Otos being outcompeted for food (help)

[Ponch]

Hi - I have 3 otos in my 26G tank along with 6 mollies. They've been in there 1 week and totally eradicated the tanks' diatom algae (woo hoo!).

But i am concerned that they may now not get enough food. Whenever i drop an algae wafer in the tank the mollies attack it and the otos don't stand a chance. How do i ensure they get food?? Does feeding at night work? Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[jondamon]

Get some pebbles and put them in a drinking glass. Fill the glass to cover the stones with tank water. Then sit the glass on a windowsill.

This will begin to grow algae. Then when it has some algae drop it into your tank.


Jon

 

[bettaowner]

Or you could move the mollies to a different aquarium.

 

[Tetra1990]

Yes, grow your own algae. OR you could try feeding the ottos at night after lights out.

 

[Ponch]

Growing algae sounds like a good idea. The mollies would probably munch on it for a bit but no doubt the otos would get most of that

I dropped some algae wafers in the tank tonight - will peak in later and see whos eating It up. Seems like a hard method to definitively know who's getting that chow.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Any other methods/tips/thoughts?

 

[Ponch]

Get some pebbles and put them in a drinking glass. Fill the glass to cover the stones with tank water. Then sit the glass on a windowsill.

This will begin to grow algae. Then when it has some algae drop it into your tank.

Jon

Would adding full spectrum lighting to the tank help to promote natural algae growth? Right now I'm just using the bulb that came with the tank hood. Would this produce enough algae to feed 3 Otos?

 

[Pawtrekker]

Hi - I have 3 otos in my 26G tank along with 6 mollies. They've been in there 1 week and totally eradicated the tanks' diatom algae (woo hoo!).

I know what you mean! I bought two to go in my 20 gallon because I was getting too much alge and I had nothing to eat it. They cleaned up the alge in less than a week! I was afraid that they had eaten all the alge and would die of starvation but they still seem to be doing well. I tried the alge wafers and my Dwarf Gourami attacked them as well as my cories! My Dwarf Gourami managed to bloat himself on the wafers too. But he was okay. I'd say try the growing your own alge thing and see how that works. I may try that myself.

 

[chrismiller21]

I have Mollies as well and they are fat little piggies. I will float flakes and even during the shrimp/bloodworm bonus days, they will ignore all that and go after the shrimp pellets for my Kaluhi Loaches and Wafers for my pleco. I have to over feed a couple times a week to make sure the others get to eat. Feeding at night don't help either. But I do have hope. My other 75 gallon is about done so the loaches are going into that with a PFS bottom as well as my other fish. I will just have 2 Gold Gourami's and Mollys in the tanks then.

 

[Rivercats]

I have 18 Oto's, 3 Whiptail cats, and one Albino BNP. Plus MTS and Nerite snails. One thing I have found that works is I soften some zucchini in the microwave. Then attach the thin cut soft slices to food clips that have suction cups to the aquarium glass in a few places. Not just one, several so there are more pieces. Although for your size tank and 3 Oto's one might be enough. Anyway, I place them on right after the lights go out. I have LED blue lights so I can easily monitor night feeding. I have seen the oto's eating it. I have read Oto's don't always eat anything but algae but I think if they are hungry enough they will figure it is a food source. Don't get discouraged, keep trying. Growing algae is great but also put those stones in at night and remove in the morning.

 

[Borderlesscott]

Drop the wafers in about a half hour to an hour after the lights have been turned off as your heading to bed, or as mention zucchini, courgette or cucumber can work as well.

 

[Ponch]

Drop the wafers in about a half hour to an hour after the lights have been turned off as your heading to bed, or as mention zucchini, courgette or cucumber can work as well.

Would the mollies go after the cucumber and zucchini as well?

 

[Ponch]

I have 18 Oto's, 3 Whiptail cats, and one Albino BNP. Plus MTS and Nerite snails. One thing I have found that works is I soften some zucchini in the microwave. Then attach the thin cut soft slices to food clips that have suction cups to the aquarium glass in a few places. Not just one, several so there are more pieces. Although for your size tank and 3 Oto's one might be enough. Anyway, I place them on right after the lights go out. I have LED blue lights so I can easily monitor night feeding. I have seen the oto's eating it. I have read Oto's don't always eat anything but algae but I think if they are hungry enough they will figure it is a food source. Don't get discouraged, keep trying. Growing algae is great but also put those stones in at night and remove in the morning.

Great tip thank you!

 

[Ponch]

I have to over feed a couple times a week to make sure the others get to eat.

That's what I have been doing -- I see the Otos scavenging on the sand bottom and figure they are getting some scraps from there too

 

[Ponch]

So I put a piece of zucchini in the tank yesterday and the Otos eventually made their way over to it. Found two of them on it this morning (presumably after it softened a bit).

How long can a piece of zucchini stay in the tank before it fouls the water?

 

[Laser]

I feed my ottos zucchini or cucumber because they won't eat algae wafers or dried seaweed. Mine is completely gone in about 12 hours but I wouldn't leave it in longer than a day.

I don't think your ottos were being out-competed, it's just that algae wafers have foods in it that ottos don't need or want. Some wafers contain too much fish meal compared to algae.

 

[Ponch]

Otos still going at the zucchini (yes!)

For cucumber , is it true it does not need to be blanched before hand? I've read that somewhere but don't know how true it may be.

Thanks!

 

[Laser]

Blanching makes it easier for them to eat, but that doesn't mean they can't eat it once the water softens it up.

 

[Ponch]

Thanks How many times per week is optimal to feed veggies like zucchini to Otos?

 

[Laser]

I can't say for sure, but I have 4 in a tank with some brown algae and they still go for a fresh slice every day.