Otocinclus Catfish Care Guide

Otocinclus Catfish are a great addition for your tank because of their gentle nature and docile attitude. These Catfish are friendly and gentle, with no tendency to attack other fish. You can safely add numbers to your tank without risking shows of aggression with the Otocinclus Catfish.

Otocinclus Catfish

Otocinclus Catfish is a peaceful fish that like to keep to their school of buddies. Otocinclus Catfish are calm and efficient in cleaning. Otocinclus Catfish can clean glass but they love to clean plants. They can clean your greenery delicately and will keep your Catfish happy and healthy by eating any leaves particles. These fish are excellent for tanks with shrimp or babies. Although the Otocinclus Catfish is a great addition to any tank, you need to be careful when buying these fish at the store.

How to buy the Otocinclus Catfish

It is always important to ensure you buy healthy fish. But it is even more important to inspect the health status of Otocinclus Catfish before purchasing. If the Catfish are not properly cared for, they could become hungry and die.

Otocinclus Catfish is wild caught, and wholesalers purchase large quantities. Catfish can be starved if they are not provided with adequate food when shipped from their source to the wholesaler. The same goes for when they arrive and are housed at the wholesale location. Otocinclus Catfish can become severely malnourished or starved if they don’t have enough food from their wholesalers.

The life of a wholesaler can be difficult. Many pet stores will overfill the tank and house too many catfish in one aquarium. Again, they will not provide a sufficient amount of food or supply a decent source. Often one algae pellet is dropped in the tank and one algae pellet cannot feed 100 fish.

The Otocinclus Catfish does not like protein and only wants vegetables. Another fault can be that they are placed in a clean tank, which does not provide a sufficient number of algae for the fish to feed on. If there isn’t enough algae in the tank, it’s important to give them a source of algae. Repashy Soilent Green gel food or canned green beans are good options. This is not often available at pet shops and can also impact the health of fish.

The high risk of starvation means that it is important to find and purchase the fattest Otocinclus Catfish possible. Healthy fish will have full bellies. It is important to check their price, and also the location where they are being sold.

The price range of the Otocinclus Catfish can have a wide range. In some stores, they are listed as $2 per fish and in other stores, they will be sold for up to $4 per fish. A more unhealthy fish is likely to be listed at a lower price. Otocinclus Catfish can be found in Petsmart for around $2 per fish. However, they are very skinny. The problem with a skinny Otocinclus Catfish is that they will stop eating if they do not get enough to eat in the first place. Once the Catfish is starved, it cannot be brought back and will stop having the urge to eat. Often buying the $2 Otocinclus Catfish means you are buying a dead fish.

In other stores, the Otocinclus Catfish can be listed for $4 per fish. The rise in price may be a drawback but in reality, it is extremely beneficial to you. Fish that fetch up to $4 per piece are typically healthier and more fat. These Otocinclus Catfish are happy to swim with their large bellies and enjoy eating from the tank’s algae or food. By investing the $4 in one fish, you are ensuring that it will have a happy life living in your aquarium. A healthy Otocinclus Catfish can live for 5-7 years.

You know you will have reached success in finding a good food balance if your Otocinclus Catfish has lived in your tank for more than a month or two. If your fish live that long, it is likely they are getting enough food so they can continue to thrive in their new home.

The Otocinclus Catfish makes a great addition to any tank. If you give them love and care they will thrive for many years.