Then de-shell the peas and feed to the otos. There are foods that can be substituted for the oto. Otos are strictly vegeterian. . its meant for marine fish but since its really high in algae and plant matter would it be suitable for ottos? Also it is quite common for new fish to not eat for a few days until they get settled into there new "home" I would give them a few more days before worrying too much. Contrary to popular belief, these fish are not herbivores. In the pet store trade the different species are oft… Yeah, I'm sure it does take time for them to settle into the new home, but I'm worried they'll starve before they get the chance to get used to it! I know they eat cucumber and zucchini. The main food of Otocinclus is algae. When should I put them in/how long should I let them soak in the tank max? Tried zucchini last night, they didn't seem interested in that either. By the time they get to the petstore, much of the stock is dead before they even enter the display tanks. A few days ago my emerald cory catfish stopped eating, moving and today I n... My red parrots aren't eating, they just go up and look at it but they don't... Betta laying at bottom of tank, not eating, pale, barely breathing. Otos will eat a wide variety of things as well. Cory catfish eating slime coat of betta? They are not likely to eat it. You don’t have to buy these wafers if you don’t want to. Use a tool like tweezers or something to get it near them. I wouldn't want to fog up the water, but I read that otos like their food a little mushy. Or maybe I worry too much. I put in spinach, zucchini, cucumber, algae wafers, and sinking pellets, as the petstores all told me, but they dont seem to be eating. They dont eat any of the left over food from my other fishes because all my other fishes get all the food already. Some of these foods being algae wafers. Help they aren't eating!!!!! Otocinclus are herbivores. Definitely. I have 2 Otos, and they've been cleaning my 22 gal nicely- now there's no algae- and I want to feed them algae wafers at night ( cause they're notcurnal, correct?) I see them taking small nibbles out of them. Unfortunately, they don’t eat all kinds of algae: they only eat soft green and brown algae, nothing else. But if they were eating, wouldn't their stomachs still be rounded? Definitely. Just wondering if anyone else does this and if it helped? I've tried everything and learned by myself on their habits. What should I do? But when/if it does run out, how much food do I have to give it? Otocinclus catfish are notoriously difficult to keep. Killing Black Bush Algae. If you can find some zucchini, lettuce or spinach in your kitchen, they will eat those too. Ammonium and nitrite are both 0 ppm, nitrate is 10 ppm. As said above, the Otocinclus catfish is herbivorous which makes it a good algae eater. ottos eat algae, hopefully you have algae in the tank. They LOVE zucchini. One that's smaller for cories, and a pack of larger wafers for plecos. Otocinclus catfish will eat moss balls because moss balls are from algae, and these fish feed on algae. Despite them eating algae, you still need to add some other food too. Try to determine when your lfs gets their stock in and wait until the day before to buy your otos. Platys eating wafers intended for cory catfish. If i get 1 mystery snail for my 3 gallon betta tank... Would it eat algae g... Chinese Algae Eaters, keep or get rid of. HELP. I have a lot of brown algae and my oto's cleaning it here and there it will probably take him a while to eat it all. I have a 10g freshwater tank with a small school of tetra and a couple otocinclus. Hopefully they'll learn to accept the wafers. Oto Catfish will eat algae with the same vigor and enthusiasm as the Bristlenose Pleco and the Siamese Algae Eater. This is why they are recommended for well established tanks with algae. It was kind of hard to capture it, but in real life the stomach is noticeably smaller. The algae wafers are a waste of money and just pollute your tank (as far as otos go, but other fish love them). My otocinclus absolutely LOVE it. Do Otocinclus catfish produce lots of waste? Would a frozen pea twice a week suffice? These are the ones that will be the strongest and most likely to survive. No problem. Feeding is difficult, however, as most stores stock a couple dozen of more Otocinclus in one tank. Thanks, I'll do that! A friend of mine feeds her otos with algae wafers and I think hers take Repashy too, but mine won't touch them (or they get stolen by the Amano's before they get the chance). If you do buy otocinclus catfish you can expect them to eat all your algae for up to 3 – 5 years which is their general lifespan. Please help asap! In addition to algae wafers, you can also feed them some veggies like peas, zucchini and cucumbers. They are small sucker-mouthed catfish. Otos are strictly vegeterian. Internal parasites? If the tabs are larger, I would just break off a piece. I cut a hole in the lid big enough for the otos, but so big that my other fish could get to it. Take frozen peas (with no salt), put just a few in a tiny bowl of water, microwave them for around 8 seconds, and then put them in ice water (this helps them sink). I also wouldn't feed every night, maybe just every 2-3. Still, the wafers are typically fine as the catfish can locate traces and do eat these and microorganisms in the tank. Some of these foods being algae wafers. There are 20 species of Otocinclus, but they share many things in common. As long as they can find and eat algae in your aquarium, you don’t need to give them anything. I unless there are any signs of illness that pop up I would continue to offer waffers and monitor closely. How can I get rid of it? In a natural setting, Otocinclus feed mainly on algae and other slime that builds up on rocks and plants. These have to be chopped into tiny pieces in order to make the… They are so fun to watch! I don't have much algae in my tank, and their stomachs have noticeably become flatter since I got them. trust me on it. This soft algae isn't to be confused with green spot algae that you can barely get off with a razor blade. I got two otos this week (about 4 days ago) and they both aren't eating. I may try again at the algae wafers. Then again, I'm not used to keeping otos so I don't know if they should have that pink coloration. There are foods that can be substituted for the oto. I have ... My otos aren't eating algae wafers? Unfortunately, our heating system went out during the coldest part of this winter. And there is no algae in my tank. Discolored feces. Otocinclus Catfish are strictly herbivores, meaning that they only eat plant-based food. Are the water parameters good? I recently bought 3 otos and a bag of a... Pleco & Oto Not Eating Algae Wafers? ), you can supplement their diet with algae wafers (link to check the price on Amazon) to ensure they have plenty to eat. I've tried algae wafers and cucumbers, but they don't seem to have an interest in those. Concave is much different than flat. What do I feed my hours old platy fry? You can keep a jar of water in the window sill to grow extra algea to feed them, and attempt to feed them wafers once or twice a week if you want, but remove … There are types of algae that an otocinclus cannot eat for example blue algae are not suitable for the oto cat. Just feed them a small algae wafer or some blanched vegetables once a week. I guess I should probably look into getting another filter with a stronger current, or maybe a bubbler thing. Their shape is streamlined and some say they resemble a little shark. Most people that I have spoken to have never seen their endlers eating algae, even when starved for 1-2 weeks. My Chinese algae eater doesn't like algae wafers. Pleco & Oto Not Eating Algae Wafers? The algae wafers are a waste of money and just pollute your tank (as far as otos go, but other fish love them). Yet they do not seem to be thinning, and there were eggs on the wall. Finicky Fish Management: Start off by making sure the water chemistry is correct. A week or so later, they should be on their way to your local pet store. (Black Beard Algae). you read and agreed to the. However, due to their smaller size, they will be significantly less helpful at combating algae than their larger algae-eating counterparts. Otos will starve in a fully algaefied aquarium. HELP. Fish that feed on algae produce much waste, but the Otocinclus catfish does not produce lots of waste compared to other algae-eating fish. My otos like to chill in my bushy plants during the day so dont be disheartened that they dont do much. They enjoy feeding on tiny crustaceans, protozoa, and scraps of flesh from animals and fish. Naturally occurring algae in the tank can run out quickly if you have a large group of Otos. Theyre doing great so far. If you do not have sufficient algae in the tank, you must feed otocinclus catfish some algae. Well parameters look great. My otos aren't eating algae wafers? I've had a ... Zebra danios killing and eating all the other fish! So far I've figured that having round pebbles around the substrate helps a lot. Hi! it can take ottos weeks or months to adapt to eating processed food, and some never will. Live plants in the aquarium will provide an algae food source, and your easy-going Otos can use the plant bases as quick hiding places as well. Otos are really good scavengers and may be eating when you are not paying attention. Invert Aquatics Mini Algae Discs. They also must have a live planted aquarium. the oto often won't leave it until I gently shoo him with my fingertip. You may be able to get them to eat blanched veggies, but most people can't get them to eat anything. but remember to turn off the light again because that might stimulate the other fish to wake up and go for it. The otos basically get trained to find food in the bowl. If you run out of algae (congratulations by the way! but does anyone have experience feeding them hikari seaweed extreme. You can supplement their diet with blanched vegetables (zucchini is common), sinking wafers and some other foods. Once captured, they aren't really fed much and they are in overcrowded conditions with very poor water parameters. Thanks for the detailed instructions about the frozen peas though, I'll definitely try that! Otocinclus catfish are herbivores – this makes it a bit more difficult to find appropriate foods for them. Algae wafers generally contain high amounts of animal proteins. people say they dont eat algae wafers. While they normally eat algae in the wild – and will also prefer to eat this in your tank – you might need to add some other foods, too. Does Anybody Want Overload of Algae in Their Tank...I Don't!!!!! Also algae that is hard and crusted onto the glass or other spots are not suitable for the oto. Every other night or so, i