# Cherry Shrimp & Ottos Compatable?



## JasonI (Feb 17, 2010)

Hi everyone been a while since I last posted here. My question is while I was acclimating some newly bought fish Ottocinclus Cats I thought maybe to put a trio in with my Cherry Red Shrimp. The tank is 10 U.S. gallons and there are Cherry Red Shrimp in here with 3 Otto's are there any reasons that this may not work. Will the shrimp get eaten or will they be compatible together. There are also 3 baby fry in this tank guppies as they are the lone survivors from a bunch that got killed by a heater which the thermostat went bad in. I have not added a new heater to this tank since the temp seems to be stable at 76-78 degrees. There is also some Ramshorn snails in here I think they hitched on some plants I put into the tank. I was wondering I seen that one of the females may be carring eggs in her abdominal area will her babies be in jeopardy or is this going to be okay as the 3 guppies are still very tiny to worry about them to much now they are 1/4"-1/2" in size more leading to the smaller size. I really think I will be changing them to another tank in the near future. I want to know if this may be a recipe for disaster as I will check back to find out if maybe someone may have some imput on these tankmates as I would hope they can get along with each other. So from time to time I'll be checking to see if anyone can give me some advice on this set-up maybe I'll check in the morning to see if my fish didn't eat the shrimp the otto's of course they just arrived today.


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## TexasTanker (May 5, 2010)

I can't see a problem with it, just keep an eye on them.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

I see no problem with it at all. Otos are likely to pay no attention to the shrimp whatsoever and are probably one of the few fish you can safely keep RCS with, as otos won't eat them. I can't see the shrimp paying much attention to the otos either.


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## JasonI (Feb 17, 2010)

Seems like I woke up to find one of my Otto's dead in the morning probably from the stress of being transported 2 Cherry Shrimp were going at his carcass I quickly grabbed him away to see if he might have been still alive but it was to late at least he wasn't alone did my water change after the try to rescue. I guess he was only going to die eventually as my water perimeters were fine any way. Those little reds make sure to get whatever dies in there as soon as possible. Need to go and do my other tanks water change anyway. P.S.thanks for the input people hope everything stay's normal in there I'll be back on later on to see if anyone else has any more information on this subject matter.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

How long has this tank been set up? Otos are so delicate when it comes to water parameters and do best being introduced into a well established tank. I've lost more than my fair share of otos when first introducing them, and that's into tanks that have been set up for quite awile. The ones that have survived have been going strong for nearly two years. 
Keep us posted!


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## JasonI (Feb 17, 2010)

Kymmie the tank has been set up for a while now all my perimeters are fine ammonia 0, nitrates 0, nitrites 0, the tank is in great living conditions think it was the one fish that didn't have a chance. I asked the pet store before I purchased them if they had been in for some time but he told me that they arrived Thursday. I purchased him and the others Friday not the best move but I know that if I might've waited chances are they might've been taken. At $1 each I couldn't pass up the offer. They are on sale at Petsmart plus you get 14 days guarantee they also have some other nice tetras and even gouramy's on sale as well. If you may have these chain stores near you go on there web- site for more details prices are in store only I believe. Petco is also running some nice fish for sale at the same price 5 / 5 is there advertised price with same guarantee of 14 day with water sample and DOA. These store's must get these fish very inexpensively or they would go as we say in the fish hobby world " Belly Up". I also purchased some black neons from Petco with one DOA so far. I put these fish back in the freezer when they die and return the fish after I see that the others are doing very well as long as I bring them back before the guarantee is over. The other fish went into my 90 gallon as I already had some of these the last 2 from a purchase at another sale a while back. Same chain store it's good to wait on these sales sometimes as we don't want to get them at the store's regular retail price. I just don't want to pay there store regular retail price when I know they will be some mark down later down the line.


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## Tapil (Aug 24, 2010)

I read a long article on ottos in a fish book - said that the ottos basicly are treated almost as badly as a goldfish in the petstore world.. Caught in the wild and have a rough time seeing as breeding them is very hard and is done on aqua farms with hormones

It is no surprise that they died and cant all be blamed on yourself


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