The Oto Journal

First topic message reminder :

Some of you might know..but for those that don't....here's my little project:

Here's a shot from today:


So far I was able to count (41) eggs however (6) were already non-viable.

James0816 wrote:

Kewlness! Hope they do well for you. They are just awesome little guys.

They are doing great swimming around eating up whatever they can find.

Came home today to do a big trimming in the Vittatus tank....wrong....they had other plans. Spawning instead. It seems as if they can somehow read my mind in what I'm going to do. Everytime I go to do a big trim, they spawn. ;) I only got a quick glance and saw a few eggs. I did see one that is non viable. I'll work elsewhere until later this evening before the lights go out and see if I can get a better look.

Here's a couple of shots for today:



This one shows a non viable egg. I'll have to remove that one.


I briefly checked and found a few more eggs and one more non viable.

Got home today and didn't find any eggs. Hmmm...disturbing. I only had a couple minutes to look but didn't look good. Now to try and figure that one out. On plus side...I found a fry that I would guestimate about 4-5 days old! They must have a secret hiding spot for eggs now. I'll do some more looking either tonight or tomorrow and then tank maintenance.

Pleasant surprise today. While I didn't find any eggs, I did find one freshy hatched fry. While searching for others, I started seeing more older fry. I wound up counting (6) now that look to be approaching a week in age. Very nice! I will still have to do a small water change today and will do so slowly just as if the eggs were hatching tomorrow as was expected.

Big update from yesterday. Only big by virtue of action taken in the main breeder. The Hydra are really popping up and I needed to take immediate action in this tank. It was finally time to dose the tank with Flubendazole. As nerve wrecking as it was, it has to be done.

Hundreds of shrimp zoea floating in the tank so I'm sure the Hydra are staying well fed. Time for them to be erradicated.

I moved the Briggs out to another tank. Then, I mixed just under 1/8tsp of the Flub with tank water and poured it behind the filter media. I did it that way so the media could catch the undisolved particles.

Now we wait.

{Crosses Fingers}

No sign of Hydra yesterday. I only focused on the areas where they were prominent. I'll get a much better scan of the tank today. All shrimps and Otos (even the wee ones) seemed just fine.

No signs of Hydra for the past few days. Have scoured the tank as best as I could for signs. Started to transition the tank back to normal. Began with a 50% water change and put carbon in the filter. Will run it this way for a week and repeat the process. Probably won't be for another couple weeks (at least) that I try to re-introduce Briggs back into the tank. Ninja shrimp continue to do their thing. I'm still finding zoea all in the tank. Flubendazole appears to have done it's job. Now we wait to see if there is/was any impact on breeding. {crosses fingers again}

that is really amazing!

After weeks of nail biting after the Flubendazole treatment, I can finally relax. There is a spawn in progress. Whew! I was so worried even though everyone was trying to reassure me. I didn't bother trying to count the eggs at the moment since more eggs are being laid every time I go down there. I am trying to minimize my travels for now. I'll get some pics and a count later. Right now, the majority are being laid in the Ludwigia area.

Yay!

My photo skills have really diminished lately. I just couldn't snap off any good pics. Sry. Hopefully I can get a few before the hatching. Then it's on to focus on new fry pics.

I also tried to get somewhat of an egg count. That as well turned out to be difficult. After I left, they really worked over the Bacopa area and just laid a ton of eggs in there. I counted as many as (10) on one leaf! Only visibly saw (8) in the crypt jungle. The best news was that I haven't found any non-viable eggs this time. Usually there are a few.

Topping of the tank ahead of the hatching.

Fry guys all over the place. Litterally. I did locate three non-viable eggs. This is a pretty big hatching. Crossing fingers for most of them to survive.

I'm working on some pics. We'll see how it goes.

Ok...let's try this and see if they work to get your fry fix....



Mean looking ain't he?


Can you find me?

COOL !

you sir are an exceptional photographer. wht camera do you use? and wht lens specs

Kasshan wrote:

you sir are an exceptional photographer. wht camera do you use? and wht lens specs

Thanks...but I'm not all that great. ;o) Still working on it though.

The camera I use most is a simple Olympus Stylus.

My wife as a DSLR that I am trying to use but just haven't figured out how to use it as yet.

Fry guys doing well. Starting to graze over everything. Beginning to feed them now. They are really popping in and out of the Subwassertang wall. Seems to be the perfect addition to a fry tank. :)

Here's some shots from today:

Here's one in the wall. Just a good example of the protection it affords.

Whats up 'Area'..

Im going over these pictures, that's pretty wild
you got that close of a shot clear. That gold is cool.
Kind of a 'microcosmos' type of shot..

You seem to know these guys.. I was looking for
i hear around 3 is a good number.. Not to breed but for
algea control.. I'm trying to avoid a 'common' pleco etc
since they're messy, and all the less expensive ones get
kinda big for me.. How do you think 3 tiny ones would do
with some different loaches?... everyone in the tank has been
with each other upwards of 2 years now give or take so they
dont fight... yoyo's chase everyone around sometimes I dont
know what 'triggers' that.. too much kool-aid I guess...

Feeding times a little hecktic, I'd have to look out for them a little extra..

Also I heard one type are real aggressive and will suck on your fish...
I can't have that you know... can you tell the difference, or know a
web site you trust?... Any imput is appreciated. -Peace JT

......I just thought, I have no live plants in there right now.. just a bunch of
plastic ones, which granted they could get lost in if they wanted too... I don't
know, what's your thoughts.?

...last shot of the two, guy on left looks
like an a. basin tree boa... every thing but the
pupil... man i need a camera... :)... Peace JT

Oto's aren't any kind of aggressive and won't latch on to other fishies. Three is a good number to start with.

Oh I got you, it's not a difference in oto's,
it's Chinese Algea Eaters being mistaken for an oto..?

yeaaa, I should probably read up awhile.... Peace JT

Been a few days. Have been stuck at work for the past several days. Some pretty long days. Luckily...the wee ones have been doing fine. They are grazing over everything nicely. Tons of fry all over the place. Coloring up very well.

Found a few more fresh hatchlings today as well.

Fry continue to do well. Very active. Turned on the airstone for a few minutes. Here's some shots from today:

Well....I hate to say this....but....I think my Macrophilus guys....are.....well.....gay! There... I said it!

The ladies are trying so hard to get the boys to get busy but they are just too interested in goofing around with themselves. It's funny and painful to watch at the same time. I think it's time for drastic action. I've given the three musketeer's plenty of time to get their act together. I think it's time to seperate them. If they don't spawn this time, I will remove all but one guy and one gal. That would put me at two Macro tanks but...gotta do what I gotta do right? :)

I'm getting ready to order another group of Cocama's as well. They should arrive in the US on Sunday. Hopefully the two guys will have a lady or two to say hi to. LOL

Daily check on the tanks on the positive side of things. Babes are doing very well. They have been introduced to Zucchini the other day. As of today, one slice is completely gone and they are working over the second really well. Best guesstimate on numbers from this batch is upwards of (50) at the moment.

Also found today were more eggs. The Bacopa area once again appears to be the area of choice with over (20) eggs found there. There are a few that I can see in the crypt jungle.

Turned on the airstone for a few minutes. Will be feeding some algae powder shortly as well.

Pics to follow.

Here's a couple shots from today:

Nomming on a zuc:


And some of the eggs from today: