# Oto behaviour



## jameson_uk (1 Jul 2018)

I bought six otos about 18 months ago.  One didn't survive acclimatisation and one vanished a long time ago (I actually thought all but one had vanished but all four revealed themselves the other day).

These oto seem to spend almost all their time on the back of the Squidward's house which is right at the back of the tank.





I bought another three the other day and they have exhibited all the behaviour I originally saw from the first batch.  They are visible (even during the day), sitting on plants , moving up the glass etc.




I had put the older oto's shyness down to

The big SAE which was being a bully.  I rehomed him but no change.
Too much light.  The new oto's don't seem to bothered by it and since switching to LEDs I have cut down the intensity and the covering of frogbit is pretty much total
Not enough food.  There are four nerites in the tank which seem to clear anything on the glass but the old otos look healthy and have not really shown much interest in algae tablets, courgette, spinach ...   The new ones seem content on the glass and leaves

All look pretty healthy but the difference in behaviour is very noticeable.  Should I expect the newer ones to eventually settle down and go into hiding most of the time or is there anything I can do to coax the others out?


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## AverageWhiteBloke (1 Jul 2018)

I find Ottos tend to just have a favourite spot, why that is I have no idea. Lot of people say their Ottos won't take veg, still can't work out why this is. Mine used to love cucumber, when I put a piece in it was the only time I could make sure they're all there but these days I maybe see the odd one on it unless they're eating at lights out. In my case I've had a population explosion of RCS which cover the cucumber when it first goes in, I think the Ottos don't like the hassle of pushing them all out the way. maybe the same with your SAE? In general they tend to sit on the glass just behind the filter intake, nothing in particular for them there they just seem to like that spot.


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## tam (1 Jul 2018)

Are they different types - there is more than one species and I think some have slightly more out going personalities. Mine have a been a little more shy recently too. When I upgrade I want to try a shoal of 15 or so and some look a like cories and see if that makes them bolder.


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## lazybones51 (1 Jul 2018)

AverageWhiteBloke said:


> In general they tend to sit on the glass just behind the filter intake, nothing in particular for them there they just seem to like that spot.


Mine like the same spot around the filter intake. They do move around, sometimes on the plants or glass.


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## AverageWhiteBloke (1 Jul 2018)

I think if they get peace and there's something to eat in the vicinity they just hand about in the same place. Every now and again they will have a little mad spurt. They're quite shy as well I think. Last count I had 8 or 9. I'll be lucky to see four max, whether it's the same four I don't suppose I'll ever know unless I strip the tank down. 

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## AverageWhiteBloke (1 Jul 2018)

They can't get a look in at cucumber for these cockroaches 



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## AverageWhiteBloke (1 Jul 2018)

Now compare that to when they had the tank to themselves pre explosion.





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## jameson_uk (1 Jul 2018)

tam said:


> Are they different types - there is more than one species and I think some have slightly more out going personalities. Mine have a been a little more shy recently too. When I upgrade I want to try a shoal of 15 or so and some look a like cories and see if that makes them bolder.


The LFS did have some "Black Otos" but I am fairly sure both sets have the same markings (will try and get another look later but I think the tail markings say they are O. macrospilus).


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## AverageWhiteBloke (1 Jul 2018)

Probably best to get a load in one hit regardless of species. Ups the chances that they came from the same batch. I've bought three different groups so no idea how to tell them apart. Sometimes they look different just because they are nervous. Some seem to have stripes while others look like a tiger sort of effect but again it depends what mood they're in.

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## jameson_uk (1 Jul 2018)

AverageWhiteBloke said:


> I think if they get peace and there's something to eat in the vicinity they just hand about in the same place. Every now and again they will have a little mad spurt. They're quite shy as well I think. Last count I had 8 or 9. I'll be lucky to see four max, whether it's the same four I don't suppose I'll ever know unless I strip the tank down.
> 
> Sent from my STH100-2 using Tapatalk


I had four and would rarely see one (to the point when I ripped apart the tank trying to catch my SAE I was convinced there was only one left).   The new three are very visible (which I am sure the original lot were too)



AverageWhiteBloke said:


> They can't get a look in at cucumber for these cockroaches



My amanos do bully most things out the way but I did add some at both the front and rear of the tank (right next to where the otos hang out) and the amanos seemed quite happy with the front lot but the back lot was barely touched.

Just seems such a big difference between the two sets.  I suspect the newer ones will end up settling down but I don't think there is enough room on the back of Squidward's house for all seven


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## AverageWhiteBloke (2 Jul 2018)

jameson_uk said:


> My amanos do bully most things out the way but I did add some at both the front and rear of the tank (right next to where the otos hang out) and the amanos seemed quite happy with the front lot but the back lot was barely touched.



