Yes they will come when they see something written.

I lost my last oto today. He was my oldest fish and since the fish store here is always out of them it may be a while before I get more. They do not ship well as I found out from the last time I tried. They were all so small that they lived through the trip but were in horrid shape and did not live long. And they were not covered by any warranty shipped in but the store here gives a 14 day live gaurantee on them the same as the other fish.

But I found that if you get them healthy they will live for years as this little guy did. He never did like to have company though. I kept trying to get him more like him but he would tolerate them but not associate with them. Don't know what was with him.

Thank you for posting the new pictures and comments. The plants and otos are marvelous and remain some of my favorite fish. Yours look stunning and I do hope you get more.

Rose

07/15: Finally got in there and pretty much finished up the trim. I would up pulling two big wads of plants to seperate and trim. Will add a couple more back in but the rest will have to go.

Did a water test as well:

Temp: 78 slight jump from where I want it. Need to work on this.
PH: ~ 7.4
NO3: 40
NO2: 0
NH3: 0
GH: 12
KH: 7

As for the occupants, all is doing well. I saw both parents and all babies. All snails active as well. Dropped in two pinches of flake food and crushed up (3) small algae waffers. Prepping zucchini as I type.

I snapped some shots as well. Getting ready to check them and see how they turned out.

Wow that is harsh :( I have 2 oto cats with me right now in my 29 gallon tank, and many of my other tanks. They just love eating my fish flakes and the algae that can grow on my tank glass They are very good cleaners, so I also just added in some new fishes. Some cory cats too They are good, I just have to feed a lot of food so then most of the food will drop down to the bottom so my bottom feeders can feed on the food that the fishes don't catch. Pretty much all of my fishes (except bottom feeders) feed at the top.

Here are some pics from today's progress:

Took this after I started the trim. It shows my DIY Co2 setup as well:


Here's a couple shots of the young ones:




One of the younger ones hanging out with the big juvy:


And here's the end result from today: Let there be light!


Still a little more to go on this but at least I got much accomplished.

Wow! very nice picture of the oto cats, and the nice plants!

you should probably move your swords into a larger plant because they are already reaching the surface of the water. So I don't know if that is going to be okay. But I never let my plants stay in a tank that the plants would outgrow the tank. I always try my best to move them into a new tank that is larger, and taller. Are you going to do that anytime soon? Or do you feel comfortable with your tank setup?

I love the pictures and the beautiful tank! Thank you so much for sharing this experience with us. Thanks for taking the time and effort to send the pictures. I know how frustrating it can be to take good pics of things that are consistently moving and these little ones are so tiny I would imagine that mekes it more challenging.

The trim is looking very nice and I know how satisfying it is to do the job and be able to stand back and see an improvement. I think you are doing a wonderful job.

Thank you too for supplying the stats on your tanks parameters. This will help others who may be trying to get into the oto breeding area to get the correct environment for it. This lovely little fish is so darling I would love to see enough be able to breed them that it puts a crunch on the way they are captured in the wild. The treatment they receive being caught and the death toll of the fish is "criminal" in the way they show such callous abandon in getting the catch at all cost.

Rose

Thx DR. No swords in here but I'm guessing your are referring to the crypts. Very comfortable with this setup. I do need to add a few more plants to the left though. I lost a couple when the tank was left on it's own during this spell. Currently debating on what to put in.

As for the crypt jungle...that is Oto playground. This is where 99% of the eggs are laid. I will have to thin it out some time as there are a couple of new ones popping up, but definately can't get rid of them.

Thx Rose. The good news is my father should be coming home today. YEA! This will pretty much enable me to get back on routine with not just this tank but all of them.

Good to hear the news about your father. I wish him and you and your family the very best and hope he continues to improve. Best wishes all around.

This thread has provided me and I hope others with a peaceful place to come and see a miracle happening and I want to let you know that it is appreciated. I can only imagine the joy you must feel with it happening right before your eyes.

Yes, DR, the crypts must stay there. Otos are fish that have a constitutional need for real plants and the more the better. Breeding them in tanks after taking them in is almost unheard of and any success and any methods that James is using need to be followed to the letter I would say. It may not be the way most of us would do tanks but most of us have not had luck breeding otos either so more power to him.

Finally got Papa Oto in a shot. He's a pretty hard one to get. But...throw in a zuc....and presto.....

Oh I see. My plants are just scrambled everywhere. I don't bother putting them in the right way, like foreground, middle ground, and back ground. I just put them where I feel comfortable and they feel comfortable with it

Thanks for the pics and information. I've always been curious what the eggs look like, the fry etc.

Well James has given us excellent shots of just that and much more. I am enjoying this ride and the cost of the ticket is FREE. Thank you so much for this lovely journal. It is the most complete one I have ever seen on the subject.

Rose

07/27: Still shuffling between work and the rehab center for my father. Time still not on my side to really work on the tanks. I did recharge the CO2. Didn't have much jell-o left so this bottle probably won't last very long. Will get some new made up and ready to go. Zuc's a nukin. I did go in and turn the light to check in on everyone. All is well. Snails cruisin about. Young Oto's continue to grow and very active (for what I saw today).

8/12: Been a while since I have updated this. Time is still not quite on my side but getting better. Pops has made it home from rehab but the cancer continues to take its toll.

As for the tank..I haven't spotted any new wigglers or eggs in quite a while. Most tank parameters are still the same except the temp which is still hovering around 78. Can't seem to get it back down to 74. I'm affraid to turn the heat off completely just in case I am not able to keep a good eye on it.

I still have the parents and (6) juvies. All very active. Three of them where working over one of the briggs yesterday...and wouldn't ya know it...I didn't have my camera down there at the time.

I'm also wondering if over crowding could be an issue. My yellows have been doing very well in here as well. I will need to thin the crypt jungle too. Quite a few new plants are popping up.

As for the briggs...I think one of them is smuggling in steroids somehow. He has just exploded in size compared to the others. I have download the recent pics.

08/16: Great news! Morning check today....mamma exploded (well...not literally of course ). Found at least (14) eggs. All over the crypt jungle. Was so excited that I forgot to look at the temp as that is the one variable that was off at the moment.

Funny thing about that....I think they may be mind readers somehow. Why you ask? I was down there yesterday and was telling myself that today I need to thin the jungle just in case it was too crowded for them.

Yea!! And I was getting worried that she done. Guess mom and dad made up.

Pics to follow.

Mamma continues to lay eggs. Papa following around like a lost puppy. ;o)

Latest count is up to (50). Literally laying them anywhere and everywhere. Going through some pics now to see what may have turned out.

Pics from today (08/17):

Eggs on Moneywort:


In the crypt jungle:


Mom with eggs in the background:

Some more pics:

Papa with eggs above:


More eggs:


Small family pic....little one needs to go on a diet. ;o)

Awesome pictures, I'm really enjoying this thread as I have a 10gal with Otos and I just love the little buggers! Keep up the good work.

__________________
29 Gallon Planted
1 Angelfish; 2 German Blue Rams; 11 Rasbora Boraptensis; 3 Khuli Loaches, 1 BN Pleco

20 Gallon Planted
2 German Blue Rams; 5 Corydoras Paleatus; 4 Otocinclus Catfish; Amano Shrimp

5.5 Gallon
Betta, Some plants.