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Catfish
/ Loricariidae / Midget Catfish
Midget Catfish, Midget Sucker Catfish, Golden Otocinclus, Dwarf Otocinclus
Otocinclus affinis | Pictures
Synonyms: None
Physical description: A small catfish with an elongated body. The mouth is on the underside of the head and
suction cup shaped. The back is light brown to gold while the belly is white. A black stripe extends from the tip
of the snout to the base of the tail. The pectoral, pelvic, dorsal, and anal fins are transparent, while the tail
is stripped.
Size/Length: To 1.5" (4 cm)
Similar species: Other Otocinclus
species and the Dwarf Catfish (
Hypoptopoma species.)
Habitat: South America; rivers with heavy vegetation is the Rio de Janeiro area (Brazil).
S: bottom (substrate dependent)
Aquarium: 16" (40 cm) or 5 gallons (19 L).
The tank should be well-planted with
thickets for hiding places.
This species will damage soft-leafed plants.
Algae growth should be encouraged.
The
Midget Catfish likes clear water with a moderately strong current.
Water chemistry: pH 5.2-7.5 (6.9) ; 4-20 dH (8); 68-82°F (20-28°C)
Social behavior: An calm fish that can be kept in a community tank with small, non-predatory companions.
This
catfish can be kept singly or in groups.
This species will not harm plants.
Suggested companions: Corydoras,
tetras, Discus,
Apistogramma
FOOD: Vegetarian food; algae; small live; Brine Shrimp, insect larvae; vegetables; lettuce,
peas, spinach; tablets
Sexual differences: Females are plumper
Breeding techniques: The addition of cooler water may help induce spawning.
The small amount of adhesive eggs are
deposited on leaves and glass walls.
Transfer the eggs to a rearing tank. The fry hatch in 48 hours and
the free-swimming after 2 or 3 days.
Feed with dry food, newly hatch Brine Shrimp, and spinach.
Breeding potential: 7.
Breeding is moderately difficult.
Remarks: Very sensitive because of its size to chemicals in the water and water conditions.
Difficulty of care: 4.
A somewhat sensitive catfish that is an excellent algae eater especially for planted tanks
and for tanks with small, peaceful, community fish.
Recent articles about fish
Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees
(2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.
Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.
Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater
(12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.
How to save the world's oceans from overfishing
(7/8/2007) Global fishing stocks are in trouble. After expanding from 18 millions tons in 1950 to around 94 million tons in 2000, annual world fish catch has leveled off and may even be declining. Scientists estimate that the number of large predatory fish in the oceans has fallen by 90 percent since the 1950s, while about one-quarter of the world's fisheries are overexploited, depleted, or recovering from depletion. Despite these dire trends, the situation is changing. Today some of the world's largest environmental groups are focused on addressing the health of marine life and oceans, while sustainable fisheries management is at the top of the agenda for intergovenmental bodies. At the forefront of these efforts is Mike Sutton, director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's conservation program: the Center for the Future of the Oceans. The aquarium, which has long been recognized as one of the world's most important marine research facilities, is pioneering new strategies for protecting the planet's oceans. Sutton says the approach has four parts: establishing new marine protected areas, pushing for ocean policy reform, promoting sustainable seafood, and protecting wildlife and marine ecosystems.
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