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Nano Walstad tank startup

Well, one of the ottos is a very poorly and not as active as the other two. He's perched on a leaf or on the glass not doing much. :( I don't know what I can do for the poor thing.

His caved in belly
DSCF6075_zps8f44437d.jpg
 
I'm having the same troubles with one of mine; the others are doing just fine, as are the shrimp and the tetras, but this one was just lying on his side. Have him quarantained for now, and will see what he looks like in the morning. He was doing just great earlier this day, so odd, but I have read some things regarding Sudden Oto Death Syndrome, seems to happen quite often. These are my first ones, and really liked them, so am prettu gutted.
 
I've had them swimming around, go crazy and just drop dead. I've had them last a two weeks then suddenly lose all their weight which is usually the end for the little ones. As long as they're foraging around eating with fat bellies then they'll usually pull through, it's when they stop eating they're in trouble.
 
EnderUK said:
May seem cruel but it's quick, take him out, put him in a plastic bag and hit him with a hammer. I hate doing it, but it's part of fish keeping.
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Thanks. I suppose I should aim at the head mainly :( I am not brave enough yet...but I'll see how it goes.

Vinkenoog1977 said:
I'm having the same troubles with one of mine; the others are doing just fine, as are the shrimp and the tetras, but this one was just lying on his side. Have him quarantained for now, and will see what he looks like in the morning. He was doing just great earlier this day, so odd, but I have read some things regarding Sudden Oto Death Syndrome, seems to happen quite often. These are my first ones, and really liked them, so am prettu gutted.
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Poor things. I've heard it depends how they catch them. They don't all make it once you buy them but if they make it the first couple of months they are indestructible almost.

I have 3 other ottos I've had for a couple of years doing fine and a zebra otto for a year. He had a buddy who died from a mysterious hole on the side of his body some time ago. I think he stabbed himself onto something in the tank. I moved the loner then with the ordinary ottos and he parties around the tank with them. I would love to buy him zebra buddies but the prices are a bit steep.

When I bought my first 3 ottos over 2 years ago, I had a casualty as well, but at the time I knew nothing about them and didn't pick them myself, the shop assistant just scooped 3 out. I got a replacement for the one that died. He never looked good. His colouration was different to start with(his back was black and white instead of black and brown). But I can't recall looking at his belly as I didn't know what it was supposed to look like at the time.
At the same time I also bought a tiny baby bristlenose plec who also made it through just fine, driving me crazy these days as he's very bold.
This otto wasn't looking good, in fact all 3 weren't looking good when I got them but I decided to risk it and see because they weren't gonna make it in there anyway. The one on the picture though has been left to get too skinny to survive. I think he's still on the same spot, poor thing.
Lights are off and I'll see tomorrow if I get brave enough to end his misery.
 
Mine were looking great as well, like I said, the other two are doing just fine, as is the rest of the tank. And this one was doing great as well not ten hours ago, and two hours later, there he went. I won't euthanise him yet though, I'll give him the night to recoup, gave some extra pellet food just in case (hasn't touched it yet though), and we'll see. I've had some more Lazarus-fish, only a couple of days ago, the crows decided to pester my goldfish in my balcony pond; they don't eat them, they don't kill them, they just pick them out of the pond through the mesh on top, and chuck them on the floor. Found one this Saturday, had gone completely stiff, the scales were crusted with dirt from the floor, but just before I binned him, I thought I saw some movement. So, about ten minutes of cleaning and moving him through the water to get some gill movement, there he was, back again. Was eating five minutes later. So I'll give this little chap the benefit of the doubt for now. Have killed the flow in the Q since he did not like the water movement, but have hooked up an O2-pump, on minimal, just for some water movement and extra oxydation. Fingers crossed!
 
Hope you have some luck with them. Fingers crossed for you.
The ottos I've had for a couple of years never ate any pellets or any veg. They refuse to try and I put regularly for the rest of the fish all sorts of fruit and veg. I've no idea what they eat. Hence I make sure I put the new ones in this tank that has some sort of biofilm/algae to grasp at. It's early to tell, if any last a month or two they may make it.
 
The only thing mine will eat is cucumber.

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Nope, they won't touch it. I put cucumbers at least once a week as it's everyone's favourite. Never seen ottos on it and I always looked as I hoped one day they will, but so far 2 years nothing. I know most peoples ottos eat veg but not mine. If they ate veg or any pellets I would have had a tank full of them by now. I love them.
 
Here is a video of the two "healthy" ones. They discovered the filter flow and were playing with it for a good while. I had left the window blazing for a full couple of days prior which grew me some algae on the front glass as expected. That ludwiga in the middle has been "blowing bubbles" every day 3-4 hours after lights are on. I am guessing it's getting the most light.

 
What I do is to ask at the LFS how much time they are there... (At least two shops in my city label the tanks with the arrival date). And I only buy the ones that have been there at least 10 days. There is a thread somewhere here explaining that bacteria on their stomach can be severely damaged after some weeks traveling from their origin. Thus buying a fish that has been at the LFS some days means that this fish has not suffered or is recovered... Before doing this I lost 2 of 5 fish, in just 24 hours with a very similar behaviour you describe. Once I did this, I could replace the 2 dead ones and an additional one without any loss.

Jordi
 
A bit of a relief, the two that are alive don't have a sunken belly.
The dead one must have eaten himself to death last night (only joking :mad:) Or is probably bloated from being dead. His belly was green and my shrimp were having a feast on him when I found him. It's not bloated but doesn't look half as bad as when he was alive.
 
I wonder how is it possible these two little ottos breeding. I can't tell a difference between them in terms of their belly. I presumed an egg bound otto would have a big belly. But I saw what I saw, it's similar to what my corys do and I just double checked youtube so they are indeed trying to mate.
 
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