All fish / Loricariidae

Haseman's Otocinclus

Otocinclus hasemani

Also known as haseman's oto, oto, otocinclus, dwarf sucker, otocinclus catfish, hasemani oto, オトシンクルス・ハセマニ, 小精灵鱼

A tiny armoured catfish with a sandy body, a dark lateral stripe and a distinctive dark blotch on the tail base. It is kept in planted community tanks where it grazes algae and biofilm from leaves and glass without bothering other fish.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

3.5 cm

Temperature

22 to 27 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

60 litres

Keep as

Group of 6 or more

Diet

Herbivore: biofilm and soft algae, plus algae wafers, blanched courgette and occasional small frozen foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Brazil: lower Amazon tributaries and Parnaíba basin

Breeding

Pairs lay small adhesive eggs on plants or glass, much like Corydoras, and the fry need plenty of biofilm to graze. Captive spawning happens occasionally but is not common, so most stock is wild caught.

Good to know

Wild imports are often starved and weak, so quarantine and feed well; never place them in a new tank without established algae growth. Often sold mixed with other Otocinclus species that look very similar.