# How to acclimatise new otocinclus



## faizal (4 Mar 2012)

Hi all. I am planning on adding some new shrimps (just your regular algae eating ones) and some new otos to my new non co2 tank. I came across this website www.otocinclus.com and it says there that otocinclus are very particular of NH4, Nittrite & nitrate contents of a tank, especially during the first month of their habitation. 

I plan to put them in a holding tank first for a period of 1 month before adding them into the main tank. Now I would like the little guys to feel welcome in the new environment & hence I am thinking of planting up my 5.5 US gallon with some anubias & maybe some crypts to make them feel at home for the first one month. 

The problem is, we need to dose our plants at least once a week (the holding tank is going be a non co2 tank too). Now what happens when I dose it with KNO3 & KH2PO4? Won't the otos be stressed on dosing day? This new holding tank will be started from scratch with no mature filter, Just some plain 2-3mm sized inert gravel with a Hang on back filter.

Is it worth all the trouble or should I just put in some plastic plants   and  keep the otos there for a month? My main purpose is to nicely fatten up the little fellas with daily fresh veggies , keep the water clean by doing daily 30% water change. The plants would be a bonus. If it's going to be too much of a bother to keep both of them simultaneously in the holding tank during the initial transition period for the otos, I would gladly give up on the idea of having real plants in my holding tank.  

As always, your thoughts are most valuable.


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## Tom (4 Mar 2012)

The dosing won't affect the Otos. You might be better off adding them straight to the planted tank, especially if the holding tank isn't mature. If they can survive flying from the far east and ending up in shop systems (rarely pristine water), they shouldn't be too fazed by going into your tank. The bigger problem seems to be getting ones that are eating properly at the shop. Make sure any ones you get are nice and fat and have been in the shop for a little while. 

When you say your plated tank is new - how new is it?


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## faizal (4 Mar 2012)

Hi Tom!! Thanks for that.   My non co2 tank is just into its Day 12 of Life. It's got aqua soil + mixed with caco3 powder as the base substrate over that is a plastic mesh ( like Troi suggests) and capped with a layer of inert 2-3mm sized gravel.


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## Tom (4 Mar 2012)

Is that ADA aquasoil or just aquatic soil?


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## faizal (4 Mar 2012)

50% ADA aqua soil amazonia from my old high tech test tank that I ran for about 3 months mixed with 50% fresh ADA aqua soil africana mixed with a handful of caco3 powder.

Why do you ask Tom?


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## Tom (4 Mar 2012)

Why did you cap it?


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## faizal (4 Mar 2012)

ERRrrrrr,...    because I really liked the light coloured sand like gravel as compared to the dark coloured ADA aqua soil. The guy who sold me the stuff was wondering the same thing. I thought it would make a nice contrast to the final layout.


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## Tom (4 Mar 2012)

OK fair enough. In terms of the Otos then, I would wait until you start getting some algae before adding them, but otherwise just add them straight to the tank.


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## faizal (4 Mar 2012)

Thanks Tom.


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## bigmel (4 Mar 2012)

My 2 pence worth ..  

I,ve got 6 ottos and 15 RCS , i didn,t even float the bag , i just poped them straight in and they started rasping on the algae covered wood straight away and 4 weeks later they are still here and looking fatter   

One of the shrimps went on the floor straight away and legged it with a piece of flake , i always feed my fish just as i put new additions in so they don,t dash over to them . 

I did get them from a decent dealer and they were eating in the tank when i bought them so Tom is spot on imho in his post .

There great little characters !


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## faizal (6 Mar 2012)

Your 2  pence is worth a lot more to me   



			
				bigmel said:
			
		

> ......, i always feed my fish just as i put new additions in so they don,t dash over to them .


See what I mean,...now I would never have had thought of that.


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## Greg's Pea (9 Mar 2012)

Hey,

I've never had a problem keeping otos alive and agree that it's probably unhealthy stock to begin with that would cause any problem. In my experience they go nuts for diatoms and soft green algae. You could put a few stones in a bowl on a windowsill to build up some diatom growth and then put them in the tank for when the otos go in? Mine also enjoy a bit of softened courgette.


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