# Black Ottos



## mafoo (13 Apr 2013)

My LFS had some fish they labelled as "Black Ottos"

I was wondering if anyone had seen these before. They evidently grow the same size of normal ottos. They definably weren't Hypoptopomas. The only reference i can find to back ottos is "Histonotus notatus"

Anyone seen them before?


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## lurch1000 (13 Apr 2013)

Only time I've heard of black Otos was in reference to H.notatus.


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## mafoo (13 Apr 2013)

there were only 3 references to "Histonotus notatus" on google

it seems they are generally know as "*Otocinclus* notatus"

this is them






 I'm guessing they are compatable with normal ottos. Anyone ever kept them?


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## lurch1000 (13 Apr 2013)

Planet Catfish lists O.notatus as a synonym as do they list Microlepidogaster notatus.

I see no reason for them not to be compatible. Some Loricariids can end up out competing each other for food, so theres a consideration there. Where did you find them? Quite like these.


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## mafoo (13 Apr 2013)

lurch1000 said:


> Planet Catfish lists O.notatus as a synonym as do they list Microlepidogaster notatus.
> 
> I see no reason for them not to be compatible. Some Loricariids can end up out competing each other for food, so theres a consideration there. Where did you find them? Quite like these.


Ill tell you after i buy them


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## lurch1000 (13 Apr 2013)

Checked your profile, you're about 4 hours from me


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## mafoo (13 Apr 2013)

lurch1000 said:


> Checked your profile, you're about 4 hours from me


 
Hehe. Its a Maiden Head Aquatics. They've only had them in for a week - and I was going to leave it for another week before picking some up - see if they have survived the travel from where ever they have come form. I'll ask where they ordered them from next time I'm in.


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## lurch1000 (13 Apr 2013)

Might ask at mine, going there on Thursday, need some water.


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## dw1305 (14 Apr 2013)

Hi all,
They are probably _Hisonotus leucofrenatus: <Hisonotus leucofrenatus • Loricariidae • Cat-eLog>_

cheers Darrel


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## lurch1000 (14 Apr 2013)

I'm loathe to disagree with a Darrel post, and in any case, certainly on looks, that's a closer match!

You're a walking encyclopaedia!


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## Steve Smith (14 Apr 2013)

Almost looks like a plec of some sort in those photos   I wonder if my local MA could order these in...


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## dw1305 (15 Apr 2013)

Hi all,


SteveUK said:


> Almost looks like a plec of some sort in those photos


Yes, they are really just little Plecs. Our local MA (Leekes at Melksham) had them in at one point and I was tempted, but they are meant to like cooler water. I've never seen any of the other small non-Oto plecs for sale, other than _Parotocinclus jumbo_ <Parotocinclus jumbo • Loricariidae • Cat-eLog>, which is also meant to like cooler water.

There is more here on _H. leucofrenatus_: <December 2004 • CotM • PlanetCatfish>

cheers Darrel


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## mafoo (15 Apr 2013)

I went back and got 4 of them (they've put their prices up since i last went in , they said everywhere else that was selling them were doing them for £8 each so they had to  )

They seem to be the H. Notatus.


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## lurch1000 (15 Apr 2013)

I'd have pulled them up on the advertised price. That is the price they have to sell for.

Email to head office might sort it out. Maidenhead Aquatics - Fishkeeper


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## mafoo (15 Apr 2013)

lurch1000 said:


> I'd have pulled them up on the advertised price. That is the price they have to sell for.
> 
> Email to head office might sort it out. Maidenhead Aquatics - Fishkeeper


Who says i didn't get them at the old price 

They are selling them for £5 each - its everywhere else that is doing them for £8


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## mafoo (15 Apr 2013)

heres a pic of one of them settling in: (apologies for the terrible quality)


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## lurch1000 (15 Apr 2013)

Good man 

I'll be keeping an eye out up this way.


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## dw1305 (16 Apr 2013)

Hi all,


mafoo said:


> They seem to be the H. Notatus.


You can't take too much notice of the labels, they label them with the names they are sent from the wholesaler. Some fish are always wrongly labelled (for example "_Apistogramma viejita"_ is always actually _A. macmasteri, _and any whip-tail_ Hemiloricaria/Rineloricaria/Farlowella/Sturisoma spp _is almost certain to have the wrong name).

I don't think that it will make any difference to care whether they are _H. leucofrenatus or H. notatus_, but it will be interesting if they are really _H. notatus_, as there aren't any registered keepers on Planet Catfish <Hisonotus notatus • Loricariidae • Cat-eLog>.

cheers Darrel


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## lurch1000 (16 Apr 2013)

I've seen some interesting common names in the LFS too, Sterbing and Duplicate Cory's (yes they used the apostrophe). I get the Duplicate Cory, but Sterbing? Come on...

Your Black Otos are very nice, exactly what they are is a curiosity, but doesn't take away that they're really nice, or that I want some!

How they doing?


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## mafoo (16 Apr 2013)

I can see one of them hanging on the glass opposite the spraybar - the rest are probably hiding in the plants like the rest of my ottos during the day. I'll see if they come out when i turn the room light out later. I think they shop said they might have ordered them from John Allan. Not sure. It was some persons name like that.


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## dean (22 Apr 2013)

I picked up two at my club, recently imported by lfs who is our chairman
£2 each 
He's bringing me more next meeting


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## lurch1000 (22 Apr 2013)

I wanted them, but having arrived on two wheels and a cold wet journey back over the Pennines, I had to keep my hand down.


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## dean (22 Apr 2013)




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## dean (22 Apr 2013)

Lurch did you come to pdas auction or the monthly club meeting ?


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## lurch1000 (22 Apr 2013)

Neither, CSG. I assumed that with you being Warrington way, Darwen being not too far away, I put 2 & 2 together... Oops!


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## dean (22 Apr 2013)

Yes you assumed wrongly 
I couldn't make it to CSG


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## dw1305 (22 Apr 2013)

Hi all,
Definitely looks like _H. leucofrenatus_ from the second photo. You can see the dark caudal fin markings, and stripes through the eye and along the body.

cheers Darrel


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## Oldguy (18 Oct 2018)

mafoo said:


> Anyone ever kept them


Its an old thread but I have just found it. I have found that they are compatible with 'normal' ots but do not co-shoal/school with them. Both types, (may have more than one species of oto) just graze plants and ignore each other or feed side by side on cucumber slices or on commercial sinking food.


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## Harry H (18 Oct 2018)

I have couple of these guys in my 40 cube, and can confirm that they dont hang around with other otos, I have 2 of each, but happily feed side by side, to be honest, they dont even hang around each other, usually sitting on a big leaf or on glass.


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## Oldguy (18 Oct 2018)

dw1305 said:


> _H. leucofrenatus or H. notatus_,


I bought five of these, but which one I do not know (they seldom hide at the front) from an old and very ill man in the London area who breeds them. His grandson advertised them on eBay and as I was in the area I called in by arrangement. The females were much larger than the males who are also darker in colour. As to why they are called black ots I do not know, mine are as show in the pictures a fudge brown with champagne spots. They look almost golden at some angles. I would be surprised if the breeder was still alive.


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## Oldguy (18 Oct 2018)

While on little plecs I also have a couple of Hypoptopoma gulare they also get on with ordinary ots and black ots. They will share a broad leafed plant leaf without fuss. However the H gulare (giant ots) will throw their weight about with each other and especially the L10a's when it come to commercial sinking food. H gulare appear to tolerate each other but do not group together.


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