door-to-door oto cleaning crew?

RockabillyChick

RockabillyChick

Kilt-lifter
Nov 5, 2005
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Washington state
i have 2 tanks, the 20g long with tetras, gourami, and otos, and a split 10g tank with 2 male bettas. its divided with a piece of plexiglass that is now just COVERED in algae. my 20g is now almost completely free of algae.

i want to either move the three otos into the 10g, all three on one side of the divider, let them clean for a few days, then move all three to the other side and let them clean for a few days.

OR, put one of the bettas in a bucket or a *gasp* vase for a few days and remove the divider and just put the whole thing in the 20g for the otos to clean.

which sounds better?
 
the betta tank is sort of an unnoficial algae-growing tank to provide the otos with algae to eat. most of the algae grows on the center divider. i will probably make another divider to put in place, then just switch them out. i'm afraid the otos will just run out of algae to eat in the 20 and starve, that's why i want to move the otos i already have to something with algae, or move it to them.
 
I am one of those people who hate algae, the way it looks, feels, etc. I have Oto's for that reason. I WANT them to eat all the algae. So, what I do is supplement their diet with algae wafers from Hikari. They love them. Granted, not as much as real algae, but they eat them. My Oto's are fat little hogs too, so I dont think they are in danger of starvation. My tanks are 97% algae free. Just a touch of brown slime on a few plant leaves.
 
i've heard a lot of people say their otos wouldn't touch algae wafers? that they were the only fish that WOULDN'T eat them. i've tried blanching veggies like grean beans, lettuce, and zuchini for them, and they sort of nibbled on it, but i couldn't really tell how much they ate.
 
my otos love zuchini....they eat a whole piece in about 24 hours....and there is only 5 of them and a lot of snails....but they jump right on it...they didnt take it at first but after a few weeks they really started munching down on it.
 
well, i put one betta in a large vase and pulled the divider out. i put it leaning against one wall of my 20g and the otos are all over it and getting nice little bellies. next weekend i'll get another piece of plexiglass and just switch them out so i don't have to move one of the bettas.
 
My otos are quite content to eat algae wafers. They also go for shrimp pellets. If you have live plants, they will also eat at any dead/dying leaves.
 
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