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Pregnant Oto?




I have an otocinclus that I think is pregnant, but according to info here 
and in mags, these fish don't breed in captivity.  None of my fish books has 
a picture of this type of oto, it isn't a flexilis nor a vestitus.  The 
other oto in the same tank is a vestitus, however.  The one in question has 
a 2 brownish-gray stripes, one that covers its back and one horizontally 
down the side.  Between these two areas, is a thin, white-ish stripe.  The 
stomach area is also white-ish.  The horizontal stripes end at the base of 
the tail fin and do not extend.  The tail fin is predominately clear or 
white-ish, but has 3 vertical stripes.  At the base of the tail is a solid, 
very dark band, in the middle of the tail, next to the split is another dark 
band but this is broken in several places.  It looks like a row of spots. 
 And on the tips of the two tail fin points are dark spots.  Does anyone 
know what kind of oto this is?

The swelling is between the pectoral fins, down the stomach, to the anal 
area.  The swelling has SLOWLY grown over 6 months, this fish was thicker 
thru the middle than the vestitus oto even though the vestitus was longer. 
 There are no other signs of disease.  This isn't dropsy, which I've seen 
several times before.  The fish moves slower than it did when first 
purchased, and can be found happily munching away on algae or wafer food. 
 Could this fish simply need a good exercise program?  Will there be 
additions to the algea cleaning crew?

Other info, 125gal community discus tank with 2 otos, 3 bristlenose catfish, 
2 SAEs, 5 cory catfish, 1 cardinal tetra, 3 glowlite tetras, 3 Discus. 
 Planted with various varieties of swords, hygrophelia, anubias nana, 
crypts, vals, and aponegeniums.  pH 6.6 - 6.8, nitrite and nitrate 0, temp 
86F, filtration is 2 - 350 Magnum canisters, peat/clay/vermiculite 
substrate, undergravel heating cables, no added CO2.

Rochelle Williams
williaro at ftmcphsn-emh1_army.mil
Olympic traffic is starting - an additional 1,600 public transportation 
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