Best food for Otos?

[Madhun67]

Just some opinions please,what you all feed?My Zebras get all the falling shrimp and flake,and want to make sure the otos do not starve!
thanks
dave

[emrextreme]

If that's not the algae, then there is no other reason for keeping ottos.

[d j hamilton]

hi madhun(love the moniker!)

from what i've learned oto's are vegitarians and algae and occasionally some fresh vegies will feed them properly....i hope i am correct about this...pls anyone knowing better correct me.
i have 4 in my 10gal and 6 in my 55(plan to get 4 more for the 55) and i feed them algae tablets and the occasional blanched zucchini and spinach, romaine lettuce. thoroughly wash the veggies to make sure no pesticides ar chemical wierdness is on 'em and blanch them for between 10-20 secs in the microwave to get them to sink easier...or sometimes i just throw the veggies in the tank attached to a plant weight...i usually don't leave them in there for more than 1 24 hr period....though my gang usually almost completely finishes them off with some help from snails and my platies.

[Madhun67]

THANKS all.I do have a bit of an algae issue already,and they are chomping away,its just that i dont know how much they are getting from that vs. food i should supplement them with.
Dave

[dthb4438]

My ottos and catfish and SAE's all love the veggies. The otto's have gotten so fat some look like they are about to give birth. They have latched on cucumber slices, zuccinni, romaine lettuce and some people give broccoli stalks to their fish (the tiny pieces of broccoli float everywhere so try to get rid of it first). Usually all the cucumber meat is gone by morning so all that is left is the lead weight and the green skin.

[Dave in the basement]

I supplement my Otos with sinking algae wafers and the occasional bit o' cucumber or zucchini. (I can't tell the difference between those two, and I don't believe I can spell them either. LOL)

Dave

[Madhun67]

thanks all i will try the cucumber and wafers,
Dave

[jphan]

the only food my ottos will touch are the hikari algae wafers they won't touch anything else

[Dave in the basement]

Originally Posted by jphan

the only food my ottos will touch are the hikari algae wafers they won't touch anything else

Those are the ones I use.

Dave

[valerietheangel]

Try to get zucchinis instead of cucumbers. Cucumbers have a tougher, thicker skin and are usually waxed at your local supermarket to make them more attractive to us shoppers. However, their skin is very bitter and our plecos will not eat it. Zucchinis have a thinner skin and all of our fish (even oto's) will munch on all parts of it. Zucchinis will have a thick, rough stem at one end, while cucumbers generally have a thin dried stem, if any at all. At our supermarket zucchinis are always with the butternut and spaghetti squash while cucumbers are always kept with the salad mixes (hopefully it will be similar at your market).

[Madhun67]

thanks so much for the zuccini tip.Ill be at the store tomorrow,
Dave

[Dave in the basement]

Thanks for the zucchini tip from me as well. I'll try to remember to pick one up at the store tomorrow.

Dave

[valerietheangel]

No problem I love to spoil mine (and other people's) fishes

[lauraleellbp]

www.otocinclus.com

[Homer_Simpson]

I have otos in 2 tanks and found that they seem to like the zuccinni(microwaved for 40-46 seconds) the best and the ones that I have fed zucchinni seem to survive longer than the ones fed hikari algae wafers. In fact I pretty much stopped feeding them the algae wafers as I found mine don't like the wafers and all that ends up happening is that the wafers remain in the tank uneaten and I have to remove them in 24 hours to keep them from polluting the water.