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This is great just when I diceded to move my otto from my 10gal to my 48gal he disappeared, not many places to hide i have like 8neons and 1 guppy, there nothing wrong with the water, i checked the filter and he is not there, I last saw him 2days ago and I was expecting to see a body, I love my otto, whayt could of happend??? Checked all my caves and he MIGHT be in my boat but I shook it around and he didt come out I was too scared to take it out in frea that he would fall on the floor or something.

EDIT:not in the boat

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

I would get more to start off with as they seem to enjoy their own company. In a tank that size and being so small there is a good chance he is hiding. It is very rare I see all of my Ottos at the one time. After I did some tank adjustments I did not see any of them for several weeks.

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Keith

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Ya but I checked everywhere and he was very social and was always on plants and what not...I LOST HIM

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

keep on lookin, I've had fish I'd not see for weeks. Also, search the substrate very carefully, I've had a harley get caught in some large rocks it was trying to swim thru, ya never know. good luck

I think i found what could be his spinal cord..

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

would my neons of ate him?


10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

Eaten him? Most likely picked apart his body after he had died

Neons arent really predatory, but like most fish, will nibble at a fish that has died.

You might want to check your water parems, as the oto could have died from less than pristine water.

Who knows, you might be catching a small problem before it gets out of hand.

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After the fact, it might be a good idea to make sure that your assorted hiding places are such that future Otocinclus can't wedge themselves immovably into crevices. Because they have a habit of choosing to do so sometimes, thinking it's a good idea, then discover afterwards that they can't break free, result being one dead Otocinclus. Also, make sure that filter tubes and other possible bad choices of hiding place are capped when yuo're performing maintenance - in my case, I cap the undergravel filter tube when removing the powerhead for servicing, because if I don't, I KNOW at least one of my Otocinclus will take a look and think "Oh, nice cave I haven't seen before, bet there's lots of algae in there" and swim down, only to be lost forever, or worse still, swim back up when the powerhead goes back on resulting in shattered impeller and frog in a blender horrors.

Plus, what everyone else said above. Check for possible water condition worries. Acclimatised Otocinclus are usually pretty tough, but there's limits to what they'll put up with, just like any other fish. Having said, that, I cycled the Panda Fun Palace with Otocinclus way back in 1994, and did so successfully - one of those original specimens lived for over nine years! So if the water is bad enough to kill your Otocinclus, chances are it's also bad enough to kill everything else, and your Neons would probably be toast also. Still wise to check just in case it's a problem other than a nitrogen cycle one, because some of those problems can be a PIG if they hit you. Take my October Disaster last year - water company flushed excess aluminium sulphate treatment down the pipes, and hey presto, wipeout.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002