Otocinclus Catfish

Otocinclus Catfish (Otocinclus spp.)
A small, peaceful algae-eating catfish perfect for planted and community aquariums

The Otocinclus Catfish, often called “Otos,” is a gentle bottom-dweller renowned for its excellent algae-eating abilities. With a sleek, streamlined body and calm temperament, they’re ideal for keeping tanks clean without disturbing plants or other fish. Otos thrive in groups and prefer well-established aquariums with plenty of biofilm and hiding spots. Hardy yet sensitive to poor water quality, they do best in stable, peaceful community setups.

Need to Know:

• Recommended For: Planted and peaceful community tanks

• Minimum Tank Size: 40 litres

• Temperature Range: 22–28°C

• pH Range: 6.0–7.5

• Recommended School Size: 4 or more

• Compatibility: Very peaceful; safe with shrimp and other small species

• Max Size: 4–5 cm

Shipping Disclaimer:

All fish are usually shipped on Monday or Tuesday mornings via an overnight courier. We use NZ Couriers for all livestock shipping, we find they handle your fish with the best possible care and have quick overnight delivery nationwide.

Special Requests:

If you have any requests for gender/colour etc we will do our best to accommodate them. Please note we can not always accommodate every request due to high stock turnover and what is available at the time. We move all fish sold online into separate holding tanks while they wait to be shipped.

Rural Shipping:

Good news! If you are a rural customer, we can still ship fish to you. Your order will be shipped to your nearest NZ Couriers Depot or Collect/Send Point and you will be phoned once it arrives. You can find your nearest depot/point here: https://nzcextras.co.nz/nearestlocation/