Otocinclus
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Description
The Otocinclus affinis or Otocinclo gold, is a loricárido very small, in the aquarium hobby is highly appreciated by its ability to clean the aquarium (window cleaner), as their main food is algae. It also highlights his peaceful attitude, allowing keep in a community aquarium, in which share space with other fish that are not too active.
Morphology
these fish can be between four and 5 centimeters in length, They are elongated, rounded on the back and flattened ventrally. His head is slightly flattened, with eyes on both sides, which gives you a lateral view. One of the most original morphological characteristics, though typical of loricariids, it is the presence of a suction suction mouth, which serves both to feed, to be fixed on rocks or plants, very useful in their natural habitat rivers with strong currents. Pieces are lacking swim bladder, which prevents them swim. To solve it give lateral jumps and fastened to the mouth to the substrate, to avoid being dragged by the current of the rivers they inhabit. The fins have spines reinforcement, Similar (although not as strong) those of the Hypostomus plecostomus, with which it shares is cleaner fish nickname or Limpiacristales. It does not have thorns on the adipose fin and caudal fin. As for the differences between male and female (sexual dimorphism), They are almost negligible. Maybe, the female is more round and larger, while the male is more stylized and somewhat smaller.
Coloration
Fish are yellow ocher coloration shooting gold, with black side stripes that run throughout your body, from the caudal fin to mouth. This range narrows to the reach the caudal fin, where it ends with a spot-shaped point. The back is dark brown coloration with black and gold flecks reflections, also it covers all the fish. The ventral side is white color.
Distribution and habitat
- Easytest with 50 test strips water.
- Strips for analysis 6 important water values in 1 minute.
- nitrites (NO2) from 0 a ten mg/l.
- Mide el pH de 6,four a 9,0.
Son originaros of southeastern Brazil, in the jungle of Mato Grosso and it is also possible to find them in some rivers of Colombia: Caquetá river, Canca and Japurá. like to clear waters with strong currents, where they find their preferred algae covered rocks and lush vegetation food.
Aquarium conditions
They are gregarious fish, It is recommended that a small group within the aquarium from 4 Y 6 copies, that they will be comfortable in a tank with a size of about 60 liters. The temperature of the water should be between 21 ° C and 26 ° C, with special attention to the higher temperature, and non-fish that can withstand excessively high temperatures. As for the quality of the water, It is recommended to maintain a pH between 5.5 a 7.5 with a hardness from soft to semi-soft, typical of their home. Community aquarium should recreate an Amazon biotope, with a lot of aquarium plants broadleaf, to facilitate the growth of algae, and also provide shelter I, as they are quite shy and not very good swimmers. Because of its special kind of power, almost exclusively algae, It is not recommended to introduce a new aquarium, where they would not find enough food to survive. The quality of the water has to be optimal, Pure habitat in the waters are very clean and oxygenated. They eat algae, clean funds are not fish and therefore do not support an accumulation of nitrites. Following conditioning of the aquarium, It should include a filter that causes a good water movement, taking care to protect the entrance of the filter, for fish (small) They are not absorbed.
Diet
They are mainly herbivorous fish fish, eating mostly green and brown algae part, little plants and microorganisms in plants. In the aquarium They can also accept cooked vegetables: courgettes, peas and lettuce, and artificial food and tubifex. some aquarists, also they provide them with protein foods, especially insect larvae. They should provide some trunk or root, of the cellulose provided that.
Behavior and compatibility
The Otocinclus affinis species of crepuscular habits. During the day can be hidden or fixed on the glass, on a plant or aquarium decoration. Night will come and devour. They are also gregarious, They prefer to stay in a small group, which ideally should be at least about 5 copies (with a higher proportion of females, that males), although it may be more depending on the aquarium. Peaceful and shy, the plants will serve as a hideout. They can share the space with other species of aquarium, with caution find peers who are not too large and active. It is recommended Do not mix the Otocinclus affinis, with the Discus, since these emit a mucosal, which it is very attractive to Otocinclus and glued to his sides, It is annoying and stressful for disks.
Reproduction
Reproduction of the Otocinclus affinis it's hard, although it seems that not impossible. To encourage the development, despite being especially vegetarian fish, they must provide a feeding live food or frozen. It is also possible encourage spawning season, and continuing with partial changes of water, simulating the rainy season of its origin. The group must consist of more females than males, the chase until they are accepted. Got a time, females lay their eggs (between 20 Y 40 per copy) on the walls of the aquarium or on the leaves of plants. The sunsets are not very abundant, and parents abandon their eggs, we can pick up and move to a breeding tank. Hatching occurs at 2 O 3 days. They will be born small fry, which can be fed the early days with infusorians, to go slowly adding to the diet, and brine shrimp steamed vegetables and very crushed.
- The article is easy to install and use. Remove the dirty things from the bottom of your aquarium effectively. Support two sizes of pipe…
- Siphon tube supplied. Caudal 520 liters per hour.
- With this tool, You can remove dirt from the bottom of your aquarium. Supplied with two sizes of suction tube, It is suitable for…
- It can also be used as a water trap to change the water, or to empty your aquarium when connecting a hose to the outlet.
