# Oto with uber fat belly?



## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I have 2 Oto cats who are smaller and have nice, round healthy 'pea' shaped bellies.

I have 1 Oto cat who is bigger and it kind of looks like it actually swallowed a pea, lol. *Is this normal?* Will a bigger Oto naturally have a bigger tummy? It was swimming around and foraging like normal. Everything else on it looks fine. (Just noticed that the belly was bigger over the last few days or so.) Hoping it's not sick.... got inverts' so can't medicate the tank...

I've read girls are a bit bigger.... maybe it's a pregnant female? Is there a way to tell?

I've managed to keep these Otos for over a month now, and I'd like to keep them alive, lol. :animated_fish_swimm


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Females are larger and will have a much larger abdomin. Where as you look at the males, they are more slender...streamlined if you will.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Here's the fat one: Aquarium Gallery - Sick Oto? It is longer than the other two Otos.

Here's one of the skinnier ones: Aquarium Gallery - Compare to smaller Oto This one and the other smaller one look the same.

I always noticed that we had one Oto who was a bit bigger and longer, but it has recently gotten huge! I'm just hoping it's eggs and not an illness!!


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## laxforlife (Jun 4, 2011)

Females are normaly more stouter than the males. That is deff a female. It does look gravid, try and look at her hard to determine if she has eggs inside her you should be able to see tiny round balls in her belly.

DJ


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Sweet! Could have baby Otos!! 

Thanks for the clarification! (I'll see if I can see any eggs!)


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## laxforlife (Jun 4, 2011)

No problem. Is your tank HEAVILY planted? Because that is what they need to spawn.

DJ


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

They are in a 10g (will be moved to 20g when it's finished cycling,) with a rapidly growing Giant Hygro, a rapidly growing dwarf hygro, 2 amazon swords, 2 moss balls, 1 java fern, dwarf water lettuce and a fake plant that the shrimp seem to love, lol. They also have a big log with hiding places and a sunken ship hiding place, there are rocks in there too. (There is a pic in my photo album.) It's so full of plants it's hard to see anyone in there, lol.

Once the 20g is done cycling all the critters are being moved to that one, and all those plants will be moved in too. I plan on adding: 1 more giant hygro, 1-2 corkscrew vals, some Elodea, some hornwort and maybe another sword. So there will be lots of extra plantation in their new home.

When I can get the 36g up and cycling, I'll have to save up for stocking that one with plants too, lol. (Who knew this hobby could be so expensive?!)


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## laxforlife (Jun 4, 2011)

Good. I dont know how the mother(if she is pregnant) will deal with the tank change but she should be fine. If she does spawn she will spawn on the broad leaves like the amazon sword. Freshwater expensive? Try just looking at the prices of saltwater. My LFS has a very rare fairy wrasse for $2000 and it was bought yesterday. *r2

DJ


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Yeeaaah, that's why I didn't get into the whole salt water thing.... although gorgeous it's too expensive for me right now, lol.


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## laxforlife (Jun 4, 2011)

I feel the same way.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Checked for eggs.... kinda' hard to tell. My husband and I were both like, "are those eggs, or scales?" Lol! Her belly is white but it kinda' looked like there _may_ be some black spots at the sides inside her belly..... we'll see....

How long are they pregnant for before dropping the eggs?


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

It's not a matter of her dropping the eggs. When spawning occurs, they will do the "ritual" and then she will place the eggs on a surface. You can read my Journal which has some info on them breeding.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Thanks! Will read it this evening!


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