All fish / Loricariidae

Otocinclus mariae

Otocinclus mariae

Also known as oto, otocinclus, dwarf sucker catfish, maria's otocinclus, oto cat, dwarf oto, otto, ปลาซักเกอร์แคระ, オトシンクルス, 小精灵, 小精灵鱼

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A tiny armoured sucker-mouth catfish with a pale belly, brownish back and a dark stripe along the flank ending in a spot on the tail base. It is kept for grazing soft algae and biofilm off plants and glass in planted community tanks, and it is gentle with every tankmate.

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, algae wafers, blanched courgette and spinach

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Upper Paraná, Paraguay and Guaporé (Mamoré) basins in Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina

Breeding

Eggs are laid singly on leaves and glass after cool water changes, and the adults give no care. Spawning happens now and then in well-planted tanks, but raising the fry on biofilm and fine plant foods is tricky.

Good to know

Most are wild-caught and arrive thin, so look for rounded bellies and give a mature tank with plenty of algae or supplementary vegetable food. Several similar Otocinclus species are sold under the same names and are often mislabelled.