# Oto or Snail? Which do you like?



## newfishmom (Mar 26, 2010)

Ok, I am wanting something to go into my two 5 gallon tanks. I have been reading up on Otocinclus vestitus or the different snails. So far I am leaning to the oto. I think 3 otos in each of the 5 gallons would be ok. My question is.......
I have plastic/silk plants. There is some algea growing on the plants. And the driftwood that I have placed in there has some fuzzy looking stuff on it. When I vacuum I usually suck as much of the fuzzy stuff off. Anyway....would the otos be ok in this?

Also, I read that they poo alot. Do you need to up the vacuuming?


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## Phoxly (Jun 14, 2010)

I think the bigger question (one I've been asking myself for my 10 gallon) is *Otos* or *Cory's*?

Snails are a pain to clean up after, they poop everywhere, and their poo is REALLY sticky like a leech on your live plants


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## caroro (May 26, 2010)

NEVER snails! I hate snails. They reproduce like CRAZY, and then it's difficult to get rid of them.

I agree with Phoxly. It's either cories or otos. I don't like to keep my cories separated though since they're very social fish. I say go for otos.


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## Phoxly (Jun 14, 2010)

I've been told for 10g community tanks 3 lil cory's is great, but if its a 5g and its just a betta you can probably do 3 cory's. Otos are cuter though 

Otos eat Algae, while Cory's eat pretty much EVERYTHING on the bottom of your tank (or so I have read) but won't do much for your serious algae issues.


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## caroro (May 26, 2010)

No fish will eat poop though. If you're having an over-feeding issue, cories are good for that. If you're having an algae issue, otos are the way to go. Both? Well get two cories and an oto. 

And I very much disagree, Phoxly. Cories are WAY cuter!


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## Phoxly (Jun 14, 2010)

Panda Corydoras and other colored Cory's are cute, but cmon look at those lil eyes!


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## caroro (May 26, 2010)

No picture can capture the Cory's cuteness. You have to watch them in a video as they swim and play together. CUTEST THING EVER


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## Phoxly (Jun 14, 2010)

Maybe I'll check them out at the petco by my house haha. I like oto's when they spazz out zigzagging across whatever they are cleaning. Reminds me of someone on crack just snorting it all up as they go along. (horrible description lol but thats what I think of)


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## caroro (May 26, 2010)

The store cories don't do justice. Give them space to swim together and that's when they're cute. In the store they just lay there because they're scared and obviously not comfortable.

Actually, I think that's a good description xD You're right, that is what they look like.

I always think of cories as a pack of tireless, crazy, hyperactive tiny dogs. Like a bunch of stupid jack russel terriers or cocker spaniels or something. My cories will chase each other from one end of the tank to the other, non-stop for hours. They'll also chase each other up and down from the bottom of the tank to the top, or diagonally from the bottom left corner to the top right and back. They're all over the place and it's cute how they crawl all over each other when they get super excited.


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## Phoxly (Jun 14, 2010)

This makes me want some lol. I like active fish, and it will give my betta some excitement in his life


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## newfishmom (Mar 26, 2010)

I had pretty much ruled out snails. I will have to read up on the cory's. For some reason I thought they got to big but maybe I am thinking of something else. My algae problem isn't bad but I don't want it to be either. Thanks for all the replies! Keep the info coming! All help is appreciated. I will be going to town tomorrow. PetSmart has the oto's for $1.00 this week. Will have to check on the cory's.


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## caroro (May 26, 2010)

Petsmarts everywhere have had these $1 sales apparently. Here my petsmart is selling $1 blue Gouramis and guppies. I'm about to go on a buying-spree!

And cories aren't active all the time, usually in the mornings and late afternoons/night they are though.


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## newfishmom (Mar 26, 2010)

Ok so cory's eat anything and otos just eat algae? I don't have a problem with over feeding and vacuuming is taking care of the poo from my boys. So looks like it will be otos. Maybe after awhile, I will get some otos & corys for the sorority. Will have to study on that.


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## Mudman (Jun 11, 2010)

This is the ticket! I had been trying to figure out what would be a good fish to put in the tank along with my Betta. 

Would these fish have any issues with the Azoo substrate in my tank?


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## BartTheFish (Jun 15, 2010)

I have a question... How about tetras?


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## burn84 (Apr 13, 2010)

I would say Ottos and Cories. But in a 5 gallon would be either or. No to snails. I hate snails. I am planning to get some Amano shrimps, good rating when it comes to eating algae+snails.


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## caroro (May 26, 2010)

Some tetras are okay, but you're going to have to be VERY careful with which ones you choose. Alot of tetras can be fin nippers.

