PlanetCatfish.com - Otocinclus vittatus • Loricariidae • Cat-eLog

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Otocinclus vittatus** Regan, 1904
Common Name(s)	LDA023, Common Otocinclus Båndsugemalle (Denmark), Dwarf Sucker, Ohrgitterharnischwels (Germany), Oto
Type Locality	Descalvados, Rio Paraguay system, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
Pronunciation	auto SINK luss - vit TAT us
Etymology	Greek, ous, oto = ear + Latin, cinclus = latticework; in allusion to the holes of the head in the ears.
Species Information
Size	32mm or 1.3" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Very similar indeed to O. mariae.
Sexing	Females are larger and broader especially when viewed from above.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Tropical South America Amazon (click on these areas to find other species found there) La Plata, Paraná (click on these areas to find other species found there) La Plata, Paraná, Paraguay (click on these areas to find other species found there) Orinoco (click on these areas to find other species found there) Amazon, Lower Amazon, Xingu (click on these areas to find other species found there) Amazon, Lower Amazon, Tocantins (click on these areas to find other species found there) (Click the map-icon to show/hide map of species distribution)
pH	5.5 - 7.5
Temperature	21.0-26.0°C or 69.8-78.8°F (Show species within this range)
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Initially algae, add a shoal to an ''algaefied'' tank and then supplement diet with sinking tablets and the usual cucumbers / lettuce or courgette (zucchini).
Furniture	Large leafed plants and vertical flat rock surfaces (especially slate). Not essential, but likes bogwood and a large rounded substrate. Live plants seem essential to the long term survival of this fish.
Compatibility	Peaceful.
Suggested Tankmates	Keep in groups (preferably at least six) with any small to mid-sized community fish.
Breeding	See Shane's World Article
Further Information
References	Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond.v. 17 (pt 3, no. 1) - pp267 - Pl. 15 (fig. 3)
Registered Keepers	(1) synoguy (k: 4), (2) Kostas (k: 10), (3) kcmt01, (4) f3mg (k: 8), (5) Tulio, (6) Travis_Conklin, (7) traumatic, (8) jenny, (9) henkhugo, (10) nettaigyo, (11) apistomaster (k: 10), who also notes: "Kept frquently over the years.", (12) certan, (13) chris 1 (k: 4), (14) Jools, (15) loafingloach (k: 3), who also notes: "needs more friends, shoals are good, but with a heap of baby bristlenose eating up all the algae, its hard to support more.", (16) spot86t (k: 2), (17) Kjlossman, (18) Deb (k: 3), who also notes: "I have kept this species continuously since 1999. Currently have 3, 3.5 yo. Oldest lived 4.5 years.", (19) Shralp, (20) Revol (k: 3), (21) Bengt F, (22) yogi69 (k: 5), (23) dracoz, (24) Terrorblade90 (k: 2), who also notes: "A very little and energic catfish; he can change his colour It' s very sensitive. There is a morph of this fish: when this more-colourated form is just captured, he show a yellow-paint front theth in tank disappear very quickly", (25) Bigpig (k: 6), (26) Archinuke, (27) jbmm (k: 3), (28) invaderwithkey (k: 2), (29) tomh, (30) wheel1 (k: 5), (31) dsmfishgal (k: 4), (32) FuglyDragon (k: 8), (33) bslindgren (k: 5), who also notes: "I got these by mistake with a shipment of sae's. They have done very well, and seem very industrious in feeding on algae. A rather low-key fish that is a nice addition to the community tank. The