# Oto fry & egg--UPDATED with pics



## ath3ist (Mar 17, 2008)

Could you post a picture of those otos frys you have? there's not many report of successful captive breeding of otos.


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## thingamarob (Jan 16, 2009)

Sure, but I'm certain they're oto fry. They look just like this:


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## thingamarob (Jan 16, 2009)

Also, I'm not currently feeding them anything, but often they have little poop strings hanging out of them and they're growing, so I'm thinking they're getting by alright. Should I worry about feeding them anything in addition to the algae already in my tank? I will try to get some pics tonight and post them.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

pictures not showing


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## monkeyruler90 (Apr 13, 2008)

wow, i definitely want to see a pic of baby otos. 
what are your water parameters?? i wana get mine to breed


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## thingamarob (Jan 16, 2009)

I've added the pics (evidence, lol), but the eggs, whosever they were, got eaten.

monkeyruler, I don't know what my parameters are. I haven't checked them in several months. I imagine they are still basically 0 ammonia/nitrites and 0-10 nitrates. I did move to a different city, so the pH may have changed. They didn't spawn until after I moved. I'll check the pH and see how much (if any) it's changed.


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

Very cool! Never seen a baby oto before. 

Good luck!


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

Awesome!


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## amp (Dec 2, 2008)

Sweet, can I ask what your tank setup is?


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## Sixwing (Jan 30, 2009)

Awww! Oto kittens!
I'd like to know, too... +1 tank specs, please


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## thingamarob (Jan 16, 2009)

Specs:

Cheapo 10 Gallon tank with cheapo HOB filter

Substrate: Eco-complete

Fauna: too many Rasbora brigittae, 2 full grown otos (I got lucky they were a mating pair), approx. 16 oto fry, bunch of pond snails, and about 10 red cherry shrimp.

Flora: Hygrophila corymbosa 'stricta', Sunset hygro, java fern, crypt parva, 1 unknown crypt, dwarf sag, echinodorus vesuvius and a single stem of rotala rotundifolia. 

Water parameters: currently unknown, but I'll check and get back with that.

Water changes: ~60% once every two weeks or so

Feeding: some combination of shrimp bites, algae wafers, spirulina, flake food, and dried brine shrimp 3 times a week.

Ferts/CO2: Excel 3x a week, root tabs every few months

Lighting: too much probably with a 28w Coralife dealie about 6 inches above the water. On for 7.5 hours a day.

I think that covers it.


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## suebe333 (Feb 17, 2009)

Awesome  let us know when you will sell some , Oto's direct from the source WOW cool


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## danakin (Jun 8, 2007)

Congrats! You've inadvertantly achieved something not a lot of folks have! 

It could be possible that the water change triggers the "fresh rainfall" effect that leads to breeding, as with neons/cardinals. Their diet sounds pretty nice as well. 

How established is this tank? How long have you had it running?


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## requiem (Oct 25, 2008)

*brigittae*

congratulations!! Those are disgustingly cute 

I have a side question. I have ~20 boraras brigittae in my tank. That's what they were ID'ed as at the store. You name yours rasboras. google reveals the same fish. Are they the same? I heard something about them being renamed..?

Thanks


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## thingamarob (Jan 16, 2009)

requiem said:


> congratulations!! Those are disgustingly cute
> 
> I have a side question. I have ~20 boraras brigittae in my tank. That's what they were ID'ed as at the store. You name yours rasboras. google reveals the same fish. Are they the same? I heard something about them being renamed..?
> 
> Thanks


They are the same fish. I think Rasbora is the preferred nomenclature but don't quote me on that. Funny thing is, half of my brigittaes came from a different supplier and they were lighter in color but looked almost identical. I've since discovered an almost identical fish called Boraras uropthalmoides that I'm convinced comprises one half of my rasbora school but they look so similar that it's hard to say.


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## thingamarob (Jan 16, 2009)

danakin said:


> Congrats! You've inadvertantly achieved something not a lot of folks have!
> 
> It could be possible that the water change triggers the "fresh rainfall" effect that leads to breeding, as with neons/cardinals. Their diet sounds pretty nice as well.
> 
> How established is this tank? How long have you had it running?


I've just changed the water so we'll see if the rainfall effect takes place.

The tank has been fully cycled since early March of this year.


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## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

wow, baby otos! SO COOL! 

Congratulations!!!


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## Sixwing (Jan 30, 2009)

Neat! 
How often are your otos out and about? Mine share a 10g with a single (mellow) betta, and hide all the time. I'd love it if they would breed.. maybe I should encourage them that direction. =D


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## thingamarob (Jan 16, 2009)

Sixwing said:


> Neat!
> How often are your otos out and about? Mine share a 10g with a single (mellow) betta, and hide all the time. I'd love it if they would breed.. maybe I should encourage them that direction. =D


I think hiding is kind of the nature of otos, but I still see mine quite a bit. They stay pretty busy. Same with the little guys.


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Glad I found this post as I was getting ready to create one of my own. I need to know what to feed the Oto fry as well.

I currently have a small batch of five wigglers and just found five more eggs laid yesterday. The eggs mark the third batch.

