Otocyclus: characteristics, varieties, care and reproduction

For ornamental fish farming today, various species and breeds of representatives of river or marine fauna are purchased. Among this variety, it is worth highlighting ototsinklus, which are represented in a large species diversity. A common feature of all species is the ability to clean aquariums.

Otozinklus is a fish from the genus of chain-mail catfish, which is naturally found in the countries of South America. In addition to its main name (Otocinclus), it is usually called simply - Oto. Catfish of this species are perfect for aquarium breeding, because notable for its small size, in addition, this particular inhabitant is considered one of the best fighters against vegetation in the aquarium, since it feeds mainly on algae and bloom. This point should be taken into account by the aquarist in the first place, since in new tanks, with a lack of flora, such an inhabitant can simply die of hunger.

Argentina and Venezuela are considered the homeland of the oto and its varieties; certain types of small catfish are found in Brazil and Peru. In the wild, ototsinkluses inhabit the coastal parts of rivers and streams, where there is clear water and a moderate current. Most of the time, the fish are busy eating vegetation at the bottom, which stands out with small shoots and leaves.

Otozinklus has an elongated body, when viewed from above it will appear slightly flattened. Above is concentrated bone formation, resembling a shell, which acts as a good defense. Only the abdominal part remains without protection in fish of this species. On the muzzle there are rather expressive eyes that often blink, as well as a mouth that has the structure of a sucker. With the help of such a special organ, it attaches itself to the surfaces of algae, stones, snags and other fish, scraping off food from them.

By its color, the fish can be silvery or have a golden sheen of the scales; at the top there may be whitish stains without clear outlines. On the sides along the body of the oto, there is a darker stripe. The size of the oto in the natural environment and in the conditions of reservoirs does not differ, therefore it varies within 4-6 centimeters. The average life span of a catfish is 6-7 years.

Such river inhabitants are remarkable for the presence of not only branchial, but also intestinal respiration. The latter option is used by them exclusively when necessary, therefore, it is secondary. It will be possible to determine the sex of the fish when examining the individual from above. In ototsinkluses, sexual dimorphism is well developed, in the light of which the females will be much larger and wider than males. At the same time, the latter are not inherent in the roundness of the body; they can be described as more graceful fish.

Today, aquarists have about two dozen types of oto, many of which can be kept and bred at home. They are all very similar to each other, the differences are only in minor deviations regarding the size and color of the fish. Most often, the following species are bred in aquariums.

The most common type of catfish, which is often called common. The fish are quite small in size - adults, as a rule, grow up to only 4 centimeters. Among the cleaners, this is the most demanded river specimen. The color of catfish of this species will be predominantly silver with a yellow tint, while the side stripe is brown. On the back of the oto there are marble or brown blotches, while the fins will be transparent with green.

Very often inexperienced consultants and aquarists combine this species with the previous one. However, in reality, individuals are divided into two independent varieties. You can distinguish fish by the presence of spots on the body, painted in dark brown shades.

Catfish of this species stand out for their olive body color interspersed with gray and yellow tones. On the back of the fish, dark spots should be present in large numbers. Also, individuals of this species have heterogeneous stripes on the sides.

The smallest representatives of the cleaners, the size of which usually does not exceed 2 centimeters. These fish are recommended to be kept only in small aquariums.

In addition, the following types of these fish are found in pet stores:

• ototsinklus macrospilus;
• ototsinklus ancistrus;
• ototsinklus vittatus;
• ototsinklyus negros.

Aquarists characterize this type of ornamental fish as difficult to breed for inexperienced breeders. Besides, when choosing a catfish cleaner, you will need some knowledge about otozinklus and their characteristics... Before buying, you should find out what the existing representatives of the genus eat, you should watch their behavior in the aquarium for some time. Good youngsters should be active and also have a uniform body color.

To avoid unpleasant situations, when soon after the purchase they die, it is recommended to additionally feed them, the optimal number of meals will be 3-4 times a day. All purchased catfish must go through quarantine, so at first they should be kept in a separate container, designed for 30-40 liters, with good aeration, filter and regular fluid changes.

