Hi All,

I've just noticed a very very small fish with a black body so I can only assume that its an oto especially as one of the adults did look very bloated I just assumed it was eating very well!

I just want to know I'd the baby or babies will survive or will the cherry barbs eat them? So far I've only seem 1 but there maybe more I don't know.

Hi Rob,

Congrats on the baby!

Whatever the fry is, it may survive, but there's a good chance it will be eaten by the Barbs.

I suspect it's more likely to be a Cherry Barb than an Oto. Young Otos are pale, almost transparent, but when young Cherry Barbs first get their colour it's the black that appears first so that may be what you're seeing. Does it look the right shape for an Oto? Is it attaching itself to the glass/plants/decor Oto style? Any chance of a photo?

Hi Fish lady

thanks! It's very small prob about 4mm its body is black but tail is transparent I can't get any pics as I struggle to find it and when I do its normally on the water line in a corner. It does look a little like an oto but then again it is so small I cud be mistaken

I can't tell if its sucking the glass as I can only see it when it moves but it does appear to be living in a corner so its possible I suppose.

Are there any obvious symptoms to tell if a barb or oto is pregnant?

Both are egg layers and don't become pregnant. The females swell up a bit when full of eggs and then spawning behaviour varies from species to species.

Female Otos are broader than males to start with though so it can be hard to tell if they are egg-laden.Their breeding behaviour is very similar to that of Corys - 2 or more males chase a female usually up and down the tank glass. A male and female then assume a "T" position as the eggs are laid and fertilised and the female catches them in her pectoral fins and places them in a pre-cleaned spot in the tank, often on the underside of a leaf. For the young to survive after hatching they need huge amounts of algae and green water to feed on.

With Cherry Barbs, when the female is ready to release eggs they are scattered generally about the tank and the males follow on and fertilise them. The fry are slightly larger than Oto fry when first hatched and need infusoria for the first few days after which any small pieces of food will sustain them. They are transparent at first, and when they gain colour, the black appears before the red, with fins staying transparent for some time (females have lighter coloured fins than males even when adult).

Thanks fishlady

Looked at it again today. I think its definitely an oto as it is transparent, it also seems to have grow about 2 mm since yesterday so its finding food from somewhere!