Loaches Online Forum

Has anyone got any experience in keeping otto's in a rivertank?
If not what do the rivertank keepers think?

My experience with Otocinclus gives me the impression they dislike strong to really strong flow and instead prefer just a moderate trickle. The tank they where in was a 40 gallon , 110cm long tank. Filtered by both an External and an adapted Aquaclear 3000. They tended to stay away from the main flow area provided by the powerhead and much prefered the slower more sedate flow from the external.
I am fairly sure their wild habitat is slow to moderate flowing streams off the main River sytems.
As long as your temp range is within theirs you could try it but do so with caution.

My experience is just the opposite- I've seen my otos happily stuck to a leaf in the direct flow from a powerhead quite often. Mine get all over the tank- low and high flow areas. I'd say it's fine as long as theres some part of the tank without much current, so they can take a rest if they want to.

every otto i have had in ten years has died after a month.

there are several species of otos, so to generalize to what they like is hard.

they are sensitive, so you must drip acclimate them into your tank but once they've settled, they're very hardy.

My otos seem to adore the fastest flowing parts of my tanks. They seem to like active swimming in the currents as well as gripping onto something. But reports that their natural habitat is slower shouldn't be ignore. Just so long as there are calmer areas it will be fine.