Golden dwarf sucker
Otocinclus macrospilus
Also known as golden oto
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 70–79°F
- 21–26°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Adult size
- 1.4 in
- 3.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 11 gal
- 40 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Shoaling
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Diet
- Herbivore
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Loricariidae
- Origin
- Peru, Colombia, Ecuador
Overview
The golden dwarf sucker is a tiny, completely peaceful grazer that works over the glass, rocks and leaves of a planted tank. It is harder to keep than its easygoing nature suggests.
Did you know
Most golden dwarf suckers in the trade are still wild collected.
Caring for the golden dwarf sucker
Golden dwarf suckers need a mature, planted tank of at least 11 gal (40 L) with a bit of current. Add them to an established setup, not a brand new one. Keep the water at 70 to 79°F (21 to 26°C) with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5.
They graze algae and biofilm, but algae alone will not feed them once it runs low. Offer blanched vegetables like zucchini, and add catfish or algae wafers. A common mistake is starving them in a too-clean tank, where they slowly thin out without that extra food.
Keep them in a group of at least six, since they are social grazers. Breeding in aquariums is rarely recorded.
Good to know
Otocinclus macrospilus is a small armored catfish in the family Loricariidae, also sold as the golden oto. It has a sucker mouth for clinging to surfaces while it grazes.
In the wild
The golden dwarf sucker comes from clear, flowing streams in the upper Amazon across Peru, Colombia and Ecuador. The water is soft and slightly acidic, with plants and surfaces covered in algae and biofilm.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The golden dwarf sucker is a peaceful, shoaling species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Neocaridina shrimp
Neocaridina davidi
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 5 gal (19 L)59–84°F (15–29°C)
Guppy
Poecilia reticulata
FreshwaterBrackish2.4 in (6 cm) · 10 gal (38 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Neon tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
Freshwater1.5 in (3.8 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)70–77°F (21–25°C)
Wandering snail
Ampullaceana balthica
Freshwater0.8 in (2 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)50–84°F (10–29°C)
Gold ring danio
Danio tinwini
Freshwater1.2 in (3 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)64–79°F (18–26°C)
Honey blue-eye
Pseudomugil mellis
Freshwater1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)68–82°F (20–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a golden dwarf sucker need?
A golden dwarf sucker needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a golden dwarf sucker need?
A golden dwarf sucker is comfortable at 70–79°F (21–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.
What does a golden dwarf sucker eat?
A golden dwarf sucker grazes algae and biofilm, but algae alone will not feed it once it runs low. Offer blanched vegetables like zucchini, plus catfish or algae wafers.
How big does a golden dwarf sucker get?
An adult golden dwarf sucker reaches about 1.4 in (3.5 cm).
Does a golden dwarf sucker need a group?
Yes. A golden dwarf sucker is a shoaling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
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