Ottos

[BartTheFish]

Please tell me a little about ottos.. and where the best place would be to get one...

[Adastra]

Otos are very sensitive algae eating catfish--many are wild caught and are therefore unwilling to accept most prepared foods. Due to their sensitivity and their very particular eating habits, they only belong in stable long-established tanks that have a constant supply of algae. And it is not only about having some algae, it is about having the correct types--of the algae that can occur in the aquarium, otos are particular about which types they will eat.

Because of their algae needs, I also believe the bigger the tank the better--larger tanks have much larger potential to produce algae. Also, otos are a social species that should be kept in groups of at least three.

As for where to get them, that can be tricky. Many otos are starving before you even bring them home from the pet store due to lack of algae.

[BartTheFish]

Well I was planning to put one alone with a single male betta in a 2.5 gallon tank

[Adastra]

Not a good idea, in my opinion. The oto would probably starve, be harassed by the betta in such a small space, and would be stressed out because it had none of its own species to socialize with. If you want a tankmate for your betta, I suggest a single nerite snail.

[BartTheFish]

I heard that snails would be the last thing I would want.. They make a horrible mess and are quite hard to clean up after.

[Adastra]

Almost all of the big waste producers are algae eating bottom feeders, though most do not eat exclusively plant matter. The oto would produce a fair amount of waste if it were given enough algae to eat to sustain it. If you don't like the look of additional poop in your tank, nor want to deal with the possibility of an increase in ammonia, I suggest leaving your betta in the tank on his own. It is a common misconception that bottom feeders are particularly helpful--they typically produce a lot of waste, and the poo they produce is just as unsightly as a bit of algae.

[BartTheFish]

k thx for the help