Bahia parotocinclus

Parotocinclus bahiensis

Also known as Bahiensis oto

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–81°F (22–27°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 1.6 in (4 cm)
Minimum tank: 14 gal (54 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Coastal Bahia streams, Brazil
Family: Loricariidae

Overview

This is a tiny grazing catfish that lives as part of a group, so keep a handful together rather than one on its own; they are more settled and more active with their own kind around. They work over plants, wood and stones through the day, scraping the fine film of algae and biofilm that coats a mature tank. Because they are so small and gentle, house them only with peaceful nano fish and shrimp that will not harass them. Their main food is the film in the tank, topped up with a little vegetable matter and gentle prepared foods for grazers. A mature, planted tank of about 54 liters is enough for a small group.

In the wild

The Bahia parotocinclus comes from small coastal stream systems in Bahia, northeastern Brazil, where it grazes stones and plants in warm, gently flowing water. A well-planted tank with smooth rocks, some wood and a soft substrate suits it, and it needs a mature surface film to graze. Keep the water on the soft side of neutral, roughly pH 6.0 to 7.5, and moderately warm at about 22 to 27 C, with clean, stable conditions and regular small water changes.

Good to know

Parotocinclus bahiensis is one of the miniature Loricariidae, reaching only about 4 centimeters. It comes from small river drainages in Bahia and lives as a peaceful, group-forming algae grazer. It has been bred in aquaria, though far less often than the common shop otos, and reaches most keepers as a wild-caught rarity rather than a tank-raised fish.

Did you know

The easiest way to tell a Parotocinclus from a true Otocinclus is a single extra fin: the little adipose flap on its back, a low fleshy fin that the true otos simply do not have.