Otocinclus Catfish For Sale | Otocinclus Algae Eater

Add a peaceful and hardworking algae grazer to your freshwater aquarium with the Otocinclus Catfish. Commonly called Oto Catfish or Otocinclus, these small freshwater catfish are popular for planted aquariums because they spend much of their time grazing on soft algae and biofilm.

With their small size, peaceful temperament, and ability to move across aquarium glass, plants, rocks, and driftwood, Otocinclus Catfish are an excellent choice for planted community tanks and aquascapes.

At Coast Gem USA, our freshwater fish are carefully selected and packed for safe shipping. Eligible live fish orders are covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Why Choose Otocinclus Catfish?

• Excellent natural algae grazers
• Peaceful and community-aquarium friendly
• Perfect for planted aquariums
• Small size makes them ideal for community tanks
• Active throughout the aquarium
• Help consume soft algae and biofilm
• Great addition to aquascapes
• Best kept in groups

Otocinclus Catfish Information

• Common Name: Otocinclus Catfish, Oto Catfish
• Scientific Name: Otocinclus spp.
• Type: Freshwater Catfish
• Adult Size: Approximately 1.5–2 inches
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Care Level: Moderate
• Diet: Herbivore / Algae Grazer
• Water Type: Freshwater
• Swimming Level: Bottom and surfaces
• Recommended Aquarium: 10 gallons or larger
• Social Behavior: Best kept in groups

Otocinclus Catfish Care

Otocinclus Catfish are peaceful but can be sensitive when first introduced to a new aquarium. They do best in a mature, established aquarium with stable water conditions and naturally occurring algae and biofilm.

A planted aquarium is ideal because live plants, driftwood, rocks, and other surfaces provide areas for natural grazing.

Avoid adding Otocinclus to a newly established aquarium that does not have enough natural food available.

Recommended Water Parameters

• Temperature: 72–79°F
• pH: 6.0–7.5
• Ammonia: 0 ppm
• Nitrite: 0 ppm
• Nitrate: Keep low with regular water changes

Feeding Otocinclus Catfish

Although Otocinclus are excellent algae grazers, a healthy aquarium should provide supplemental food when natural algae is limited.

Offer:

• Algae wafers
• Spirulina-based foods
• Blanched zucchini
• Blanched cucumber
• Blanched spinach
• Soft vegetables
• Repashy-style herbivore foods

Make sure food reaches the bottom and is accessible to the Otocinclus.

Otocinclus Catfish for Planted Aquariums

Otocinclus Catfish are especially popular with planted aquarium enthusiasts. They naturally graze across:

• Aquarium glass
• Plant leaves
• Driftwood
• Rocks
• Decorations

Their small size and peaceful nature make them an excellent choice for planted community aquariums.

Otocinclus Tank Mates

Otocinclus Catfish are peaceful and can be kept with many small community fish.

Compatible tank mates include:

• Neon Tetras
• Cardinal Tetras
• Rasboras
• Danios
• Guppies
• Small peaceful gouramis
• Corydoras
• Peaceful shrimp
• Peaceful snails
• Other Otocinclus

Avoid aggressive or predatory fish that may harass or eat these small catfish.

Keep Otocinclus in Groups

Otocinclus are social fish and generally do best when kept in groups. Keeping 4–6 or more together can help them feel secure and display more natural behavior.

A larger group also allows them to explore the aquarium together while grazing throughout the day.

What You’ll Receive

You will receive Otocinclus Catfish (Otocinclus spp.) carefully selected from our available stock and packed for live shipment.

Eligible live fish orders are covered by Coast Gem USA's Live Arrival Guarantee.

Order Otocinclus Catfish Online

Looking for Otocinclus Catfish for sale? Add these peaceful, small algae-eating catfish to your planted aquarium today. Otocinclus are a popular choice for aquascapes and community tanks thanks to their peaceful nature, small size, and natural grazing behavior.