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schambers
 
Administrator
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2282
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Sylvania Township, Ohio
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A pair of my otocinclus spawned today! When I saw them, it was obvious what they were doing. Here's a picture and description from a website I found:
www.otocinclus.com/breeding.html
Should be fry in two to three days if all goes well. I'm going to start some green water. There is already lots of algae in their tank.
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North American Native Fishes Association forum
If you were to make little fishes talk, they would talk like whales. - Oliver Goldsmith |
coupedefleur
Administrator
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717
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the Great Black Swamp
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Hooray!! I've never gotten ottos to spawn (or at least I haven't seen the eggs before they got gobbled!)
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Burks
Administrator
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2886
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Mansfield, OH
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Congrats! Those are some rather difficult to breed fish. I've never had them breed, or even close I bet.
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 E-mail: nygburks@yahoo.com AIM Name: NYG Burks
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schambers
Administrator
Posts
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2282
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Sylvania Township, Ohio
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I can't see any eggs. They were depositing them on the undersides of leaves. The tank is on a low level, so I had to lay on the floor to look. None of the leaves that I could get a good look at had any visible eggs. I hope they didn't get eaten. The tank has some male Endler's and dwarf puffers in addition to the ottos. I'm going to see if I can get the Endler's and puffers out without causing too much commotion.
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North American Native Fishes Association forum
If you were to make little fishes talk, they would talk like whales. - Oliver Goldsmith |
Fish E
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1830
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Toledo, OH
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Perfect husbandry! Nice work!
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hc8719
Administrator
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1658
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Monclova, OH
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What are your params, I've heard otos are difficult to breed as well. Are there any larger fish in the tank?
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Matt
75 Gallon Freshwater
29 Gallon FOWLR
10 Cherry Red Shrimp tank
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schambers
Administrator
Posts
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2282
Location
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Sylvania Township, Ohio
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They are in a 5 gallon tank. The temp was 77 & pH 7.5. I haven't checked anything else in a while, but I'd guess the KH is around 2 or 3 & GH around 8 or 10. This tank just had an algae bloom, too - the long stringy kind. I wonder if whatever sparked the algae also prompted the ottos to spawn, or if it was simply the presence of a lot of food that did it.
I've given up trying to keep ottos in a tank with anything large that will compete for food. They just don't do well for me otherwise. This tank only has three ottos, about 7 male endler's, and 5 dwarf puffers. I'd planned to take out the endler's and puffers, and put in my ghost shrimp. I'm going to take out the fish, but hold off on the shrimp for now.
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North American Native Fishes Association forum
If you were to make little fishes talk, they would talk like whales. - Oliver Goldsmith |
schambers
Administrator
Posts
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2282
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Sylvania Township, Ohio
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Well, I didn't get any babies, but they did it again today! This time I can see several eggs. I now have a 5 gallon tank with three otocinclus in it, and nothing else but some snails. I'm going after the snails tonight.
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North American Native Fishes Association forum
If you were to make little fishes talk, they would talk like whales. - Oliver Goldsmith |
hc8719
Administrator
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1658
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Monclova, OH
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How long does it take for little otos to hatch?
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Matt
75 Gallon Freshwater
29 Gallon FOWLR
10 Cherry Red Shrimp tank
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schambers
Administrator
Posts
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2282
Location
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Sylvania Township, Ohio
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From what I've read on a couple of websites, 2 or 3 days.
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North American Native Fishes Association forum
If you were to make little fishes talk, they would talk like whales. - Oliver Goldsmith |
Burks
Administrator
Posts
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2886
Location
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Mansfield, OH
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Any luck with the new eggs? I forgot to ask you at the meeting how they were.
I just picked up three new Otos. Maybe the breeding bug will hit my tank. 
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E-mail: nygburks@yahoo.com AIM Name: NYG Burks
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schambers
Administrator
Posts
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2282
Location
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Sylvania Township, Ohio
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I haven't seen any babies. Either the eggs didn't hatch or the babies are hiding. They haven't spawned this week, either. At least not when I was watching.
I got those at Gary's last winter. I remember when I got them thinking that they were good ones. A couple of them had round bellies when I got them.
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North American Native Fishes Association forum
If you were to make little fishes talk, they would talk like whales. - Oliver Goldsmith |
Aquatic Aquaman
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Ann Arbor, Mi
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Hopefully the babies are just hiding!
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Toledo Reef Aquarium Club Web Administrator
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Burks
Administrator
Posts
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2886
Location
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Mansfield, OH
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Aquatic Aquaman said :
Hopefully the babies are just hiding! That would be my guess. I'm not sure if Otos are capable of swimming right after hatching. Give the substrate a really, really close look. When some fish hatch they rest on the substrate for a couple days.
Otos and spawning are a mystery to me. Heck, keeping them alive is an accomplishment!
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E-mail: nygburks@yahoo.com AIM Name: NYG Burks
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Aquatic Aquaman
Administrator
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4273
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Ann Arbor, Mi
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What do the new young eat?
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Toledo Reef Aquarium Club Web Administrator
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schambers
Administrator
Posts
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2282
Location
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Sylvania Township, Ohio
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There isn't much information out there, but someone reported theirs eating spinach leaves softened in hot water, & someone else recommended infusoria. I've been trying to make green water, but it isn't turning green. I need to do some more research on this.
The fry could be hiding, I often don't see the adults for days at a time.
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North American Native Fishes Association forum
If you were to make little fishes talk, they would talk like whales. - Oliver Goldsmith |
schambers
Administrator
Posts
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2282
Location
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Sylvania Township, Ohio
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I just found . . . Drum roll please . . . a juvenile otocinclus! I just sat in front of the tank and stared at it until the lights went out. It's a cute little fish. I'm not spending enough time just sitting and enjoying my tanks or I'd have noticed it by now! I'm sure it is from last spring's spawn.
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North American Native Fishes Association forum
If you were to make little fishes talk, they would talk like whales. - Oliver Goldsmith |
Fish E
Administrator
Posts
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1830
Location
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Toledo, OH
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Sweet! Its always exciting to find an unexpected baby! (At least with fish!  )
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hc8719
Administrator
Posts
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1658
Location
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Monclova, OH
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Hey thats something to raise a fish from an egg, to a bite size fry, to an semi-adult. Especially with out even trying
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Matt
75 Gallon Freshwater
29 Gallon FOWLR
10 Cherry Red Shrimp tank
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schambers
Administrator
Posts
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2282
Location
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Sylvania Township, Ohio
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Yeah! It's really cool. Too bad I don't know what I did so I could do it some more. 
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North American Native Fishes Association forum
If you were to make little fishes talk, they would talk like whales. - Oliver Goldsmith |