What to feed otos

[fish bait]

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

 

[Alastair]

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

 

[Iain Sutherland]

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...

 

[Sentral]

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

 

[bogman]

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

 

[ghostsword]

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]

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

 

[ghostsword]

Great tip Dude, I will try that tonight!

Never thought of it.


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[fish bait]

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

 

[Iain Sutherland]

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...?

 

[mattb180]

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

 

[Lemsip]

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?

 

[ghostsword]

They also like potatoes.


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[hinch]

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

 

[Lemsip]

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!

 

[Gfish]

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!

 

[fish bait]

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

 

[MrLarner]

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.