The Puffer Forum

what is the tech term for oto? otocinclus or something like that? What is so great about these fish, I have been hearing people rave about them for some time now.

You can find a lot of good otocinclus info here: http://www.otocinclus.com/

they are supposively very good workers. They are suppose to be passive, and if they survive, will live a long time.

I want them for another reason(they are an amazon basin fish) and will clean my algeafied tank well.

People love them so much because they are great algae eaters and stay small. So many of the algae eaters either get very large or lazy.. they start eating more fish food than algae. Even a bristlenose pleco or Siamese Algae Eater really get too big for a 10 gallon or anything like that, while otos stay small enough to be a better option.

strike2 wrote:what is the tech term for oto? otocinclus or something like that? What is so great about these fish, I have been hearing people rave about them for some time now.

For a utility fish, mine have a lot of personality. They're extremely active -- cleaning algae 24x7. Produce much less waste than other Loricariidae (and they're much smaller). I kind of had the same opinion when I first saw them, just thought they were boring and bland, but I really appreciate them now.

Myaj wrote:People love them so much because they are great algae eaters and stay small. So many of the algae eaters either get very large or lazy.. they start eating more fish food than algae. Even a bristlenose pleco or Siamese Algae Eater really get too big for a 10 gallon or anything like that, while otos stay small enough to be a better option.

Beat me by 6 minutes, heh.

Me types fast!

Well I will keep a look out for them.

well, went and got the water tested today by the lfs just to double check. Perfect water.

Must have just been survival of the fittest and he was obviously not the fittest. Its a shame really, i like to think of fish as more than just a thing.

Definetly going to pick up 2-3 more of these little guys. Ideally, i'd like to see if i could get them to breed.

I definately know how you feel. Fish can be real pets too. Most people don't realize that. With the amount of work we put into our tanks, each tank requires the same amount of time and care as a dog or cat might, and can give just as much enjoyment.

that, and one can be artsy with the planting/setup which makes it an addictive hobby, just like gardening/landscaping.

It also adds a natural beauty value to one's home where one can showoff his or her fruits(its nice when friends have no idea).