put a wafer in my tank 10 minutes after i shut off the hood light and room light. Could you take a photo of there stomach? But it seems more to me like a healthy pink than a scary red. , Otocinclus catfish aren't eating anything, This post was chosen to be featured as a blog, By entering this site you declare I've had otos for the longest time and i learned that otos are very active at night. They love munching on the algae that grows on them. While not a schooling fish, otos are social and to be in groups of their own kind. Otos won't go near them. Otocinclus catfish died with no apparent reason. To catch them, sedatives (poisons) are released upstream to basically paralyze them for a short time. As far as I know ottos need to eat 24/7 to be healthy, So giving them veg a few times a week is not sufficient if the tank doesn't supply additional food for them to munch on. Algae wafers are supplied, however, the sheer number of Otocinclus is too many to feed correctly. Once they run out of algae, you can give them algae wafers that are available in fish stores. Even as adults the largest Otos come in at around only 2 inches long. Asides from that they’ll eat all the algae in your tank. Oto's are wild caught fish and therefore they will tend to eat nothing but algae. This is because they only eat fresh algae and only certain types. Therefore, it’s important to keep live plants in your aquarium to encourage algae growth and leaves for the biofilm growth. If it's close enough, they'll eventually figure out it's food. I prefer the sinking pellets or spirulina over the wafers as algae wafers can disintegrate quite easily. Hard to tell from the photos. They loved blanched zucchini, and often recommended to do organic and remove skin before blanching to reduce risk of pesticides. The pet store puts them into a nice tank and will attempt to keep them fed. Although they eat mainly algae in their native habitats, fish owners should provide other food for aquarium living Otos. Ammonia,nitrite, and nitrate? They will eat the soft green algae that grows on the surfaces of the tank and its contents. Otto cats are primarily herbivores so you will need to supplement their diet with algae wafers if you think they may not be getting enough algae to eat. If you can keep it held down, you can put it in raw (a slice) and it'll last a good 24 hours before it starts to get mushy. Help! I have never had otos go after cucumbers even though that's what Google searches always come back with. I kept it on its side to keep the peas from floating out. They mostly eat algae which is what they would normally eat in the wild. Algae wafers generally contain high amounts of animal proteins. There still small not even an inch yet, but do I need to feed them? you read and agreed to the, Tips for keeping Otocinclus catfish (otos). its cute. A small number of people have endlers that will eat algae (especially brown algae), but among those that do, most only lightly graze on the algae. Feed your algae-eating fish a protein-rich diet scientifically formulated to promote healthy growth and cleaner, clearer water with API algae eater wafers. If u dont remove Algae Wafers after 2 hrs: Do algae wafers for bottom feede... Why do my cichlids like my algae wafers so much? I have to drop it right next to them though. I have white algae growing in my aquarium. This surfaces include the inside of the tank walls, gravel, decorations, and plants. However, my most succesful batch of otos would devour blanched peas. By entering this site you declare I love otos. And I don't think there are any signs of illness, though they do have pinkish-red coloration around the head area. My 3 colored tetras aren't moving that much and they aren't eating ei... New Angelfish hiding after two days, not eating. The problem is that nearly all fish like the peas, and otos will ignore them for a while, so they get eaten before the otos will get to them. There are about 22 species of Otocinclus with some of the more commonly kept pictured in this article. Yes, I do let my windows open during the day to increase algae growth, but being cloudy, nothing has grown.. and there are two kinds. I also wouldn't feed every night, maybe just every 2-3. There are types of algae that an otocinclus cannot eat for example blue algae is not suitable for the oto cat. Feeding Otocinclus Algae Wafers? If the tabs are larger, I would just break off a piece. Pet stores that sell fish often have algae wafers that can be used to feed them too. Are they showing any signs of illness? Or at least I don't think... Do albino cory catfish eat algae wafers? Note : It is easy to confuse Otocinclus fish with Chinese Algae Eater (CAE), Siamese Algae … Garbage fish saga: Charlene still sick and now others aren't eating well. The algae will run out quickly if you keep a large group of Otos. The otocinclus will occasionally suck on them but my tetra seem to enjoy them more. I purchased some otocinclus about a week ago. you should never add ottos to a tank with low amounts of algae. Scientific names are below the images. But theyve already gone through the algae and biofilm in my tank. I heard that they dont like algea wafers to and that it dirties the water. Endlers typically do not eat algae. Algae are very important for the Otocinclus catfish so make sure there is enough in your tank before you buy one. 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