Would you put this algae in your tank?

[LeahK]

Hi! I have three otos who seem to live happily off the brown algae in my tank, but I read on WetWebMedia that otos need green algae in their diet. So I went to a local koi pond and got some algae-covered rocks and used them to start growing algae on driftwood in a plastic tub outside. I'm going to "QT" the algae for at least a month, to make sure no fish parasites from the pond are living in it.

Now that I've got everything set up, I'm having second thoughts. There's a pic of the algae below. Is it hair algae? Will otos eat it? I'm a little nervous about putting something in my tank that everyone else seems to want to eradicate.
The worst-case scenario would be this: the otos don't eat it, it takes over my tank, and it chokes out the brown algae that my otos do eat.
So I want to know, first of all, if it is a kind of algae that otos will eat. Second of all, I'd like to know how big the danger is that it might get out of control. I only have 0.65 wpg, so I'm hoping that it won't have enough light to thrive.
What do you guys think? Would you put this in your tank?

 

[The Zigman]

Well, if you are going to QT it for a month, just put some light colored rocks in a bucket of tank water out in the sun for a while.. You'll have your own "cultured" algae...

I'd cover the bucket with some clear glass of plexi to keep out bugs and rodents, bird poop, etc...

 

[LeahK]

I'm mostly worried because I've read other threads by people who have "hair algae" in their tanks and who say that algae-eaters won't touch it. I want to make sure that what I have is a kind of algae my otos will like. What do you think?

 

[Bk718]

dont think otos would go for that. Mine only went for some brown and green spot.
Instead of growing algae throw a slice of a cucumber or a zucchini in the tank

 

[The Zigman]

I dunno what my otos eat.. but they are fat..
I think they l;ike that brown lookin stuff on the glass at the aquarium floor

 

[LeahK]

dont think otos would go for that. Mine only went for some brown and green spot.

Same with mine. They seem to be living off brown and green spot algae in my tank. They look fat and happy to me. But this is what I read over at WetWebMedia:

"Otocinclus really don't eat anything much besides green algae and the microorganisms therein. Brown algae, blue-green algae, etc. aren't substitutes! To get green algae growing, you'll need 2 Watts of light per gallon, at least. There needs to be a 'turf' of green fuzzy algae on the plants and rocks. THAT'S what these little catfish eat." (http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/otofdgf.htm)

That's what made me go looking for better green algae. I don't know...this seems to have turned into an oto question instead of an algae question, so maybe I should go post it over on the catfish forum.

 

[Que]

Would you put this algae in your tank?

No. In a healthy planted tank Otos will find plenty of food.

Q

 

[kimmisc]

Otos - diatoms and green spot algae. I've never seen mine eating at any other kind. I give them veggies everyday too.

 

[LeahK]

Thanks for the info. I think, then, that I'll leave well enough alone for now. My otos have always been fat, so I don't want to mess with whatever balance I've got going on. I'll keep the green algae growing in the tub outside just in case the brown algae in the tank ever goes away.