Otocinclus affinis

Aquarium enthusiasts frequently choose Otocinclus affinis, also known as "Oto" or just "Oto." These little fish, which are well-known for eating algae, are a wonderful addition to many aquariums. Not only are they adorable to watch, but they eat algae and biofilm, which keeps your aquarium clean.

Otocinclus affinis, which is native to South American rivers, does best in a clean, gently flowing tank. It is preferable to maintain a small school of them because they are content and perform well in groups. They are appropriate for both novice and seasoned aquarists due to their compact size and serene disposition.

Otocinclus affinis need a well-planted tank with hiding places in order to be happy. They prefer to eat algae, but if algae is scarce, they may need to be fed extra food in the form of veggies or sinking wafers. You can be sure that these beautiful fish thrive in your aquarium if you are aware of their requirements.

Habitat and habitat

South America: Brazil is the endemic country of the Amazon River basin. inhabits the Rio de Janeiro state’s rivers.

They are found mostly in shallow water, where they thrive in clear, highly oxygenated water with a swift current. creates tiny educational institutions. They feed on algae and microorganisms that reside in plant leaves and snags, where they spend the majority of their time.

Description

The color is ocher-golden, with a broad black stripe running from the start of the snout through the eye, along the lateral line, and all the way to the caudal fin. The strip becomes a rounded patch on the tail stem that is frequently split into two sections. The abdomen is white.

The snout is round and elongated, and the head is of average size. The eyes are big. There are big "ear" holes on the sides. The oral cavity functions as a suction cup. Lengthened and narrow, the body tapers down to the tail stem. Little bony plates cover the entire body. The dorsal fin has one hard ray and is elongated and tall. Little and colorless are the pectoral and ventral fins. broad caudal fin, lacking adipose fin.

Size:

Approximately 5 cm long, the smallest catfish in the Loricariidae family.

Behavior and compatibility

When the fish is healthy, it is incredibly resilient and strong.

It is preferable to keep them in groups of five or more. They are not bothered by bright light, so you can set up the aquarium to promote healthy plant growth. They typically congregate in places where water flows quickly. To prevent them from being sucked in, a grid must be placed on the filter’s suction tube. It’s normal for them to occasionally swim to the water’s surface and take a sip of air.

When otoks try to eat them, cichlids pursue them. They are fearless when housed with other placid medium-sized fish.

This small, inconspicuous fish in a planted aquarium is one of the most effective algae eaters. Otocinclus, together with the shrimp Caridina multidentata, is present in almost all T. Amano aquariums. They are much more mobile than ancistrus and, unlike the latter, eat algae from plant leaves. Compared to any other fish, they are the most effective in the fight against algae, and they search for them almost around the clock and do not damage even the most delicate plant leaves. They clean the leaves of small plants such as E. tennelus and Saggitaria subulata, and even the moss Vesicularia dubiana very well. Prevent the appearance of red algae on anubias. In a couple of days, a group of otocyncluses completely destroy brown diatomic algae (Brown Algae) in the aquarium: “Brown algae appear in a young aquarium. They cover everything from the walls to the driftwood and plants like a curtain. They are easy to deal with by adding their natural enemies to the aquarium, the best of which is Otocinclus». (Takashi Amano, «Nature Aquarium World», TFH Publications)

Otocinclus sp. are stocked at a rate of roughly 20 fish per 100 liters of volume when the aquarium is first opened, and 2-3 fish once the ecosystem has stabilized. For instance, in T. Amano, there are 4–6 Oto in a 90 cm aquarium.

Place away from aquariums containing SAE (other algae eaters) to prevent food competition!

Aquarium enthusiasts frequently choose Otocinclus affinis, also referred to as "Oto" or the Otocinclus, because of its remarkable algae-eating abilities, peaceful disposition, and small size. Often called the "sucker fish," this small fish is a wonderful addition to keep your aquarium tidy and well-balanced. It grows best in tanks with lots of plants. The Otocinclus affinis is a great addition to community tanks and a useful tool for controlling algae growth because of its easy-to-maintain gentle nature.

Aquarium

Aquariums must be at least 60 cm in size.

Perfect conditions: a robust, well-maintained aquarium with lots of greenery. Stones and driftwood, quiet nooks surrounded by vegetation. oxygen-filled, barely moving water. Lots of food, fouling from soft algae.

