Driftwood and Ottos

[Chickieepooh2u]

Ok, I hit Petsmart today and got 4 Serpae Tetras and 2 Ottos. They are currently quarantined in my 20 gallon. Now, do Ottos have to have wood to chew on, because I don't have any... well not any that would fit in any of my tanks. One of them promptly disappeared into the plants, and the other is be-bopping around the tank.

Also, 3 of my tetras are schooling and one is off hiding by itself. OK, never mind I see why, one of them is a bit feisty. Great. *Man those Ottos are serious about hiding* I know I bought 2 of them.....

 

[blkwdw13]

I don't think they need driftwood but I'm not an expert, but I do know they need a constant food supply or they can take a rapid turn for the worse.

 

[Chickieepooh2u]

Yeah, the food thing I read about, so I dropped an algae thin into the tank with them. I'll try a piece of cuke tomorrow.

 

[hughitt1]

I think they should be fine without driftwood as long as you have some plants, and algae growing. how large is the tank? Mine spend almost all their time on leafy plants munching on algae and occasionally on glass,.. and ignore the driftwood for most part..maybe i didn't get tasty enough driftwood

 

[Chickieepooh2u]

They are all in a 20 gallon - medium planted tank. Them and the tetras are the only things in it (not counting snails) at the moment. I found the one who vanished. Turns out it was just plastered to a plant. Its my first time with Ottos, and I'm trying not to murder them.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

i know plecos need driftwood but i never heard people saying ottos need driftwood. on the other hand i could be wrong.

 

[justintoxicated]

mine rarely munch on driftwood and at frist did not even eat algae wafers, they do love zuchini and algae on the glass and gravel though.

 

[coupedefleur]

Get some zuchinni, cut it into thin slices, and freeze most of them.

Boil a slice in a microwave ( I use a mug ), cool it off, and feed them that. Boiling it helps it sink sooner and makes it easier to eat.

 

[Star_Rider]

Oto's don't have to have driftwood they are not one of the woodeating species of catfish.

they do benefit having driftwood. as you noticed oto's can be hard to see..they can sit motionless for quite some time.

if you run out of algae.. it may take some time for the oto's to adjust to other food. mine adjusted to zuccini. if you freeze it you won't have to par boil it.
if the zuke is fresh either boils it for a few seconds (usually around 20 seconds in boiling water) remove and cool the zuke down(it wil continue to cook if you don't)

cut the remaining zuke into portion sized chunck and freeze. freezing will break the zuke down so you won't need to cook it.

 

[Chickieepooh2u]

Does this work with cucumbers too? I have them coming out my... you get the idea. lol I plopped a slice in the tank and an Otto immediately plastered itself to it.