Fat Otocinclus

[LittleWatty]

How fat is too fat? I remember reading somewhere that a fat oto is a happy oto, but mine are just ridiculous. Should I be worried, or is this normal for an oto? They weren't anywhere near this size during quarantine. And they're very young. Probably 3/4-1 inch at most

[lvandert]

I had a few of those in my old old old aquarium and I called them Buddah and Belly lol.

[LittleWatty]

lol if I could tell the difference between any of mine, I might give them names, but they all look identical!

[lvandert]

lol I had one that was slightly bigger than the other. I always thought mine were going to burst but they never did... I don't think there is anything you can really do to stop them from eating. Aside from tear the tank down and clean it, which isn't really a feasible option.

[LittleWatty]

Well, I just want to make sure its not an unhealthy bloat, like dropsy or something. Leomhann isn't bloated at all, so I can't imagine its dropsy, but still. I wanted to be sure!

[lvandert]

no, they look happy and chubby, just what their supposed to be. Their color looks good and I'm assuming their lively. Their just chunky around the midsection. I asked myself that question a few times when they were in my tank.

[LittleWatty]

Yeah, they're VERY lively. I think they're trying to compete with Tintrí for my most active fish. My first tankmate for Leo was a pleco that wouldn't eat, so I thought maybe there wasn't any aglae in the tank. But, since my otos are nice and fat, I guess that pleco was just sick or really really picky. I guess I won't worry about these little guys unless they start looking like the ADF's I just got (which were half starved)

[lvandert]

awwws poor babies. Plecos are odd sometimes.

[LittleWatty]

Yeah, and I really wanted one to... have for several years. But, I guess I'll just wait until I have the space for my 20 gallon long sorority, then I might try my hand at getting another one. The first one didn't eat, and the replacement one (for whatever reason) died overnight. But, so far so good with the otos. One of these days, I'm going to end up with plecos, otos, and cories XD not all in the same tanks, but I'll have them all one day!

[lvandert]

I'm working on a 55 gallon set up for cichlids and I'm contemplating adding a bristle nose pleco if everything works out alright