The problem I have with my Amanos which are also in the setup is my Ottos didn't like many algae wafers but seemed to prefer the Hikari mini wafers, the Amanos are a size now that will just grab a whole wafer and take off with it regardless of where I put them. The Otto's need to compete for their food these days and I don't think they like it.


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## jameson_uk (7 Jul 2018)

Just as a bit of a journal...
Nine days in and the new oto's are still very visible and can be seen on the glass and plants.  The old group are still just hanging out on the back of Squidward's house.

The older group do seem to all hang out together where as the new oto's seem to spend most of their time foraging alone.  Not sure the two groups have ever really met.


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## paul_j (9 Jul 2018)

AverageWhiteBloke said:


> The problem I have with my Amanos which are also in the setup is my Ottos didn't like many algae wafers but seemed to prefer the Hikari mini wafers, the Amanos are a size now that will just grab a whole wafer and take off with it regardless of where I put them. The Otto's need to compete for their food these days and I don't think they like it.



My oto's also keep to themselves and don't try to compete. Exception is when I give Sera spirulina tab, once a week stick it to the glass. They come hang around, mixing in with all the other fish and big Amano to try and get some.


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## rebel (9 Jul 2018)

I 


jameson_uk said:


> Just as a bit of a journal...
> Nine days in and the new oto's are still very visible and can be seen on the glass and plants.  The old group are still just hanging out on the back of Squidward's house.
> 
> The older group do seem to all hang out together where as the new oto's seem to spend most of their time foraging alone.  Not sure the two groups have ever really met.


I have 4. 3 hang out together, mainly in the front glass at night. One is a loner .Not sure why? Maybe he is doesnt like the same music?


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## AverageWhiteBloke (14 Jul 2018)

One of my ottos trying to muscle in on the Pepsi challenge.  Seeing if the inhabitants prefer courgette or cucumber, seems like they aren't fussed either way. At least the Amano can't take off with these!

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## peaches (16 Jul 2018)

My otos are shy but they do come to the front.  I want more but LFS haven't had any for weeks.  I am beginning to regret the Amano shrimp a little.   They steal small wafers I put in for otos and tablets I put in for Cory.   I even get my pincers and deliver the wafer to the oto and  Cories but they take off and the Amano louts pick up the wafers and take them to their lair.


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## jameson_uk (29 Jul 2018)

Another update.  Two are still visible all the time.  They don't seem bothered by anything and are sometimes up in the frogbit roots and in some bright areas too.

Not sure if I have lost one of the new ones or whether it has become more reclusive.

I did see some new ones next to the old ones and I am not sure if the tail markings are slightly different.   I did not think all otos exhibited similar behaviour but perhaps they are different species and some are more active than others.

Have plenty of photos of the new ones but spotting the old ones is far more difficult....


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## Barbara Turner (29 Jul 2018)

I have a collection of Otto's that are pretty much completely nocturnal, If I come down a night there happy cleaning the glass. When I first put them in the tank they spent the first week eating like mad day and night. before settling into only coming out at night. Tank is heavily planted so they all just completely disappear during the day. occasionally if i'm doing some heavy maintenance i'll see them.  There are no large fish in the tank for them to behave this way..


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## jameson_uk (2 Sep 2018)

Another update and I am currently sat watching six otos quite happily grazing round the front of the tank (filter is off for a few minutes whilst I am feeding).

I noticed one of the old ones was starting to hang out with two of the newer ones a few weeks ago but today is the first time I have ever seen them all (presume I have lost one of the new ones).

Oddly nothing had changed (well intentionally anyway) but the old ones which spent the best part of a year just sat on the back of the ornament are now showing themselves.

I wonder if the new ones have brought them out, it has been long enough since I removed the SAE that they feel safer now or most likely, something I will never be able to work out....


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## Matt @ ScapeEasy (2 Sep 2018)

You definately see more of otos when they are in larger groups


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## rebel (3 Sep 2018)

They do hangout in a large groups in the wild apparently...


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## Matt @ ScapeEasy (3 Sep 2018)

I couldn't find that video when I posted... nice one, thanks!


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## rebel (3 Sep 2018)

The issue I had with ottos is that we have to pay about $20 EACH. I bought 8 over the last year but lost 4. It's an expensive exercise. Looks like we should keep a school in each tank rather than a few.


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## jameson_uk (5 Jan 2019)

Another update.   I still have two who spend most of their time on the side of the tank amongst the Anubias roots with the rest still behind the ornament.   

We had a power cut this morning and within 40 mins I had




(There is another just out of shot)

This is the front corner of the tank and they don't seem massively bothered by me sticking my phone in their faces.   Makes me think that flow, temperature or lighting aren't particularly to their liking.


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## tam (5 Jan 2019)

They do seem to like dimmer periods - I would say mine are more active morning/evening when my lights are out of ramping up/down. I wouldn't have thought you lost too much heat in 40 minutes? Worth experimenting with light though - see if you get the same effect with just those off instead of everything.


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