The water shouldn’t contain a lot of organic pollutants. There should be thorough and excellent filtration. Water quality should be high: nitrates less than 10 mg/l, nitrites 0 and ammonium not determined.

Water parameters:

Temperature range: 21–27°C pH range: 6.0 to 8.0 Hardness: 5 to 19 ° de Hart

Replace 30–50% of the water each week.

Massive bacterial infestation kills them if the water quality is low.

Acclimatization

Using peat and methylene blue to acidify water to boost its antibacterial properties is a method of quarantine treatment.

It’s a common belief that animals kept in aquariums within the first few weeks of their capture perish. A few guidelines will help you get used to living in an aquarium. The most important thing is to avoid putting Otocinclus in a big aquarium with plants right away. This is particularly crucial if the aquarium is "large"—that is, if the water’s surface area is greater than one square meter.

It is preferable to implement the advice given below:

Use a small (30–60 liter) soilless aquarium with basic fish (guppies, pecilia, etc.). Put in two sponge filters for airlifts. This filtration technique was selected for a number of reasons, including the fact that otiki enjoy eating both the aquarium’s walls and sponges, and that it is the greatest choice for an aquarium without soil. A temperature between 25 and 26 degrees is ideal.

Put six to ten people in this aquarium. Feed flakes, spirulina, and a small amount of bloodworm. You must immediately restore the fish’s strength and health before feeding them fresh vegetables. The truth is that they were probably malnourished while in transit. A school of otics will probably not have enough food when they first arrive in a good aquarium with plants. If you feed your fish well in a small aquarium for a while, you will greatly improve their chances of surviving.

The biggest issue for importers is gill flukes (Dactylogyrus), which can be fatal to fish, and intestinal worms. The newest medication from JBL Gyrodol alleviates blood flukes (Schistosoma), skin (Gyrodactylus, Trematoda), gill (Dactylogyrus), and even tapeworms (Cestoda). Its ingredient praziquantel causes the worms’ skin to open calcium channels, causing them to quickly die and excrete only tapeworms in their feces—without endangering the fish. takes out every parasite in six hours. Distinct from JBL Gyrodactol, please! Take anti-parasitic food supplements for a minimum of one week. Malachite green can help prevent infections caused by Ichthyophthirius.

Use of salt, copper, or insecticides (Masoten, Neguvon, Dylox, DTHP) is not advised during the quarantine period as these drugs have the potential to kill the patient!

When transporting something for a long time, use an ammonia neutralizer.

Feeding

These fish need a lot of food because they are herbivores, and their abdomen should always be full. Believing that they can survive without extra feeding is a grave mistake. A few people quickly fill a 300-liter aquarium with algae and start to starve! The most common cause of their death in an aquarium that is too "clean" of algae is a shortage of food.

There are rumors that they hunt down other fish (angels, discus, etc.) and eat the mucus off their skin; this suggests that they consume the bacteria that reside in the mucus.

Give them blanched vegetables (you can microwave them for 30 seconds in a plate with water) if there isn’t enough food. Young squash (zucchini), cucumbers, lettuce, peas, spinach, and cabbage can all be added. They can be fastened to the aquarium’s walls using an elastic band or a clothespin on a suction cup. Vegetable remnants that have not yet been eaten should be taken out of the aquarium within two days at the latest to prevent water deterioration.

According to Dusko Bojic (aquariumalgae.blogspot.com), blanched zucchini is the best food for them.

It is well known that Oto will disregard the majority of other vegetables, including lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, and catfish tablets, as well as dried algae. The best known food is zucchini. Blanched zucchini must be fed to the aquarium once a week if there is not enough algae present. You must boil the zucchini for two minutes before feeding it. Place the zucchini at the bottom, or better yet, on a snag so Oto can find them easily. Keep zucchini for at least one day, but no less than two days."

• If they reject all food, then there is enough algae in the aquarium for them; • Since this species is most active at night, feeding should be done in the evening after the lights are turned out. •It is thought that they require driftwood, as they may eat microorganisms that settle on it. •Store-bought chips, tablets, and spirulina are also good food options.

Sexual Dimorphism

Compared to males, females are somewhat bigger. In 6–8 months, mature.

