FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Hello. I was wondering if anyone here has had success with keeping Otocinclus catfish in an African cichlid tank -- mbunas, to be precise. I am considering getting some to hasten the removal of diatoms from my two-month-old aquarium. Being as they do hail from South America, where the pH level is considerably lower than Lake Malawi, would they be able to withstand a pH of 8.0 or higher? I only have a 45 gallon tank, so I am considering this species due to its small size.

Thanks!

I am lead to believe that the ottos are very sensative to water conditions and would not put them in a mbuna tank. I have kept BN plecs in african tanks with good success though.

---

Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

far better off with an armored catfish like BNs and gibbiceps. Ottos will become lunch. full grown mbuna would easily handle an otto as a snack. Also mbunas should be in a 4ft tank or better and that size tank would be allot for a little otto to clean.

What i would suggest is instead of fighting diatoms try to encourage green algae. I have 5 bulbs over my 75g mbuna tank on for about 10 hrs a day. It grows some really nice green algae that mbuna graze on all day. Its what they do naturally and it has really done wonders for their coloring. I feed pellet (omega one) once a day to make sure they are getting everything they need. Algae would be their staple though.

For those of you asking how can I look at algae all the time. Its a nice green that covers everything so it looks good. Also would you buy a cow and put it in a cement parking lot? Mbuna are the equivalent to cows. They graze all day and have really long intestine to produce algae. dont fight it... feed it

I agree the ottos will surely end up being lunch and won't tolerate that high PH for too long. I second the BN they do really good with the africans. I keep a large golden chinese algae eater in with mine and he seems to do really good.

Need to be careful with the chinese algae eaters. when they get large they got this thing about grasping the sides of fish. Think its for the slime coat but for whatever reason not a good thing. Not guaranteed just sometimes it happens. The price you have to pay for some mbuna I wouldnt roll the dice.

BN would prolly be the best bet due to their smaller size and armored plating. Dont forget you have to feed wafers they cant get enough algae to live on it alone. This will be tricky because wafers are a mbuna delicacy lol. might involve very late night feeding and some tubing to make sure it gets to the bottom. Once seen though i doubt there is much chance you will ever get away with it again. cichlids are insanely smart when it involves food.

Hello again everyone. Thanks for your responses. I am not sure why -- possibly the long distance? -- but ever since I joined this board, I have been having a problem with receiving email notifications of new responses, even when I am sure to click on the "notify me" box. Also, out of all of the fish boards that I visit, this one loads the slowest for some reason.

At any rate, to address a few comments...

My tank is in fact a four-foot long tank; but based on its dimensions, it is a 45-gallon tank, and not a 55-gallon tank.

I agree with the comments regarding green algae, and have been patiently waiting as the green algae has slowly begun to take hold. Please remember that this tank has only been set up since April. The diatoms are still going strong, but hopefully, the green algae will reach a point where it will overtake the diatoms.

This is a low-populated tank with only five not-quite-full-grown mbunas in it, who have each found their own particular niche in the tank. They have each grabbed a loosely-defined territory where they regularly park themselves.

This tank is also the home to my one little 18-day-old fry, "Junior", who is slowly growing. I don't feed him anything. He just scavenges on whatever he finds in the tank, including green algae, diatoms, planaria, particles of food, etc.

I've decided that rather than add any cats to the tank, I am just going to let the green algae do its thing, however long that takes.

Again, thanks for your comments.