last one disappeared in the summer of 2010", (34) glenny, (35) zLoui, (36) catxx (k: 3), who also notes: "originally a trio", (37) LUISGOREY, (38) CoryLoachFreak, (39) Breus (k: 9), (40) Scubaguy (k: 4), (41) Complexity (k: 8), who also notes: "Half of the 8 survived long term. I lost 3 of them when they got caught in a CO2 ladder. They would go into the channels, but couldn't go backwards to get back out. They sometimes shoal with my dwarf chain loaches.", (42) Allie72 (k: 3), (43) kfreedman, (44) DutchFry (k: 5), (45) Lyssa (k: 2), (46) briggadane (k: 11), (47) ashik (p: 2, k: 9), who also notes: "Bred in 15g tank. Filtered with Eheim 2215, aquaclear 30 powerhead, eco-complete substrate, some slate and caves, a large clump of java fern. Tank specs: 15 g (24" x 12"). Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate = 0, GH ~120, KH ~80, 81F, 12h light a day, full ", (48) EdieBird, (49) miravns (k: 2), (50) Fishaliciousfish (k: 12), (51) addictinganimal, (52) AU Chief, (53) LowCat (k: 6), (54) kellygirl (k: 3), (55) Mandrake (k: 2), (56) Lique, (57) kubastanik (p: 2), (58) ASCauley (k: 2), (59) nvcichlids (k: 12), (60) Yofman (k: 3), (61) inkyjenn (k: 4), who also notes: "these guys were being starved at a lfs. all had hollowed out bellies. after 48 hours in the quarantine tank every last scrap of algae was gone. they went readily to prepared foods and now are a fat happy bunch in my 55. ", (62) koter73, (63) Dipsausje (k: 10), (64) evesonevo (k: 3), (65) nikelodeon79, (66) paul b 76 (k: 4), (67) s2man, (68) xander (k: 2), (69) GABear, (70) jquijano, (71) deviating, (72) Blonde1, (73) otoguppylover (k: 3), who also notes: "i have several types of otos i dont know how many i have of each. dam petsmart inventory", (74) I_Xeno (k: 6), (75) pbyrley, (76) willis30, (77) fantonac, (78) DiHo (k: 8), (79) h2opleco, (80) Bristlenose 94, (81) corymkl, (82) fischkringli (k: 2), (83) KTLM (k: 2), (84) acidise, (85) Hitch, (86) francistrus, (87) OddOscar (k: 10), who also notes: "I got these fish on my birthday.", (88) naturalart (k: 5), (89) ayrtoninst (k: 14), (90) L number Banana (k: 2), who also notes: "8 unknowns are babies of one of the oto species but markings are like vittatus body and mariae tail, no white bar. Noticed the new ones Dec 7, 2009 Update winter 2012: Only 2 left like these ones - the otos with the square markings seem to have taken over.", (91) whiteymoza, (92) Frank the L (k: 5), (93) Nx7 (k: 2), (94) somename, (95) James0816 (p: 2, k: 54), who also notes: "Last spawn: ~ 24-Apr-2010 - Egg Count Unknown. First spawn: 09-Apr-2009 Eggs Found: 16-Mar-2010 - 57 Eggs Found: 18-Mar-2010 - 59 Eggs Found: 27-Mar-2010 - 40 Eggs Found: 31-Mar-2010 - 23 Eggs Found: 01-Apr-2010 - 82 Eggs Found: 07-Apr-2010 - 26 Last spawn: 07-Apr-2010 - 26 Eggs found", "Juvenille Tank - over 50 occupants -Spawn discoverd on 26-Apr-2010 ", (96) cosmicwonderer1, (97) joemc, (98) Barracuda518 (k: 3), (99) Timberwolf (k: 5), (100) sterlingtjones (k: 14), (101) Dalek Tzet (k: 4), (102) Kestrix, (103) rhibear (k: 5), (104) Gertbl (k: 7), (105) tijani, (106) LeeRoy (k: 10), who also notes: "These were listed as Otocinlus (Macrotocinclus ) Affinia but from looking a photos on here and the web I believe that they are vittatus.", (107) RickE, (108) ginagv (k: 2), (109) littlebristlenose (p: 5, k: 11), (110) vibaldi (k: 3), (111) Feanaro (k: 3), (112) MarcW (k: 3), (113) mike h, (114) brianmc, (115) jamieg192 (k: 3), (116) stefjane, (117) Sotty (k: 3), (118) Black_flys (k: 