What do you feed your ottos?

wendyjo · 07-04-2012, 03:15 PM

Mine prefer raw cucumber rather than zucchini. I put both in and the otos go for the cuckes and the bn pleco goes for the zuke.

**Complexity** · 07-04-2012, 03:28 PM

Yeah, mine like cucumber over zucchini, too. When I feed raw veggies in my tanks, I'll usually put 3-4 pieces in at the same time to give the less dominate fish have a chance at it. It's always three quarters gone by morning and completely gone by the next day.

JoeD323 · 07-04-2012, 04:06 PM

Basically whats happened with mine is that, over the past several months, I have bought X amount of otos. Out of every group I buy, there will always be those that, for whatever reason, die off. Either they had parasites, or just simply refused to eat, or couldn't handle the stress...whatever. The ones that make it past the first month or two have learned to eat my prepared foods and have settled into the aquarium life.

My tank honestly does not have nearly enough algae to keep a school the size of mine fed. I have about 25 adult otos in a 30long and between them and the Sakura reds there is barely a speck of green on anything.

The group I have now is so well trained on prepared foods that they will eat anything I give them. NLS Small Fish Formula, Omega One wafers, my prepared gel, Hikari First Bites, frozen arctic cyclops, frozen BBS etc etc. I know thats a bit high in protein for them but theres nothing I can do. I still have to feed my threadfins and dwarf cories so I can't stop the otos from getting it too. I know I'm lucky with these fish (I just wish I had more luck spawning them) and I know the average fish won't touch algae wafers so my best suggestion is to make a vegan gel similar to mine or the Repashy green. The ones with the will to survive will take to it.

Attached are some pics of the shrimp and otos eating the gel I make. They can knock out a 2 or 3 square inch chunk in 8hrs!

Joe

In.a.Box · 07-04-2012, 05:25 PM

The one I got from petsmart is being feed on veg sticks.

**xenxes** · 07-04-2012, 05:35 PM

Hikari sinking wafers, veggie sticks, repashy's every once in a while. They were all very picky eaters at first, but eventually got used to the dry diet, now all fat and bloated

07-04-2012, 03:28 PM	#17
Complexity Pelvicachromis Lover! (View User Tanks) PTrader: (34/100%) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 5,058	Yeah, mine like cucumber over zucchini, too. When I feed raw veggies in my tanks, I'll usually put 3-4 pieces in at the same time to give the less dominate fish have a chance at it. It's always three quarters gone by morning and completely gone by the next day. __________________ Vicki —Rena Filstar pimp #142 (four XP4s/three XP2s/one XP1) • Eheim pimp #301 (Pro II 2128) • Victor pimp #27 (VTS-253B-320) • 90g - Journal Pelvicachromis taeniatus 'Moliwe' —— • 75g - Journal Pelvicachromis pulcher 'Lagos Red' Better Pics 8-24 • 29g - Journal Pelvicachromis pulcher 'unknown' —-- • 29g - Pelvicachromis taeniatus 'Moliwe' • 5g - RCS colony —————————————————— • 2.5g - Journal Retired

07-04-2012, 04:06 PM	#18
JoeD323 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ft Lauderdale Posts: 165	Basically whats happened with mine is that, over the past several months, I have bought X amount of otos. Out of every group I buy, there will always be those that, for whatever reason, die off. Either they had parasites, or just simply refused to eat, or couldn't handle the stress...whatever. The ones that make it past the first month or two have learned to eat my prepared foods and have settled into the aquarium life. My tank honestly does not have nearly enough algae to keep a school the size of mine fed. I have about 25 adult otos in a 30long and between them and the Sakura reds there is barely a speck of green on anything. The group I have now is so well trained on prepared foods that they will eat anything I give them. NLS Small Fish Formula, Omega One wafers, my prepared gel, Hikari First Bites, frozen arctic cyclops, frozen BBS etc etc. I know thats a bit high in protein for them but theres nothing I can do. I still have to feed my threadfins and dwarf cories so I can't stop the otos from getting it too. I know I'm lucky with these fish (I just wish I had more luck spawning them) and I know the average fish won't touch algae wafers so my best suggestion is to make a vegan gel similar to mine or the Repashy green. The ones with the will to survive will take to it. Attached are some pics of the shrimp and otos eating the gel I make. They can knock out a 2 or 3 square inch chunk in 8hrs! Joe Attached Thumbnails

07-04-2012, 05:35 PM	#20
xenxes Gotta Catch 'Em All (View User Tanks) PTrader: (37/100%) Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,663	Hikari sinking wafers, veggie sticks, repashy's every once in a while. They were all very picky eaters at first, but eventually got used to the dry diet, now all fat and bloated __________________ A: [2g x2] [5g] [5g-S] [6g] [9g] [20g] [24g] \| T: [Balcony] [Nano Wabikusa] \| Shrimp Blog

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07-04-2012, 03:15 PM	#16
wendyjo Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (7/100%) Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: DC area Posts: 2,814	Mine prefer raw cucumber rather than zucchini. I put both in and the otos go for the cuckes and the bn pleco goes for the zuke.

07-04-2012, 05:25 PM	#19
In.a.Box Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9/100%) Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: New England Posts: 1,119	The one I got from petsmart is being feed on veg sticks.