be safe and drip acclimate it really helps.

**ameliaaahx** · 09-12-2012, 01:05 AM

Dezzy -- what about Pitbull Plecos instead? They always have them at Animates down here. Very cute little algae eaters which grow to around 5cm. I think they're hardier than ottos (which I've failed at keeping) and will eat algae tabs or veges. They also like groups so 3 would be good.

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog...species_id=236

**dizzydezzy** · 09-12-2012, 01:24 AM

Ooh they look cute, too! I guess I will venture over to Hollywood Fish Farm this weekend (they list as having both otos and pitbull plecos in stock...) and have a look at them!