4), (119) snowball (k: 8), (120) biotope69 (k: 4), (121) marangmic (p: 2, k: 10), (122) rmc (k: 6), (123) MHS, (124) jp11biod, (125) backstreetgambler, (126) krb (k: 4), (127) theonetruepath (k: 3), (128) Skägget, (129) Bruton, (130) Bastyns, (131) gforcefx, (132) hoblob, (133) jmw (k: 10), (134) Chris5787, (135) HERVE, (136) metalface2 (k: 4), (137) Logqan, (138) donpetty (k: 6), who also notes: "Petsmart has these guys for $1.00 each Great deal...", (139) TerriM (k: 5), (140) kiwiinoz, (141) len.weideman (k: 8), (142) Laelori, (143) Devonviolet (k: 3), who also notes: "Small tank containing only 3 otos and crystal red and black shrimp. RO water remineralised with salty bee minerals. Ph 6.5. Temp 20 degrees c. Ammonia 0, nitrite 0 nitrate 10. Typical tds 124-130. 1st eggs - gone the next day :-(.", (144) technogeek, (145) puresp (k: 6), (146) guardianfyre, (147) thereverendturtle, (148) merit, (149) magicmarymac (k: 6), who also notes: "In with a Betta, three ghost shrimp, and one Mystery snail", (150) cinnamonsticks (k: 5), (151) mjh712 (k: 4), (152) Jass, (153) Narwhal72, (154) BallAquatics (k: 6), who also notes: "These were small run down fish as is often the case when they first come in. They have grown steadly by feeding Repashy "Soilent Green". First fry found 04/16/2013.", (155) dkshadowwolf (p: 2, k: 8), (156) flatfish (k: 6), (157) lilu (p: 2, k: 3), (158) ranmasan (k: 3), who also notes: "I see where they get the nickname "Little Monkeys" :)", (159) Valb68, (160) DKcincy, (161) huds21, (162) lightseeker5000 (k: 4), (163) camtang, (164) Albert (k: 7), (165) xShovelnose (k: 2), who also notes: "Good fish...", (166) shad0wfish13 (k: 2), (167) parrot1974 (k: 4), (168) Jumpmaster (p: 2), (169) bekateen (k: 3), (170) jamesyboy, (171) booitsme3109, (172) Knestis, (173) CowBoYReX, (174) GreenSynoMan (k: 5), (175) dpm1, (176) Tamcon83, (177) justinkaseman, (178) telsonboy (k: 3), who also notes: "When in a 55-gal planted aquarium, temperatures dropped to 55F for over a week. Survived wonderfully!", (179) FerocactusLatispinus, who also notes: "R.I.P. Otto. Was quite a speedy, happy little fellow. Loved exploring and eating off acres of driftwood. Grew quickly off a diet of algae, blanched veggies, and driftwood!", (180) TriLamb13, (181) indeliKate, (182) jakkals, (183) Catfishlady (k: 6), (184) barbax (k: 10), who also notes: "They love repashy and omega one veggie pellets. They also get blanched greens from time to time.", (185) Gerald CapeTown, (186) slayer5590 (k: 2), who also notes: "Bought 8 more on 3/23/2016", (187) flatdog (k: 2), (188) Avasion, (189) joclru (k: 5), (190) Waldsee, (191) catfishchaos, who also notes: "Great algae eater", (192) Gallywags (k: 10), (193) Yo-han, (194) kiwidu21, (195) shrimpkeeper222, (196) OregonOutdoorsChris (p: 3, k: 22), who also notes: "Lost all the females due to jumped out a few months back. Suspect issues with municipal water, as all the fish were acting stressed (likely elevated kH).", (197) diesel (k: 6), (198) MatsJ (k: 9), (199) jadetristan (k: 10), (200) kvnbyl (p: 2), (201) MarlonnekeW (k: 8), (202) mikeisrad, (203) Electrocat, (204) Weirder_weird. Click on a username above to see all that persons registered catfish species. You can also view all "my cats" data for this species.
Breeding Reports	(1) Valb68 (b: 48), (2) jmw (b: 35), (3) Gertbl (b: 28).
Articles	- CotM 1996 December
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Last Update	2013 Jul 19 18:54 (species record created: 2001 Apr 14 00:00)