# Otocinclus Vestitus Fry



## Superman (11 Aug 2008)

Not sure if they're harlequins or Ottos but I have three fry hiding behind the powerhead. I didn't do my water change as didn't want to upset them.

What do people suggest I do?


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## Steve Smith (11 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*

Try and catch them and pop them into a breeding net 

They should be small enough to "suck" them up with a length of air line one at a time to move them   It's worked for me in the past, though my last lot of babies were too clever for that trick


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## Superman (11 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*



			
				SteveUK said:
			
		

> Try and catch them and pop them into a breeding net
> 
> They should be small enough to "suck" them up with a length of air line one at a time to move them   It's worked for me in the past, though my last lot of babies were too clever for that trick



I'll have to buy a breeding net then...


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## Steve Smith (11 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*

Either that or if you have a tiny tank with a filter you could set up?  Doesn't need any hardscape


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## Superman (11 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*



			
				SteveUK said:
			
		

> Either that or if you have a tiny tank with a filter you could set up?  Doesn't need any hardscape


Nope, my sister "acquired" my spare tank when I moved.


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## Steve Smith (11 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*

Doh!

Well, they look very young   Still got their yolk sacks.  What would you prefer them to be, Otos or Harles?  For me, I think Otos would be cooler, as I thought they can be difficult to breed (I could be wrong!)


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## LondonDragon (11 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*

Congrats, I have both of those species in my tank for ages and none ever bred! Could it be something else?
I did send some moss to tk187 the other day and he ended up with 7 guppy fry in his tank LOL


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## Superman (11 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*



			
				LondonDragon said:
			
		

> Congrats, I have both of those species in my tank for ages and none ever bred! Could it be something else?
> I did send some moss to tk187 the other day and he ended up with 7 guppy fry in his tank LOL



It could only be some pesky small snails - nope, as these have tails that waggle!
Could be MTS - but these have waggley tails!

I'm thinking they'd be Ottos as they'd be the only ones that'd fit behind there!


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## Steve Smith (11 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*

I dunno...  Those babies will have swam their on their own.  When they're wrigglers with the yolk sack they tend to swim against the glass for the first few days.  I'd assume that the rest have been eaten and these are the survivers who happened to swim behind the power head.

Good luck to the little fellas


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## Superman (11 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*

Ah right, seen a few eggs but they seem to get eaten before I can do anything about them.
Fingers crossed they last until tomorrow evening.

Is there any food I'd need to buy?


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## Steve Smith (11 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*

Things like Liquifry No 1 and JBL Nova Baby:

http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.p ... ath=83_269

I have the Nova Baby set which comes with 3 tiny tubs.  Number 1, 2 and 3.  1 being a fine powder, 2 being a tiny flake and 3 being a slightly larger flake (still small!)

They still have their yolk sacks and will feed off that for the next day or so I think.  When that's gone they'll need some fry food.  Also, maybe try getting some sort of baby brine shrimp hatchery?  Might be a little overkill for 3 fry though


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## Superman (11 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*



			
				SteveUK said:
			
		

> Things like Liquifry No 1 and JBL Nova Baby:
> 
> http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.p ... ath=83_269
> 
> ...



I'll have an emergency trip to AquaJardin tomorrow. I'm sure they'll have something in for fry.


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## Superman (12 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*

just got back from aquatic habitat

Got liquifry for egg laying fish and a breeding net. 

They looked ok this morning. Hope they haven't wandered in the day.


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## Superman (12 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*

I'm pleased to announce that I've transferred at least 3 of the fry to a breeding net. Found two eggs which are in there too. I have found another few fry but was unable to catch them as one of my net's gaps in the thread was too large.

I can properly see their black eyes now and they seem to be baby Otos. I've had to leave the pump in the net for a while as think they're hiding inside it.

I've fed a few drops of the liquifry. Fingers crossed...

Any top tips?


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## Ed Seeley (12 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*

Once the yolk sacs have been absorbed then I think baby Otos will need greenery.  I give my suckermouth cats Nori sheets that you can buy from the marine section of an aquarium shop or any shop that sells Japanese food.  They love it and it lasts a long time before it breaks down.  I feel it must be more nutritious than cucumber!  I think I remember a breeding report of someone who bred whiptail cats giving them mashed squash too and raising loads of them on that.


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## Steve Smith (12 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*

Congrats Clark!  Fingers crossed for them


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## a1Matt (12 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*

awesome. baby otos sounds like a real achievement  8) 

If you go the cucumber route I recommend to buy organic! My otos much prefer them!


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## Superman (12 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*

Here's a close up of one little nipper I can't catch...


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## Matt Holbrook-Bull (13 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*



			
				a1Matt said:
			
		

> awesome. baby otos sounds like a real achievement  8)
> 
> If you go the cucumber route I recommend to buy organic! My otos much prefer them!



grow your own!! very easy


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## Superman (13 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*

Look to be doing ok today. Found one skimming the surface and is still doing it when I got in.

