tb19

OK so I've put a slice of cucumber in my tank for my otos to eat becuase they've pretty much eaten all the brown algae. They've only nibbled at it for a wihle, then my barbs drove them away and started to eat it for themselves. So now I've put in a piece of Romaine lettuce and they ignore it!!
Should I buy them Algae waffers?
I'm kinda skeptical about it because I heard they cloud the water.
What can I do?

tkfury

I use to put some veggies in the tank for my otos - it took then a few days to remember where it was but it went well. I found they really only ate the zucchini, rarely toched the cucumber and would only sniff at the romaine before going back to their driftwood. My killifish destroy any veggies I put in there now, can't even sneak them in at night anymore.

I've been feeding my cories and otos the omega one veggie rounds and everyone seems to love them. They haven't cloudy the water and are usually gone within half an hour. I've found a lot of algae waffers list fish meal as the main ingredient but kelp makes up most of the omega one rounds. I'm sure there are other foods out there, this is just what I've found that works for my little guys (and a food that both bottom dwellers will eat means less food jars I have to keep track of!)

miker

Algae Waffers might get eaten (atleast messed) by Barbs too.It is a tricky situation.

One of those rare moments when I feel that something bad (algae) is actually good

tb19

yeah my barbs and rams ate up the algae waffers that i bought today....
what a waste....
i just don't know what to do...

susitna-flower

First, don't worry so much about your otoes. They do eat on plants, and decorations that others just pass by.

I use Algae wafers and my balas eat them as well as the mollys all the fish seem to like them, so it isn't a waste. Some like the mollys really need them for roughage.

IF you are really worried about your otoes, you can take a rock and sit it in a pan of water, with fish tank water for nitrates, under a light kept on 24/7 . GROW some algae, and switch this rock out put it in the tank for your little kids to graze, and have another growing.....

tb19

yeah that sounds like a great idea. Thanx!