I've noticed that my cories will eat algae discs but they don't really eat the natural-grown algae. My pleco mostly takes care of that himself.
Personally i wouldn't consider cories a fish that is meant to clean up. They have to be fed like any other fish, but they're handy for eating what ever the other fish don't want.


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## burn84 (Apr 13, 2010)

BartTheFish said:


> I have a question... How about tetras?


My neons with my Betta are fine. The Neons will just tend to argue with themselves. They dont disturb the fancyskirty Betta fish lolz


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## Phoxly (Jun 14, 2010)

BartTheFish said:


> I have a question... How about tetras?


Tetras are only okay in a 10g+ tank, no exceptions. You need atleast 5-6 of them to get them to school and thrive, or they may go rogue and pick on your betta. With enough of them (5-6) they stick to themselves and tend to be more chill/les stressed. 

10g tank can usually have 1 Betta, 6 Tetras, and 2 Cory's?

I think with Neon Tetras and Glow-lite tetras you can have up to 7 Neons, or 8 Glow Lites, depending on if you have bottom feeders.

http://www.aqadvisor.com/


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

IMO-5g is not big enough for either a proper school of ottos or cory cats...any other fish for that matter.

Both cory cats and ottos are social fish and do best when kept in a proper school of at least 6 or more. 
They won't drop dead if kept in lower numbers, but you will not see their more natural behaviors and they can become stressed and stressed fish can become a sick fish and then the whole tank soon can be sick.
There is a difference in fish that thrive or just survive when kept in too small of a tank and social fish that are kept in low numbers.

In a 5g tank with a Betta- good tank mates would be either shrimp or snails provided that they have plenty of hiding places.


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## newfishmom (Mar 26, 2010)

Petsmart was out of the Oto's anyway. She said they sell about as quick as they can get them.

I don't like the idea of snails so......how hard are shrimp to take care of? Will they take care of algea?


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## burn84 (Apr 13, 2010)

Amano shrimps are rated better at eating any forms of algae than the Otto. Shrimps have very very low bioload and very easy to keep. Just on time water change and very good hiding spots.


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## Mudman (Jun 11, 2010)

I always thought that shrimp and Betta should not be mixed? A small shrimp would seem like a delicious meal for a Betta.


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## Phoxly (Jun 14, 2010)

They can get up to an inch long I think


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## wallywestisthebest333 (Nov 30, 2009)

If yu buy them and keep them in a dip cup until they get bigger than your betta's mouth you probably won't have a problem with shrimp-snaking. =]

Then again this is all just theory. =/ You probably shouldn't listen to me. =/


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## burn84 (Apr 13, 2010)

wallywestisthebest333 said:


> If yu buy them and keep them in a dip cup until they get bigger than your betta's mouth you probably won't have a problem with shrimp-snaking. =]
> 
> Then again this is all just theory. =/ You probably shouldn't listen to me. =/


Yea that does actually sound like a good idea, or you could just try to buy an amano shrimp that is about the same size as the Betta, as long as they cant get it into their mouth its fine and these shrimps are no "shrimps" either lol when at a good size they can flick very very fast across a tank.


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## JKfish (Apr 8, 2010)

Has anyone had trouble with having shrimp sucked into their filters?


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

I find growing shrimpletts in my filters all the time, alive and well, I dump them out every month or so and add them back to the tank.


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## newfishmom (Mar 26, 2010)

OK....was told on Thursday that the new fish would be out by late Friday night. I was asking about shrimp and oto's. She said maybe come by on Monday because they sell really fast. I went on Saturday because I wanted to be able to get some. WAS TOLD.....THEY DIDN'T GET ANY OF EITHER! He told me that the girl could have looked at the paper telling them what they were going to get and then I would have known and saved me a trip!!!! GRRrrrr Now they are telling me that they never know what they are going to get till noon on Thursdays. They get a paper telling them. He told me to call. Kinda ticking me off a little!!!


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

newfishmom said:


> Ok, I am wanting something to go into my two 5 gallon tanks. I have been reading up on Otocinclus vestitus or the different snails. So far I am leaning to the oto. I think 3 otos in each of the 5 gallons would be ok. My question is.......
> I have plastic/silk plants. There is some algea growing on the plants. And the driftwood that I have placed in there has some fuzzy looking stuff on it. When I vacuum I usually suck as much of the fuzzy stuff off. Anyway....would the otos be ok in this?
> 
> Also, I read that they poo alot. Do you need to up the vacuuming?


 
i would say two otos i would like to have some someday


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