Bumblebee otocinclus

Rhinotocinclus isabelae

Also known as Isabela's otocinclus, Bumble bee otocinclus

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–82°F (23–28°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 0.8 in (2 cm)
Minimum tank: 11 gal (40 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Upper Amazon blackwaters, Peru
Family: Loricariidae

Overview

The bumblebee oto is a truly tiny grazing catfish that lives in a group, so keep a shoal of six or more; alone it is nervous and does poorly. The group grazes biofilm and soft algae from wood and leaves through the day. Being so small and mild, it belongs only with gentle nano fish and dwarf shrimp that pose no threat. Its main food is the film in a mature tank, topped up with tiny amounts of blanched vegetable and fine prepared grazing foods. A settled, mature nano tank of about 40 liters suits a small group, so long as it has had time to grow a good coat of biofilm.

In the wild

This oto comes from soft blackwater streams of the upper Amazon in Peru, such as the Nanay, where it grazes biofilm on wood and leaf litter in gently flowing, tannin-stained water. Recreate that with driftwood, dried leaves, a fine floor and calm flow in a well-established tank. Keep the water soft and slightly acidic to neutral, roughly pH 6.0 to 7.5, and warm at about 23 to 28 C. A mature surface film is essential, so this is not a fish for a new setup.

Good to know

Rhinotocinclus isabelae is a member of Loricariidae and one of the smallest catfishes in the world, maturing at under 2 centimeters. It was placed in the genus Rhinotocinclus in 2022, a group named for the snout shape, and is banded in dark brown and gold. Its breeding has not been documented in aquaria, so every fish in the trade is wild-caught.

Did you know

The name isabelae honors Isabela, the daughter of the ichthyologist who described the fish; her name rides on one of the tiniest catfishes known, mature at under two centimeters.