Added some broken down algae disc, a crypt leaf just in case they need some green.


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## Superman (14 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*

Today's update...

Only seen one of the fry in the breeding net. They're hiding tin the powerhead still. So don't want to remove that from the net!

The one I've seen, is getting some dark markings on it's body. Still very small.

Keeping fingers crossed...


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## Superman (17 Aug 2008)

Spotted one of the fry this morning skimming the surface and swimming around.

Still very tiny, but pleased it survived the rescape.


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## Dan Crawford (17 Aug 2008)

good work mate!


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## JamesM (17 Aug 2008)

Any more pics mate? The last pic reminds me of dragonfly larvae...


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## Superman (17 Aug 2008)

JAmesM said:
			
		

> Any more pics mate? The last pic reminds me of dragonfly larvae...



I'll try and get some later.
I'll look a right plonker if they're dragon fry larvae, they just look like mini ottos


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## tko187 (17 Aug 2008)

*Re: I HAVE BABIES!*



			
				LondonDragon said:
			
		

> Congrats, I have both of those species in my tank for ages and none ever bred! Could it be something else?
> I did send some moss to tk187 the other day and he ended up with 7 guppy fry in his tank LOL



Hey Ld thanks for the mosses, and there were more than 7 last count i believe i seen 15. Not sure what im gonna do with them?? Any ideas or does anybody want them, hey i could post them back to you....hehe


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## Superman (17 Aug 2008)

It can't be dragon fry larvae. Cos it's not no legs.

Caught a quick photo of this little dude who's getting the adults markings now.


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## Superman (19 Aug 2008)

Still going well, still swimming about. 
Only seen one at a time now and think it's the same one.
Slowly getting bigger and bigger.
Keeping fingers crossed.


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## Steve Smith (19 Aug 2008)

Well done mate 

I had about 50 sparkling gourami fry a few weeks back, but sadly I think they have all been eaten


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## Superman (26 Aug 2008)

Found the little one on top of a leaf floating in the net so had to hurry to get a photo, only managed one, hope you can see him/her...


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## Superman (26 Aug 2008)

Close Up:


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## beeky (29 Aug 2008)

Well done, you're doing really well with it. Is it in a tank by itself or in the trap?

Any idea what triggered the spawning?


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## Superman (29 Aug 2008)

thanks
It's in a breeding net in the main tank, I don't have a spare tank anymore. 

They seem to spawn in cooler water and found the eggs and fry a day after a water change. 
I have noticed in the past few days some signs that they've been having nocturnal fun but no eggs found as yet. These haven't been around recently but my co2 injection has been playing up until a few days ago. 

My females, maybe three, are very heavy with eggs and have been for a while. 

I don't think I've done anything special to get them to spawn, I must just have kinky Ottos!


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## Superman (10 Sep 2008)

I'm sorry to announce that whilst continuing to feed the same items, Baby Otto passed away yesterday.

Obviously, not sure what happened, but am rather upset as this is my first fry that I've attempted to raise.

The Ottos have been making new babies but not been able to catch the eggs yet, so next time I might be successful.

The only thing different would be to have a small aquarium solely for the fry.


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## aaronnorth (11 Sep 2008)

That's a shame, s/he was doing well too, i though it might of stood a good chance with it being born in the tank water so not as bad as having to acclimatise like with new otto's.


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## LondonDragon (11 Sep 2008)

Hard luck mate, was looking good, maybe they will breed again soon 
What I find about those maternity units is that they are not ideal to have fish in them for a long time, water doesn't seem to move through them pretty well. Would have done better on its own tank really, but thats a bit of a pain to setup just for one fry! Better luck next time.


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## daniel19831123 (29 Nov 2008)

I had the same problem with ottos fry. I had about 20 of them and despite normal feed, fry feed, powder feed, algae feed, they still succumb. I could see them emaciating away prior to their doom though. I reckon it's the food and they are not eating


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## Garuf (29 Nov 2008)

I think they need diatoms or green water, have you tried either?


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## daniel19831123 (30 Nov 2008)

nope I think that was the problem. the tank was a BB tank with low lighting. Guess not much diatom and green water either.


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## Superman (2 Jan 2009)

Due to the curved nature of what I think are eggs in the photo below (near the spray bar) I have some more Otto eggs. I doubt they're pencilfish as never seen any spawning of them and my CPDs are egg scatters.

I'm trying to finish my optiwhire asap to put these in.


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## Ed Seeley (2 Jan 2009)

Sorry but they're snail eggs mate.


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## Superman (2 Jan 2009)

Snail eggs?! ARGH!
Lol


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## Thomas McMillan (2 Jan 2009)

Yeah, definately snails.


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## misscaretaker (2 Jan 2009)

Aw, gutted for you. Hopefully they'll spawn again soon!


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