oto eggs!

[upside-down catfish]

My Otocinclus Catfish has eggs! *BOUNCINGSDoes anyone know how to tell the fertile eggs from the infertile ones?

 

[OrangeCones]

Unfertilized will stay white. Fertilized will turn color and you should be able to see movement after 2 days or so. Congrats! I've had them spawn a few times but none lived beyond a week for me

However, I did have 5 in a heavily planted tank and about a year later, I moved and broke the tank down to transport it to my new home. There were 8 otos when I bagged them up.

Did you see them spawn?

 

[OrangeCones]

I found a video I shot that shows their spawning behavior while they laid eggs.

 

[upside-down catfish]

OK. I'll try my luck, but I haven't found were the female laid them yet. I last saw her with the eggs, and she's gone out of sight.

 

[OrangeCones]

Mine always used long thin plant leaves (either side of the leaf, sometimes both sides), or the underside of stem plants.

 

[Guanchy]

Unfertilized will stay white. Fertilized will turn color and you should be able to see movement after 2 days or so. Congrats! I've had them spawn a few times but none lived beyond a week for me

However, I did have 5 in a heavily planted tank and about a year later, I moved and broke the tank down to transport it to my new home. There were 8 otos when I bagged them up.

Did you see them spawn?

How come they dont survive? they get eaten by other fish or are they too sensitive?

 

[OrangeCones]

How come they dont survive? they get eaten by other fish or are they too sensitive?

If you have enough algae (green water works best), they do better at survival. However, healthy plants can outcompete (and kill off) that form of simple algae very easily.

 

[upside-down catfish]

Hmm. How many eggs does a female oto usually hold on to in her fins at once?

 

[OrangeCones]

They don't hold eggs. They lay them on plants/wood/rocks..even the aquarium's sides. Can you post a picture?

 

[upside-down catfish]

No. she's to far away to post one. I just noticed that there was a flap of skin on her "butt".