Skinny Otos

[sallyjano]

I got some otos this week which are currently in my 10g QT. I am concerned that they do not at all have fat bellies and they look pretty skinny.

I've read most people saying they can't get them to eat algae wafers, veggies etc.... I'm trying but no luck yet. I have tried algae wafers, zucchini and now have spinach in there. I will get some cucumber today.

The tank they are in has some algae but not a whole lot. I am leaving the lights longer than normal so I get some more but am worried they may starve before then! My display tank has more algae but I've only had them a couple days so that's risking my other fishies.

I've heard of people growing algae in a small bowl on a window sill but I assume that will be no quicker than me getting it in my tank.

Any suggestions of what I can do until I can get some algae going in my QT?

 

[dcutl002]

I recently bought 6 skinny Otos for a 55 gallon "algae" tank. Now my glass is clean, my water is clearer, I can see my fish, and my Otos are as fat as Santa Claus. Give them some time.

 

[sallyjano]

I recently bought 6 skinny Otos for a 55 gallon "algae" tank. Now my glass is clean, my water is clearer, I can see my fish, and my Otos are as fat as Santa Claus. Give them some time.

I will it's just that I'm worried they don't have enough to eat right now as their current tank does not have a lot of algae.....

 

[dcutl002]

I will it's just that I'm worried they don't have enough to eat right now as their current tank does not have a lot of algae.....

I would keep giving them cucumbers, zucchini, and whatever other greens that you can get your hands on.

For my tank it was the opposite. I had to UP my CO2 diffusion and lower my lighting from 4 bulbs to 2 plus I shortened the photo period from 11 hours to 8.

 

[elephantnose]

My otos are fat. http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums...7-1181-4C27-A8FD-191D2DC03604_zpsqrspnxwr.jpg their new tank has no algae but they're still fat. Im going to buy NLS algae wafers soon.


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[xstream]

Sally are you blanching the zucchini? I boil mine for like three minutes and freeze what doesn't ho in the tank right away (of course after it cools). Everyone n my tank loves it, but my otos especially like the skin.


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[Steve2223]

I keep a lot of my plants in clay pots and I have 6 tanks I move the pots around a lot when the plant gets alge on it I move it to the oto tank and they clean it up for me and that way I have plenty of food for my oto's. I also believe by moving my plants around a lot it prevents any one fish from becoming to dominate in the tank I change 20 percent of my water every week, and when I'd do, I change the looks and the outlay of the tanks by moving the plants and wood and ornamates around. What is really funny is when someone comes to look at my tanks after not seeing them for about a month they say O you got some new tanks.
Sorry I rambled so much but that's how I keep my oto's fed.

 

[Gillie]

My otos are fat. http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums...7-1181-4C27-A8FD-191D2DC03604_zpsqrspnxwr.jpg their new tank has no algae but they're still fat. Im going to buy NLS algae wafers soon.


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They also feed heavily on any biofilm in the tank. The oto in the pic could be a gravid female.

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[elephantnose]

Yep I thought about that. But I didn't think otos have ever breed in aquariums I could be wrong.


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[Gillie]

Yep I thought about that. But I didn't think otos have ever breed in aquariums I could be wrong.


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It happens but rarely

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[sallyjano]

Sally are you blanching the zucchini? I boil mine for like three minutes and freeze what doesn't ho in the tank right away (of course after it cools). Everyone n my tank loves it, but my otos especially like the skin.


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Yes I did. I cooked it until soft. Also left it in the water a couple of days so it got super soft. I also put it at the back of the tank as they seem to be quite shy but sadly all to no avail......

Today I am trying spinach (which I didn't blanch this time......) and they've not even looked at it.

 

[sallyjano]

They also feed heavily on any biofilm in the tank. The oto in the pic could be a gravid female.

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Yes I saw a post saying that but don't know what it is or if I have any! Hopefully I do as they are sure not touching the veggies or wafers.

 

[elephantnose]

Okay that would be cool. I have three probably 1m 2f. Two are look Gravid and the third seems normal. http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums...6-DCA7-441B-BA07-088FDE30DC5D_zpshn4qkeps.jpg this is one of the Gravid ones.


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[Gillie]

yeah I would say they are gravid if all 3 aren't fat

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[elephantnose]

Skinny otos

No only two are Gravid/fat. Are they egg scatterers?

 

[Gillie]

No only two are Gravid/fat. Are they egg scatterers?

I meant if it was the amount they were eating making them fat then it would likely be all 3 not just the 2. That's why I think they could be gravid.
As for the laying habits, I can't say. Try otocinclus.com they will have more info.

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[trennamw]

Skinny otos

The fat ones are mature females ... Males stay skinny. I'm not sure they're necessarily gravid, just female. My fat one never has variations in how fat she is, the way the other fish do when gravid. Mine has looked like the one in your pic for 2 months straight.

I've been told they eat biofilm and really need a mature tank. That's tricky with a qt tank isn't it? Not sure what to suggest. Mine like algae wafers (omega one) but mostly eat something I can't see, which I presume is the biofilm. I don't have algae that I know of, even the ghost shrimp never have green in their stomachs anymore.

 

[sallyjano]

The fat ones are mature females ... Males stay skinny. I'm not sure they're necessarily gravid, just female. My fat one never has variations in how fat she is, the way the other fish do when gravid. Mine has looked like the one in your pic for 2 months straight.

I've been told they eat biofilm and really need a mature tank. That's tricky with a qt tank isn't it? Not sure what to suggest. Mine like algae wafers (omega one) but mostly eat something I can't see, which I presume is the biofilm. I don't have algae that I know of, even the ghost shrimp never have green in their stomachs anymore.

That's ok my QT tank is mature. It's not a tank I just put up for new fish - it's up all the time so hopefully I have biofilm.

It's funny how when you don't want algae you're plagued with you and when you do you can't seem to grow it. I've had the tank lights on all day long for a few days now and no sign of any......though maybe they are just eating it as fast as it appears!

 

[philipraposo198]

Cucumber and zucchini works best with my otos before I rehomed them.

The food should be boiled for a couple min and left for 48 hours before removing it.

If they are hungry they will eat. If they are ill they won't eat even if starving.

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[sallyjano]

Cucumber and zucchini works best with my otos before I rehomed them.

The food should be boiled for a couple min and left for 48 hours before removing it.

If they are hungry they will eat. If they are ill they won't eat even if starving.

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Thanks. I have tried zucchini and spinach and I did cook them first and left them for 2 days but they didn't touch them. I don't think they are sick as they are very active and nibbling all over the glass and plants etc... I saw someone say that if they have not been given veggies before they may not initially recognize them as food so I will try again and maybe they'll figure it out!

Thx