How much to feed otocinclus?

N

NoчnoyGostь

AC Members
Oct 13, 2005
107
0
0
Hi. I have a question about supplementing otocinclus' diet with green vegetables: how much and/or how often should I do it?

In a 55 I have 4 ottos. There is some green algae on the glass and, I assume, decorations, so I give them one salad leaf a week. (I found that salad leaves are best, since they last about two days and then are eaten by ottos, platies, and snails, without anything being left. Zuccinis on the other hand grow fungus on them and are not eaten (in the 20 where there are no platies, at least). )

In a 20 I had 3 ottos. One of them died yesterday. He didn't have any signs of disease, but was very slim, so I assumed that he didn't get enough to eat. The water quality is basically the same in the two tanks and should suit ottos (and besides the others seem to be doing fine), so I don't think its the water. I was also feeding them one leaf a week, but there is no algae on glass...

Can somebody please help me, I really like my ottos and I want them to be well. Thanks.
 
Roan Art said:
Do you have plants in your tanks? Otos really need to have plants and do best in a planted tank.

Roan
Click to expand...

I do have plants, a lot of them.

Just to add:
I don't want to be overfeeding the ottos, because I want them to search for and eat algae as well as vegetables. When I first bought them, they were swimming around the tank looking for food, but when I first added veggies, they stopped looking and colonized the veggie. They were just sitting on top of it, eating, and sitting some more. Now even after the veggie is gone, they still sit in that spot waiting for the next one. As I said above I feed them once a week, so for two days they eat the veggie, but for the remaining five days they just sit in that corner without moving once (during the day at least).

Can anyone offer any help or suggestions? Thanks.
 
I try to keep vegetables in my tank constantly for my otos. It's funny that you mention that yours do not eat zucchini. My otos love zucchini and do not eat lettuce. A happy otto is a fat otto.
 
carttman said:
I try to keep vegetables in my tank constantly for my otos. It's funny that you mention that yours do not eat zucchini. My otos love zucchini and do not eat lettuce. A happy otto is a fat otto.
Click to expand...

Do your ottos browse around the tank for algae, or are they only eating the vegetables? Yesterday I finally saw one of the ottos abandon their usual place of residence and go off searching for algae. He (or she) cleaned up a shell ornament that was almost completely green in less than an hour, but almost as soon as I added lettuce, he (or she) abandoned the shell and joined the rest sitting on (and eating) the lettuce leaf. Now as I'm writing this they are still on the lettuce. Is it possible that if you always give them vegetables, they will not eat algae? Thanks for your help.
 
I feed my otos zucchini and the occassional yam. I leave the veggies in for two days and then wait another two days before adding more. They do browse around the tank rasping on plants and the glass but they quickly home in on any veggies in the tank. My snails and shrimp are fairly adept at finding the veggies too but I don't mind that either.
 
Your otos are probably acting like little kids in a candy shop. They taste their first bit of chocolate and that's all they want. For a little while. Then they realize that meat and potatos are more filling and they decide to save the chocolate for dessert :)

Roan
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom