Otos not eating?

[tqy]

Today I finished cycling my first 10 gal tank and bought 6 neons and 4 otos,there's also a betta in the tank(had no problems with aggression so far. After acclimation I released the neons and otos in the tank and a few hours later I fed the tetras and they seem to be fine but the otos were a different story.I tried Hikari sinking algae wafers I bought the wrong size so I crushed them up.They did not touched it at all only the betta nibbled on it.I tried blanched cucumber(I'm supposed to blanch them right?)So far they have not even nibbled at it yet which is worrying cause they are getting extremely thin.What do you guys think I should do?(I can't find zucchini where I come from). Thanks in advance!!

 

[cmw9787]

they're probably more active at night. I rarely see my otos eating, but they've lived in my tank for a very long time. they're pretty little anyways and don't need much.

 

[tqy]

Ok,so I left the blanched cucumber over the night but they don't seem to eat it I didn't even see a bite in the cucumber.What should I do? Would bottom feeder pellets work?Can I train them to eat the cucumber?How?

 

[cmw9787]

my regular plecos devoured zucchini, not cucumber. i never really saw my otos do much though. they might just be eating leftover food that you give to the other fish. Don't worry, if they're hungry, they'll eat something. It doesn't sound like there's a shortage of food in your tank.

 

[trennamw]

Did you say it's just a day? They're probably fine. I very often read fish can go a week or more without food. Animals self regulate well and it'd be worse to dirty the water with too much food.

 

[tqy]

Ok thanks! Do you guys know how to grow algae?

 

[venymae]

Otos like micro algae, so they might be getting nutrients elsewhere. Growing algae is easy. Take a lamp, beam it at a corner of your tank all day, and algae will start to grow there.

 

[tqy]

Ok thanks a lot!

 

[jwh0818]

If you have rocks or decor, put it in a bucket outside or in a window for sunlight, this will grow algae on the things. Place them back in the tank when they have sufficient algae. Otos are also best suited for more mature tanks that have nice film buildups. These fish are very sensitive and delicate as well.

 

[azmodan]

^agreed

Otos do best in mature tanks that have a sufficient amount of biofilm built up as many will not take prepared foods. A newly cycled 10g may have trouble sustaining four otos. I also do not really recommend intentionally growing algae in your tank for them -- the extra light source may grow a type of algae otos may not even eat, but the rock-in-a-jar trick usually works.

 

[tqy]

Rock-in-a jar trick?

 

[jwh0818]

Rock-in-a jar trick?

Yup. Place it in your window with sunlight hitting it or outside with seran wrap on top to keep nasties out.