Species Profile
Otocinclus
Otocinclus vittatus
Algae Eaterspeaceful
Adult size
1.75″
Minimum tank
10 gal
Temperature
72–79°F
pH
6.5–7.5
Schooling
Group of 6+
Water level
bottom
Diet
Algae, biofilm, blanched veggies
Notes
Small algae-grazer from South America despite the southeast-Asia mislabel sometimes. Needs an established tank with biofilm and soft green algae to survive the first weeks. Sensitive to water quality and notoriously rough on the trip home from the store.
Compatible Tankmates
Best tank mates for Otocinclus
Every species below passes the compatibility engine when paired with Otocinclusin a suitably sized tank. Verdicts come from the same rules the builder uses — click a card to see that species' own care profile and its tank mates in turn.
Neon Tetra
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Cardinal Tetra
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Rummynose Tetra
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Harlequin Rasbora
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Zebra Danio
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Celestial Pearl Danio
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Fancy Guppy
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Endler's Livebearer
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Platy
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Dwarf Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Honey Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Bolivian Ram
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Photo: Chle / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC-BY-SA-3.0