Ottos

[skypx]

I have a 110 gal tank that with a lot of algae so I added 4 ottos, well all algae was gone within a week and now I am trying to figure out how to feed them. They don't seem to like the algae wafers.

[wetmanNY]

Veggies. There's a lot about feeding veggies at www.skepticalaquarist.com

[Roland]

What are ottos? I hear about them all the time on this website... but I dont think thats there common name here in the UK as Ive never seen or heard of them. Im presuming they are a kind of catfish.

[Dangerdoll]

Otto's are short for Ottocinclus Affins. They are a small algae eating fish which thrive on some algaes. Check them out here:
Otto's (http://www.reddwarf.f9.co.uk/menuselections/about/profile/myfish/profilefishottolowermenuframe.htm)

[GobyGuy5]

otocinclus catfish, here's their profile:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/species/db.cgi?db=fresh&uid=default&ID=0103&view_records=1

Nice little algae eaters,
There's a picture of one on the home page by the link for Species Profiles.................

[Roland]

Thanks for those links. Unless Ive just continuously missed them in my lfs, I dont think they're widley available here. Pity.

[longhorn]

How is Chinese and gold algae eaters differing from ottos? Do they eat different type of algae or there are other fundamental differences?

[kveeti]

longhorn - otos stay very small (under 2") and are best in groups. CAE's grow very large (over 6") and are best kept alone as they are more territorial.

[jiggerpolebill]

4 otto's cleaned a 110g in under a week? they must have been really hungry!

[125gJoe]

You could add about 6 more Ottos to that (envious) nice sized aquarium. :)

[skypx]

Originally posted by jiggerpolebill
4 otto's cleaned a 110g in under a week? they must have been really hungry!

They most certainly were. The back and sides of the aquarium have been completely cleaned. Now they are working on the plants. (silk) The thing is I have to figure out how to feed them without the silver dollars eating it all before they can get to it.

[longhorn]

I have the same problem. Whenever I feed my cats and pleco with algae waffer, my silver dollars got the first bite of the waffer. Want to see if anyone has a solution for this.

[skypx]

Originally posted by wetmanNY
Veggies. There's a lot about feeding veggies at www.skepticalaquarist.com

I read the article, but what I was hoping to see was someone that had a currently successful way of feeding ottos some type of vegatable matter. I have been trying to feed them spanich, but they seem uninterested. If anyone has any tips on how to feed ottos, please.... post them. Thanks.

[wetmanNY]

They like spinach best when it's softening up. You can move this stage up and eliminate the bacteria by par-boiling it first. I use frozen chopped spinach: "some for me and some for you." Don't salt the boiling water. (I get olive oil on my spinach: they like theirs quite plain.) --The Otos like it even better the third day, when it's looking a little gray and limp. Don't pull it out: let them finish it.

Once Otos know it's spinach, they'll come and get it.

[skypx]

Originally posted by wetmanNY
They like spinach best when it's softening up. You can move this stage up and eliminate the bacteria by par-boiling it first. I use frozen chopped spinach: "some for me and some for you." Don't salt the boiling water. (I get olive oil on my spinach: they like theirs quite plain.) --The Otos like it even better the third day, when it's looking a little gray and limp. Don't pull it out: let them finish it.

Once Otos know it's spinach, they'll come and get it.

Cool :D. Thanks.

[Thunder]

To feed algae wafers to fish in an active tank, the best thing to do is to break up the wafer into several smaller pieces. Use maybe two wafers. This should be enough to distract the silver dollars so some pieces fall to the bottom. I have had success in doing this in a tank with 4 silver dollars(3 regular and 1 red-hook), an oscar, a blood parrot, an electric yellow cichilid, and a bunch of convicts.

[famman]

my otos will absolutley gorge themselves on zuchinni or red pepper speared on a fork and dropped into the tank for a few days
good luck
:)

[skypx]

Originally posted by famman
my otos will absolutley gorge themselves on zuchinni or red pepper speared on a fork and dropped into the tank for a few days
good luck
:)

Is that the green or yellow zuchinni?

[famman]

the green, they like cucumber too.
:)

[skypx]

Originally posted by famman
the green, they like cucumber too.
:)

Thanks. :D

[wetmanNY]

Or the yellow, what we call "summer squash" I never tried peppers: they're on the grocery list right now!

Thanks for that, famman.

[Skippy]

I have 4 in my 100 gallon, and they stay nice a beefy off just the algae that incidentally grows in there.

You can see a couple in this pic... (note the FAT tummies...)

http://www.slacking.net/~skippy/plants.jpg