# What to feed otos



## fish bait (8 Oct 2011)

Hi all, got some otos last week, and they are doing well, but I wonted to know what I should feed them, as there isn't a lot of algae for them?

  Regards Jeff


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## Alastair (9 Oct 2011)

Mine love feasting on cucumber every other day too. Dip it in bolingbrook water first to soften it


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## Iain Sutherland (9 Oct 2011)

ive never seen my oto's or pleco eat anything i put in the tank.  They just suck on the wood.  But thats just me...


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## Sentral (9 Oct 2011)

You really should feed them additional foods. Courgette is always a good one


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## bogman (9 Oct 2011)

i have about 2 dozen ottos, a couple of species, i feed them lettuce, cucumber, corgette, veg based granuals etc, but i have to say one of the best foods i have found for them is the JBL shrimp pelleted food 'novo prawn' i feed it at night time, it does not foul the water at all, has a good plant matter content and is not too hgh in protien


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## ghostsword (9 Oct 2011)

I got Otos and feed them potatoes, cucumber, algae waffers and lettuce, but I never see them eating the stuff. 

Have not tried courgettes but will do so. 


.


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## dw1305 (9 Oct 2011)

Hi all,
I like Courgette or Cucumber to start them feeding as well. If you fix it to a bamboo cane about the same diameter (or slightly wider) than the fish, with an elastic band, the fish will find it. I wedge the bamboo upright under a bracing bar, bit you can get sucker clips etc. 

I don't blanch any of the veg, and I leave it in the tank long enough to soften. Once they are feeding on the cucumber, you can start studding it with algal wafers and try Bell pepper, Sweet potato etc.

I try and keep the bamboo in the same place in the tank, and I contunually replace teh vegetables, so they always have vegetables in the tank. I don't think this stops them eating algae, it just keeps them in good condition.

cheers Darrel


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## ghostsword (9 Oct 2011)

Great tip Dude, I will try that tonight! 

Never thought of it.  


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## fish bait (9 Oct 2011)

Thanks Guys for the replies, I will start feeding them algae wafers and vegies wright away.


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## Iain Sutherland (9 Oct 2011)

i put food in it just doesnt get eaten. Tried them all... maybe i have weird oto's.  I had heard nori was good too but they wont touch it...
Maybe they do eat some but not enough to tell.... they all seem happy 9 months on...?


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## mattb180 (14 Oct 2011)

Mine used to love cucumber, that was when they could get to it through the bristlenoses!


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## Lemsip (9 Nov 2011)

Using algae wafers already - how long can you leave cucumber/general veg in the tank for? Some guides suggest 3 days, seems a bit excessive?


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## ghostsword (10 Nov 2011)

They also like potatoes. 


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## hinch (10 Nov 2011)

i never leave cucumber/courgette in longer than 24 hours (thats if it even lasts that long in the first place)


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## Lemsip (14 Nov 2011)

easerthegeezer said:
			
		

> i put food in it just doesnt get eaten. Tried them all... maybe i have weird oto's.  I had heard nori was good too but they wont touch it...
> Maybe they do eat some but not enough to tell.... they all seem happy 9 months on...?



Mine don't seem to either, I assume they must be content with some form of algae in the tank!


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## Gfish (14 Nov 2011)

I had a problem getting my one zebra Otto to feed. He was left from a group i bought a long time ago.
I kept trying different veg and the one that got him feeding was red pepper. Blanched.
Now he's eating any veg, blanched or not. And will rummage the substrate for small pellets too.
It has been great to see his sunken belly fill out. Result!


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## fish bait (25 Nov 2011)

I have been feeding mine on potato, cucumber, carrot and algae wafers, but haven't seen them eat the wafers as the other fish eat them first.Thanks for the replies and I will try some of the other suggestions, sorry I didn't reply earlier but I forgot to mark notify .  Thanks again for the replies.

   Regards Jeff


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## MrLarner (25 Nov 2011)

I've never fed my otto's and never had any problems with them.
i was told before i got them that if you feed them, they can become abit lazy, so i never bothered.
and my tank dont produce much algae either.
but their doing fine so far.


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