Otocinclus Catfish Care Guide

Otocinclus Catfish is a wonderful addition to any tank thanks to their gentle nature. These tiny Catfish are gentle and won’t attack any other fish in your tank. The Otocinclus Catfish is a safe way to increase the number of fish in your tank without displaying aggression.

Otocinclus Catfish

Otocinclus Catfish is a peaceful fish that like to keep to their school of buddies. Their calm demeanor as well as their cleaning skills make them the perfect fish. The Otocinclus Catfish will clean glass, but they absolutely love to clean plants. They are great at delicately cleaning your greenery and your Catfish with stay happy and healthy eating any particles off the leaves. These fish are also excellent for tanks that have babies or shrimp inside them. The Otocinclus Catfish has great qualities that can enhance any tank, but you should take caution when purchasing these fish from the store.

How to buy the Otocinclus Catfish

While you always want to be sure you are buying healthy fish, it is especially important to look at the health status of an Otocinclus Catfish before you purchase. These Catfish can be at risk of starving to death if they are not cared for properly.

Otocinclus Catfish can be caught wild and then purchased by wholesalers in large quantities. As the Catfish are shipped from the source to the wholesaler, they risk not receiving adequate food. This is also true for the time they arrive at their wholesale home. Many wholesalers do not provide adequate food for the Otocinclus Catfish and they can become drastically thin or die from starvation.

Life after the wholesaler often does not improve. Many pet stores will overfill the tank and house too many catfish in one aquarium. The pet shops will not provide enough food for the fish or provide a good source of food. One algae pellet can feed 100 fish if it is just one.

Otocinclus Catfish is not a fan of protein. They prefer vegetables. One other problem is if they are kept in a dirty tank that does not have enough algae. You need to ensure that they have enough algae to eat, which can be done by providing Repashy Soilent Green gel foods and canned green beans. This is often not supplied at pet stores and also affects the health of the fish.

Because of the risk of starvation, it’s best to search for and buy the largest Otocinclus Catfish you can find. Healthy fish are those with full bellies. Another way to be sure that you are purchasing healthy fish is by looking at their location and the listed price.

Otocinclus Catfish’s price range can be quite varied. Some stores list them at $2 per fish while other stores sell them for up to $4 per piece. More often than not, the less expensive listing price indicates an unhealthy fish. Otocinclus Catfish, which are often listed at Petsmart at $2 per fish, are thin. Otocinclus Catfish that are skinny will stop eating if they don’t get enough food. Once the Catfish is starved, it cannot be brought back and will stop having the urge to eat. You are often buying Otocinclus Catfish for $2 because you are buying 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.

If your Otocinclus Catfish has been in your tank more than a month, you know that you have achieved success in finding a good balance in food. It means that your fish are receiving enough food to enable them to navigate their new home happily.

The Otocinclus Catfish is the perfect little fish to add to your tank and if you invest some love and care, they will happily thrive for years.