TankBud

Pit bull otocinclus

Parotocinclus jumbo

Also known as LDA25, Jumbo oto, Goby oto

FreshwaterFish

Pit bull otocinclus (Parotocinclus jumbo)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–81°F
22–27°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
2.4 in
6 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Herbivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg layer · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Loricariidae
Origin
Coastal northeastern Brazil

Overview

The pit bull otocinclus is a stocky little grazing catfish. It works the bottom and lower surfaces, rolling sand and rasping soft algae and biofilm from stones and wood. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

Both names of the pit bull otocinclus promise trouble it never delivers. It is a peaceful vegetarian barely the length of a paperclip. It owes its fierce nickname only to a broad, blunt, bulldog-like head.

Caring for the pit bull otocinclus

Give pit bull otocinclus at least 20 gal (75 L) for a group, set up with sand, smooth stones and some driftwood. Add some plants for extra grazing surface.

Keep the water mild, at 72 to 81°F (22 to 27°C), with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. It should be clean, well oxygenated and gently moving. Clarity and oxygen matter more than exact chemistry.

Its diet is largely vegetarian. Keep the tank mature enough to grow a film for it to graze, and add algae wafers, spirulina tablets and blanched vegetables.

The pit bull otocinclus is social and fine alone, though a small shoal of five or six suits it better. It is fully peaceful and community safe, so choose calm tank mates of similar temper.

Breeding is of moderate difficulty. It is an egg layer, and clean, cool, well-oxygenated water with plenty of grazing gives the fry the best chance.

Good to know

The pit bull otocinclus, Parotocinclus jumbo, is a dwarf catfish in the family Loricariidae. The species name jumbo is a small joke. It is one of the largest members of a genus of otherwise tiny fish, not a large fish in any real sense. It carries the trade code LDA25.

In the wild

The pit bull otocinclus lives in clear coastal streams of northeastern Brazil. These bright streams have sandy bottoms scattered with rock, and their water is slow, clean and well oxygenated.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The pit bull otocinclus is a peaceful, social 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.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a pit bull otocinclus need?

A pit bull otocinclus needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a pit bull otocinclus need?

A pit bull otocinclus is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a pit bull otocinclus eat?

A pit bull otocinclus eats a largely vegetarian diet. It grazes the film that grows in a mature tank, and it takes algae wafers, spirulina tablets and blanched vegetables.

How big does a pit bull otocinclus get?

An adult pit bull otocinclus reaches about 2.4 in (6 cm).

How does a pit bull otocinclus breed?

Pit bull otocinclus are egg layers, and breeding them is of moderate difficulty. Clean, cool, well-oxygenated water with plenty of grazing gives the fry the best chance.

Related species