This is a 10g tank with two otos, yellow shrimp and briggs snails. As you can seek, I have a very good clean up crew so I need to make sure I have ample food in here for the wee ones.


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## thingamarob (Jan 16, 2009)

james0816 said:


> As you can seek, I have a very good clean up crew so I need to make sure I have ample food in here for the wee ones.


Congrats to you, James. No one ever answered my question about feeding, but my fry seem to be finding plenty to eat because they are growing rapidly. Evidently my tank is abundant in the necessary microflora/fauna that oto fry need. I mentioned previously in the thread what I feed the grown folks, but other than that I'm not putting anything in. If your tank is well-established and your grown otos are finding plenty to eat, your fry probably will too. Best of luck.


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Thx thing. Seems we are in uncharted territory. I can't find any info either. 

How's the rearing going will your fry? Mine are still clear/white..just wee ones. Very active though. This is my second batch. I don't think for me at least that I have enough food in there for them as the shrimp and briggs help keep things nice and clean. Mom and Dad oto are nice and plump so they have to be getting plenty to eat. I suppliment with 2 small hikari waffers broken up in tiny pieces and 2 pinches of finely ground flake food.

I found the third batch a couple of days ago. Five freshly laid eggs. Couldn't tell if there were more. Will probably have more wigglers in the next couple of days.


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Wee ones still hangin tough. Working over everything they can find...including the brigs. ;o)


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## H82LOS3 (Mar 5, 2009)

Hopefully my otos can breed like urs


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## thingamarob (Jan 16, 2009)

james0816 said:


> Wee ones still hangin tough. Working over everything they can find...including the brigs. ;o)


Good to hear, James. I counted as many as 18 fry at various stages of maturity in my tank at one point. It looks like about 10 have made it. Weirdest thing, though, my papa oto jumped from the tank last night! Luckily I got to him in time.


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## Sixwing (Jan 30, 2009)

I wonder if mine are all males - the last really plump one passed a few months ago. Hiding does seem to be their nature - thanks for confirming yours do it, too.



> This is a 10g tank with two otos, yellow shrimp and briggs snails.


Heee! Took me a moment to figure out that the big "thumbprint" there was a snail.


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## Aquarist_Fist (Jul 22, 2008)

thingamarob said:


> Good to hear, James. I counted as many as 18 fry at various stages of maturity in my tank at one point. It looks like about 10 have made it. Weirdest thing, though, my papa oto jumped from the tank last night! Luckily I got to him in time.


Well, if I had 18 kids all of a sudden, I'd jump, too. 

Congratulations on something rare and awesome. I've had otos spawning before but never saw any fry.


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Guys are still going strong. Baby fry all over the place. I launched a rescue mission today as I found (3) hiding in the HOB. Some how they managed to get past the prefilter. Wound up losing one unfortunately due to stupidity. Long story. The older babies are seeming to be doing well. Bellies getting round and extremely active.

How's yours Thingamarob? Maybe we should start a journal over here as well.


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## Vladdy (May 6, 2008)

My otos croaked after a week


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Been a spell since I posted. Give a quick update. I counted 12 wigglers and 1 juvenille. The juvie measures in at 1/2". Mom and dad are constantly busy.


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## omboocat (Nov 3, 2005)

Excellent, I bet they are cuties.
wilma


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## greatfish123 (Oct 14, 2007)

any recent pics?


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## thingamarob (Jan 16, 2009)

Of my high count of 18, only one seems to have survived. Saw a few new wigglers yesterday though. They seem to reach about a week old and start to struggle to survive. Then again, I might've made a mistake by cutting back on feeding due to a serious snail outbreak. I hope that's not what did them in.


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Here's the most recent shot I have of the juvie. This was taken last week.


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Ok..current shot of the juvie:








Wee one munching on a crypt:


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## Tex Gal (Mar 28, 2008)

Incredible! I watch my tank and swear that I have some smaller ottos that I shouldn't have. I don't know how they could be so small after I've had them for so long. It makes me wonder if I've had some multiplying in my tank. I have so many plants in there I'd never find the eggs. At least I know it IS possible.


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

I started a thread over in the Tank Journal Forum to keep track of the progress. This tank is really popping with activity at the moment. Between the baby Oto's and baby yellow shrimp..it is hard to count. Literally a swarm of 1/8" littles ones in here.

I'll keep the thread in the Tank Forum updated as much as possible. Please look there for info.

Thing...gl with your guys. Keep us posted on your progress as well.

Thanks,
J.


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## wyatt (Oct 11, 2011)

*Some oto fry here, too!*

I've two that I'm sure of (though there are many hiding places in the tank). Hatch was about two weeks ago.


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## reddhawkk (Dec 28, 2011)

Spawning Ottos, cool! That is the one fish my 29 amazon does not have yet.


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## tbarabash (May 18, 2011)

omfg that's so cute i can't get over it


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## Alyssa (Sep 16, 2011)

Oooooh so CUTE! And CONGRATS!


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## eklikewhoa (Aug 29, 2006)

Really interesting occurrence!


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