# Stressed Otocinclus...why?



## goot776 (May 10, 2010)

I keep a 2.5 gallon cycled freshwater tank with a light bioload (2 ghost shrimp, a snail, an otocinclus, and 3 tetras) that has been doing very well the past 6 months. I do around a 40% water change a week, feed daily with hikari algae wafers and tropical pellets. It's filtered, heated, and well-maintained.

Recently, my oto started to lose color. He is still very active, and darts around when tankmates get too close, and acts normal in every way, but his color is definitely not normal. I've checked all my parameters; ph is fine, nitrate level is very low, food sources are available, light levels are stable... I don't know what is going on. He has lost all of his color, the stripe is now gone, and he is completely white and translucent, but acts normal. During the day, he often hides in the cave decoration in the middle of the tank.

I can't think of a reason why this is happening. I *did* make a change to the filter a few months ago where I took the replaceable carbon sponge out. I had been mildly dosing excel when I experimented with a moss wall background. I never replaced the carbon, and I kept reusing the white batting -- washing it out every two weeks. I know washing it out may disrupt the bacteria living in it, but since I keep my water/substrate undisturbed, my nitrite levels haven't been messed up.

Any ideas? Should I put in new batting/carbon sponge to see if that makes a difference? Logically, since my water parameters have not changed, I'm not sure why this should make a difference, but it is the only thing I can think of that has changed.


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## Chris- (Oct 27, 2010)

No ideas from what you have posted, but anything changed a few months back would not be on my radar as a culprit. Try changing the food source as a trial and see if it changes anything. GL


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## goot776 (May 10, 2010)

Thanks.

I just read a post from a guy in Long Island (where I'm from) saying that public water has been chemically adjusted recently. This might be it...but I use dechlor before water changes. I dunno.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

That's not really a light bio load for a 2.5g.


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## dthb4438 (Nov 12, 2007)

Oto's usually like to be in packs of two or more.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

dthb4438 said:


> Oto's usually like to be in packs of two or more.


Yes but please don't add any more fish to that sized tank!

Did you test for ammonia and nitrite?


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## goot776 (May 10, 2010)

wendyjo said:


> Yes but please don't add any more fish to that sized tank!
> 
> Did you test for ammonia and nitrite?


Yeah, I test for them too. Levels are good.


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## goot776 (May 10, 2010)

wendyjo said:


> That's not really a light bio load for a 2.5g.


Yeah, I understand. I meant "light" in relative terms to people who own larger tanks.

The bioload I have now is the limit of what this tank should handle. The shrimp/snail combo don't add too much waste -- the setup is very clean, actually, with the scavenging they do.


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## goot776 (May 10, 2010)

dthb4438 said:


> Oto's usually like to be in packs of two or more.


I read about that, but he's always been by himself since the day I got him. And that was @ six months ago. Would that explain the stress?


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

How long has he been this way and did it start after a water change?


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## goot776 (May 10, 2010)

james0816 said:


> How long has he been this way and did it start after a water change?


For almost a month now; I'm surprised he's not acting more lethargic considering how long it has been.

Since it's a small tank, I have to do water changes once a week in order to keep the nitrate levels down. If it's the water, that's probably the simplest answer. I can try storing the water in jugs instead of using "fresh" tap water... but none of the other fish are experiencing problems.


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Try this at your next water change. Use spring water instead of your tap water. I'm suspecting something with your water as it seems everything else is in balance.


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## goot776 (May 10, 2010)

james0816 said:


> Try this at your next water change. Use spring water instead of your tap water. I'm suspecting something with your water as it seems everything else is in balance.


Sounds like a plan. Do you know if otos are more sensitive to slight changes in public water? None of the other fish seem to have any problems.

I _really_ don't want to have to rely on spring water every time I do a water change. Do I have an alternative? Luckily, I'm about to move into a house which has an in-line reverse osmosis filter underneath the kitchen sink! Totally unnecessary for Long Island, but great for fish.


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Yes...They are sensitive to the slightest of changes. There could be something in the water that is not sitting well with them. I also didn't see if you had mentioned that you treat your water with any decholorinator.

How's his belly look also?


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## goot776 (May 10, 2010)

james0816 said:


> Yes...They are sensitive to the slightest of changes. There could be something in the water that is not sitting well with them. I also didn't see if you had mentioned that you treat your water with any decholorinator.
> 
> How's his belly look also?


His belly is slim -- I've read about how they can get bloated. I dechlorinate also. It's gotta be something with the tap. I recently moved into my wife's grandfather's house temporarily until the new house contract is closed, same town, but about 5 minutes away from where I started.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

They should actually have nice fat round bellies. Are you sure he's getting enough to eat?


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## manntetra (Feb 18, 2010)

they do spend most of their time feeding and group up when doing so, and add some algae wafers.


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