# Carnivore otocinclus?



## Zoe (Feb 26, 2006)

My oto cats have been terrorizing my angels - sucking on their sides; and I caught them eating the innards of a dead clam (I don't think they killed it though).

Is this normal? I thought they were strictly herbivores.


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## Guest (Apr 14, 2007)

it may be a chinese algea eater they look very similair and luv to suck angels


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## Zoe (Feb 26, 2006)

Nope, I'm 100% certain they're otos. I removed the one that was bugging the angelfish the most, but there are still some chowing down on the clam meat.


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## Giddy012 (Feb 16, 2007)

Do you have a pic?


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## Zoe (Feb 26, 2006)

No... of what? Why? It's an Oto... no question.


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## Guest (Apr 14, 2007)

I have heard that Otos will occasionally suck the slime coats off other fish. I have caught one of mine "cleaning" another, or atleast thats what it looked like. I also thought they were strictly herbivores but mine will sometimes eat shrimp pellets, along with their algae wafers, so I know they have to be somewhat omnivorous.


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## 247Plants (Mar 27, 2007)

I hear a lot of stories about carnivore otos and I have to say I have seen mine eating brine shrimp, I have yet to see them suck on any of my fish and I have 19 of the little guys.


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

SAE's look nothing like otos anyway Sword luver.They have totally different body shapes and are really hard to confuse.
My otos only seem to eat algae but who knows what they do in the night when I put in shrimp pellets for the loach.
I have seen them eating dead fish in the lfs-- just thought it was because they were starving-- no algae in the tank nor food.


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2007)

yes i mean to say chinese algea eater which look very similer when juvies


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Easy to tell the difference between otos and CAEs but I can see how one could mistake them.

Otos are normally peaceful but on occasion they have been known to suck slime (we believe). Could be desperate searching for food. There are many species of otos (at least 12) and they are very hard to tell apart. The most common 2 (IME), are vittatus and affinis.


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2007)

Yes but when they are juvies people make mistakes somtimes


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