As mentioned above, a feature of this type of catfish is the need to keep in flocks even in a closed tank. Therefore, individuals difficult to care for and breed should be in the aquarium at least three. The ideal option for catfish would be a clean and actively developing herbalist, where there will be a small but regular flow.

The only requirement after acclimatization will be the issue of water quality compliance. The fluid must be regularly cleaned and filtered. Usually, a weekly replacement is carried out at least one third of the total volume of water in the container.

The presence of oxygen is important for ototsinklus, therefore aeration of the liquid will be the main condition for their content. It is better to place algae densely in the tank so that the catfish always have food nearby. As for lighting, it does not interfere with this type of catfish at all, in addition, regular light will positively affect the growth of vegetation inside, as well as the appearance of green bloom - the main source of food for catfish.

It is important for the cleaners to have driftwood in aquariums, as well as stones with polished sides. These items will also be in demand for fish in terms of food and cleaning from plaque. As for the soil, it is best to place sand or any other material at the bottom, but always of a fine fraction and without the presence of sharp components.

In light of the fact that ototsinkluses are not remarkable for their size, they do not need a large aquarium to keep them; it is enough to have a container designed for 20-30 liters of water. However, flocks exceeding 10 in number will require a doubling of the volume of the container.

In order to provide ototsinkluses with the proper conditions for development, special attention must be paid to the condition of the aquarium in which they are kept. So, miniature catfish will live only in a clean container with clean water. Therefore, cleaning the tank with fish should be regular - at least once a week. With properly organized filtration and aeration, tap water can be used, but at least a third of it should be changed.

Oto are herbivorous fish that feed almost constantly, even at night. Despite the dense vegetation inside the aquarium, they will need additional feeding., since with a large number of individuals in the flock, they are able to clear even a 300-liter container of plaque in a short period of time, after which the catfish begins to starve. In some cases, ototsinkluses eat mucus and microorganisms even from fish living in their neighborhood - usually scalars, discus fish, Siamese algae eater.

As a supplement, in addition to the algae inside, it is necessary to give blanched vegetables. It is allowed to introduce zucchini, cucumbers, lettuce, spinach, cabbage into the diet of the cleaners. Usually, small pieces of treats are attached to the wall of the aquarium using a clothespin clip. or placed at the bottom, fixing with an elastic band to a stone, for example.Leftover food should not remain in the aquarium for more than two days to avoid contaminating the water.

Also, as a supplementary feed, you can use industrial fish feed from the series Algae Wafers. It will be possible to determine that the inhabitants of the aquarium do not need third-party complementary foods if they ignore the introduced products.

Miniature catfish is able to reproduce on its own, sometimes the owner of the aquarium finds out about this already upon the appearance of new "tenants" in the container. The fry develop quite rapidly, as a rule, after 2-3 days it will be difficult to distinguish them from the adult sexually mature representatives of the pack of cleaners. Otozinklyus females are capable of laying eggs several times a season.

In order to artificially stimulate the reproduction of fish, it is recommended to introduce high-quality protein feeding into their diet, as well as to ensure the constant presence of microorganisms in the water. For these purposes, you can use bloodworms or euglena.

To create a separate spawning grounds, individuals can be transplanted into a small container with a displacement of 20-30 liters without soil with a sponge filter. The latter can be Javanese moss and small plants. One female can accommodate 2-3 males.

When spawning is over, the parents can be transplanted back, further ensuring the availability of food for the fry in the aquarium and the water temperature at + 26-28 degrees. Usually the female lays about 60 eggs. In some cases, a small leaf from an aquarium plant is used as a nest. The fry are fed with starter food, algae, spinach.

Oto are considered versatile ornamental fish, since they are compatible with any other peaceful breeds. However, difficulties in keeping together can arise with cichlids and Siamese algae, large aggressive individuals.

For even more information about the features of the content of ototsinkluses, see the next video.