All fish / Loricariidae

Bororo Otocinclus

Otocinclus bororo

Also known as otocinclus, oto, dwarf sucker, oto cat, bororo oto, オトシンクルス, 小精灵

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A tiny suckermouth catfish with a pale body, a dark stripe along the side and a dark mark at the tail base. It was described from the Pantanal region and is kept, like its relatives, as a gentle grazer that cleans biofilm and soft algae from plants and glass in planted tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

3 cm

Temperature

21 to 27 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

40 litres

Keep as

Group of 6 or more

Diet

Herbivore: biofilm, soft algae, blanched vegetables, algae wafers

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Upper Paraguay River basin (Pantanal), Brazil

Breeding

Eggs are laid singly on plants or glass after cooler water changes, with no parental care. Captive spawning of Otocinclus is occasional, and raising the tiny fry on infusoria and biofilm is tricky.

Good to know

Wild-caught fish are often starved on arrival, so feed well and choose a mature tank with plenty of biofilm. It is easily confused with other Otocinclus and with young Chinese algae eaters, which grow large and aggressive.