Catfish · Otocinclus
Otocinclus
Otocinclus vittatus · Streams across South America
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Chle assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
Water temperature
21–27 °C 70–81 °F
pH
6–7.5 neutral water
Adult size
4 cm 1.6 in
Swims
Bottom and mid-water mostly on the floor and in caves
Keep together
6 or more a shoal feels safe
Current
Gentle a steady gentle flow
Food
Grazer
Temperament
Peaceful
≈ Every value here is an estimate from typical hobby ranges. We're checking them against sources.
Tank mates
Checked against a roomy 300 L planted tank with moderate flow and plenty of caves. Your own tank may change the answer: try it in Your tanks.
Good together
-
Candy stripe L015
Plecos · 10 cm · bottom -
Leopard frog L134
Plecos · 11 cm · bottom -
Agassiz's dwarf cichlid
Cichlids · 7.5 cm · bottom -
Amano shrimp
Shrimp & snails · 5 cm · bottom -
Bolivian ram
Cichlids · 8 cm · bottom -
Bronze corydoras
Corydoras · 7 cm · bottom -
Cardinal tetra
Tetras · 4 cm · mid-water -
Celestial pearl danio
Rasboras & danios · 2.5 cm · mid-water
Keep apart
-
Need a different pH and will eat the otocinclus
-
Need different temperatures and will eat the otocinclus
-
Will eat the otocinclus
-
Aggressive and will eat the otocinclus
In the hobby
Where to find it
No store or breeder we know of has it right now.
Run a store? List the fish you usually have. Breed fish? List your fry.
Tanks with this fish
From keepers
Fed algae wafers until the tank grew enough biofilm.
Questions keepers ask
How big does an Otocinclus get?
About 4 cm (1.6 in) as an adult.
What temperature does an Otocinclus need?
21–27 °C (70–81 °F).
What pH does an Otocinclus need?
pH 6–7.5.
Does an Otocinclus need to be kept in a group?
Yes. Keep at least 6.
Is the Otocinclus aggressive?
No. It is peaceful with fish that suit the same water.
Where does the Otocinclus come from?
Streams across South America.
What fish can live with an Otocinclus?
Good tank mates include Candy stripe (L015), Leopard frog (L134), Agassiz's dwarf cichlid, Amano shrimp, Bolivian ram.
All the numbers
| Temperature min (°C) | 21 | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature max (°C) | 27 | Estimate |
| pH min | 6 | Estimate |
| pH max | 7.5 | Estimate |
| Adult size (cm) | 4 | Estimate |
| Flow | Moderate | Estimate |
| Habitat | stream | Estimate |
| Smallest happy group | 6 | Estimate |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Estimate |
| Diet | Grazer | Estimate |
| Typical price min (CAD) | 4 | Estimate |
| Typical price max (CAD) | 7 | Estimate |
Some values are estimates from typical hobby ranges and haven't been checked against a source yet.