how much zucchini for 3 otto cats?

E

euglossa

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Nov 9, 2006
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As soon as the store stocks some, I want to get 3 ottos for my tank. I have a profusion of brown algae I'd like them to tackle. I have some sinking herbivore wafers to supplement the algae and I have seen the advice of adding blanched zucchini.

How small/big a slice would you give for 3 little fish? And how quickly should you remove it? Would putting it in before bed and removing in the morning be ok?

The wafers I have seem fairly large for these little guys, about the size of an M&M. How many/how often should I give them one The danios like the wafers and would eat up the leftovers, but I hope they wouldn't find them and eat them up before the ottos get a chance if I put in when the lights are out.
 
I would just put in a small slice to start with, maybe a 3/4in slice....my otos never would eat veggies. :) Start really small and if they like it, cut a bigger slice next time. For 3 otos, I'd break one algae wafer in half or 3 pieces (if you can) and put it in the tank.
 
If there is enough algae in the tank the Otos generally ignore the vegtables. Never leave the vegis in longer than around 12 - 14 hours. Mine like to wait until the food has been in the tank for a couple of hours (nice and waterlogged) even though I blanche them. As for wafers, my Bettas eat them before they even hit the bottom!
 
The first few times it may take a while for them to recognize the zucchini as food, so I wouldn't remove it too fast. It's not as though there are zucchini slices lying around their native environment.

I always put the zucchini or other food in the same corner of the tank so they know where to look. I stick a large piece of gravel in the middle of the slice to ensure it sinks.
 
If you have diatoms don’t feed them. I almost never feed mine at all. I mean like 3 pieces of cucumber in two years. I would suggest you get more of them, at least six. I have this little theory that they like heat. It seems there is always one of them sleeping on the thermometer. I have often wondered if that is not the reason so many seem to die off.
 
Six otos wiped out all of my brown algae in my 75g in less than 48 hours. And I had a lot, which I think might be part of the reason I have not lost any of my otos.

I'd wait until they finished the brown algae before feeding them other stuff. But I'd have the zucchini on hand.

I peel, slice, freeze the slices, so I can nuke them one at a time and feed.
 
> I would suggest you get more of them, at least six.

Is six better for their "happiness", or to better tackle the brown algae? I have a lot of it on the driftwood, but not much elsewhere, so I figured they'd run out of their favorite food before too long. I don't have any live plants. Plus I want to leave room in the tank for a herd of loaches, probably 5 yo-yos.

thanks for all the info. I'll wait to put zucchini in until they've cleaned up most of the diatoms.

Pity they can't have a little space heater of their own.
 
Thanks, I'll look for that plant, that would fit my tank very well-light, height and substrate all a good fit

Still no otos. They didn't come in with last week's shipment. I'll check again tonight.

Ellen
 
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