1 kinds · tap one for a closer look
Peaceful and active; keep in groups.
291 species in our list are a good match.
Peaceful and active; keep in groups.
Algae and biofilm on glass and wood; blanched courgette, spirulina wafers and algae-based pellets.
Tap a food to see what it is.
Adult males are 5-10 mm smaller than females and have a conical urogenital papilla behind the anus, which females lack. Males also have a flap on the top of the first pectoral-fin ray. Females look fuller.
Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
Egg-scatterer · Hard
Has been bred in aquaria, but very few details are recorded. The fry are presumably tiny and need plenty of algae. Most fish sold are wild-caught.
Keep a group with a mix of sexes and feed lots of algae to bring them into condition.
40 L tank with fine sand, dense plants, some tannins and a gentle current.
Cool, fresh water changes and plenty of biofilm and algae feeding.
Tiny sticky eggs are laid on glass or leaves in small batches; adults do not guard them.
Fry feed on biofilm and powdered spirulina; very prone to starvation, so keep a mature algae-rich tank.
A tiny zebra-patterned oto from the Peruvian Amazon. Its dark markings are vertical bars running from the back down to the belly, which sets it apart from every other Otocinclus. It has been in the hobby only since 2001 and was described to science in 2004. IUCN lists it as Endangered.
Brazilian ichthyologist Roberto Reis described this oto in 2004 from Peru. Its bold black bars make it one of the most striking Otocinclus. It was named after the Cocama people of the Peruvian Amazon.
First described by Roberto E. Reis in 2004. Named for Named after the Cocama people of the Peruvian Amazon.
15 facts checked with sources
Valid name, described by Reis (2004). No recent renames.
Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: Otocinclus cocama (online version updated 21 Sep 2026) · FishBase: Otocinclus cocama summaryLegacy had no family; value is new. Subfamily Hypoptopomatinae.
FishBase: Otocinclus cocama summary · Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: Otocinclus cocama (online version updated 21 Sep 2026)Both figures are SL (standard length). Seriously Fish 4.5 cm SL (larger, used per size rule); FishBase 4.4 cm SL. Legacy 4 cm slightly low; total length is a little longer.
Seriously Fish: Otocinclus cocama (Zebra Oto) · FishBase: Otocinclus cocama summaryLegacy 22-27 °C runs warmer than Seriously Fish. FishBase gives no temperature.
Seriously Fish: Otocinclus cocama (Zebra Oto)Legacy had no hardness; value is new.
Seriously Fish: Otocinclus cocama (Zebra Oto)45 x 30 cm base x 30 cm height = 40,500 cm³ = 40.5 L (Seriously Fish lists ~41 L). Legacy 40 L matches.
Seriously Fish: Otocinclus cocama (Zebra Oto)Typo "arer" is in the source.
Seriously Fish: Otocinclus cocama (Zebra Oto)Timid; best with tiny, gentle tankmates or shrimp.
Seriously Fish: Otocinclus cocama (Zebra Oto)Demersal. Note Seriously Fish says wild otos often graze among vegetation in the upper water column; in tanks they graze every surface, including glass and plant leaves.
FishBase: Otocinclus cocama summaryLegacy 3 (hard). Seriously Fish rates it Moderate but stresses it needs a mature, algae-rich tank and is delicate on import; never add to an immature aquarium.
Seriously Fish: Otocinclus cocama (Zebra Oto)Legacy had no range field (story says Peru, which agrees).
Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: Otocinclus cocama (online version updated 21 Sep 2026) · Seriously Fish: Otocinclus cocama (Zebra Oto)Legacy says males are smaller (right) but have a "smaller genital papilla". In fact only males have the conical papilla; females lack it.
Seriously Fish: Otocinclus cocama (Zebra Oto)Agrees with legacy "rarely bred". The legacy egg-scatterer setup details are generic oto advice and are not sourced for this species. Typo "unforunately" is in the source.
Seriously Fish: Otocinclus cocama (Zebra Oto)Correction: legacy says "bold dark horizontal stripes"; the pattern is vertical blotches/bars. Peru and algae-eating are correct. Consider noting its Endangered status and that wild collection supplies the trade.
FishBase: Otocinclus cocama summary · Seriously Fish: Otocinclus cocama (Zebra Oto)