Breeding

The owner may not always be aware that the fish are reproducing, especially in large aquariums with lots of vegetation. It is only because of their increased numbers since last month that this becomes apparent. Thick moss and small-leaved plant thickets are especially helpful for this.

The fry start to take on the appearance of an adult after two or three weeks.

Throughout the summer, eggs are laid multiple times without any prior increase in water changes.

Bloodworms, tubifex, Artemia nauplii, and the presence of microorganisms in the water (Euglena viridis, dubbed "blooming water") all stimulate spawning.

Spawning

The 30–60 liter soilless aquarium with a sponge filter described above is perfect for spawning and raising fish. Plant more tiny plants and Java moss. There, arrange the female and a minimum of three males. Weekly water changes of 25–30% are standard. Remove the breeders once they have spawned.

The male pursues the female as she actively swims around the aquarium. She eventually presses herself up against the male’s anal fin and attaches three to six eggs to the underside of leaves, or she scatters the eggs in small amounts on stones, glass, and broadleaf plants in quiet corners of the aquarium. After she goes, the male fertilizes the eggs. A single spawning produces at least 60 eggs laid. The eggs are translucent, sticky, and have a hint of yellow color. If the fish are in a shared aquarium and have laid eggs, you can remove the leaves that the eggs are stuck to and transfer them to an incubator.

Water parameters: pH 6.5-7, hardness 4-10°, temperature 20-22°C, according to another source. The typical time for sprouting is early in the morning. When the female takes the milt from the male and pours it onto a spotless, well-lit surface, the eggs stick to the surface and nearly all of the eggs get fertilized. Efficiency of up to 130 eggs. The breeders are removed and the aquarium’s temperature is raised to 26–28°C following spawning. It is necessary to dissolve methylene blue in the water until it takes on a faint blue hue in order to prevent the growth of mold fungus.

Incubator

The water level in the container with eggs must be at least 5 cm. Temperature 24-26 degrees.
Add methylene blue to the water so that the eggs remain visible.
Change 80% of the water twice a day for fresh water with the same amount of methylene blue.
When the fry are close to hatching (in two to four days, depending on the temperature), you can blow through the eggs so that the fry detach from the shell.
After the fry hatch, reduce the water change to 25-30% per week, without adding methylene blue.
After a couple of days, their yolk sacs are emptied – at this point you need to start feeding the fry.

Raising fry

Appetizers: brine shrimp, spinach, algae, infusoria, and crushed Tetra Tabs. Water should be changed frequently and gradually to lower the nitrate level and remove food residue from the bottom. Put on a hose or siphon net when changing the water to prevent the fry from being sucked in. Launch the snails once the fry begin to swim; they will consume any leftover food from the bottom and their excrement serves as a good source of food for infusoria. Use the water that blooms in a different container kept in the sun for fry food (euglena and other species will reproduce in it). unicellular).

The average lifespan is five years.

Aspect	Description
Common Name	Otocinclus
Scientific Name	Otocinclus affinis
Size	Up to 2 inches (5 cm)
Color	Light brown with dark spots
Habitat	South American rivers
Diet	Algae, algae wafers
Tank Size	10 gallons or more
Behavior	Peaceful, schooling fish
Care Level	Easy to moderate
Temperature	72-78°F (22-26°C)
Water Conditions	Soft, slightly acidic to neutral

Otocinclus affinis, commonly referred to as "Oto" or the Otocinclus, is a small but interesting fish that makes a wonderful addition to a lot of aquariums. Both beginning and seasoned fish keepers choose these fish because of their reputation for eating algae, which keeps your tank tidy. If they have some hiding places and a group of their own kind to feel safe, they make excellent additions to community tanks due to their gentle nature and relatively low maintenance needs.

The fact that these fish hardly ever get larger than two inches in length makes them especially remarkable. They won’t disturb other fish or disturb the ecosystem in the tank because of their quiet nature and inconspicuous presence. Though they are excellent at cleaning algae, it’s crucial to keep in mind that they still require a variety of foods to stay healthy. Algae wafers and other foods can be added to their diet to help maintain their optimal health.

Otocinclus affinis is a charming and useful addition to any freshwater aquarium, all things considered. They are a favorite among fish enthusiasts because of their laid-back disposition and helpful cleaning practices. You can have happy, healthy Otos that enhance your aquatic environment if you just make sure you give them the proper tank conditions and pay some attention to their dietary needs.

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