Ottos in new tank

I used to have my 3 ottos in a 10 gallon tank with plenty of algae and algae wafers to eat. But someone told me that the wafers could be what caused the dark, slimy green algae in my filter. I read about zucchinI and wonder if that would be good to feed them instead of the wafers? Also should I just slice a thin piece or cut it in fours, or how should I feed it to them? How long do I leave it in the water? I also read about doing a water change right after feeding them, but I am cycling my tank with SafeStart right now and have to wait 14 days to do so...or so I was told.

Thanks for the help everyone.

 

First off, I hope they survive in a new tank. Otos are kind of fragile and should only be introduced to tanks that have already built up some natural algae for them. Personally, I find 3 otos in a 10 gallon tank overkill. I have 2 in my 16 gallon and they have just enough algae to keep them both satisfied.

With veggies, I leave them in for 24 hours. I also have RCS in the tank and they will help consume veggies. Within 24 hours, it's all gone.

I don't agree with doing water changes after feeding them. May I ask where you read that? I'm curious.

 

First off, I hope they survive in a new tank. Otos are kind of fragile and should only be introduced to tanks that have already built up some natural algae for them. Personally, I find 3 otos in a 10 gallon tank overkill. I have 2 in my 16 gallon and they have just enough algae to keep them both satisfied.

With veggies, I leave them in for 24 hours. I also have RCS in the tank and they will help consume veggies. Within 24 hours, it's all gone.

I don't agree with doing water changes after feeding them. May I ask where you read that? I'm curious.

I had them in the 10 gallon for over a year with no issues. Very fat and happy ottos. Let me search for the thread (here) and find it...several posts had that advice, actually...

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfi...-in-vegetables-how-often-to-feed-otos.123013/
https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfi...es-how-often-to-feed-otos.123013/#post1339393

Unless I am reading that wrong it says do a water change after feeding them. Also, should I give them some algae wafers until the algae has a chance to get going? I have only done a new tank twice (both times with otos..not all three. One I had one, and the other I had 2.)

 

That just means that that particular person gives veggies the day before their scheduled water change, which is once per week. I don't really care when the water change is scheduled regarding when I feed veggies. It doesn't really matter.

Some otos will not accept processed foods and can actually starve to death when natural algae is not present. You can certainly try algae wafers to see if they would work.

 

Ok I got the algae wafers (the little tiny discs) and put one in the water. They will find it, right? I have used them but only for my snail and he always found them. And I used the bigger discs. I have 3 otos 2 larger ones and one tiny tiny one. Is one of the small discs enough for 3 of them? I just want to make sure they find them so they can eat..

Ok woke up this morning after putting the algae wafer in and it looks like they didn't touch it. However, now there is some weird "hair" looking stuff growing ONLY on the air tube for my bubble stones. It looks a lot like the white hair algae I think it's called. Kind of dirty grey or light grey color and wispy. There is one algae eater going nuts on it so I am guessing it's some type of algae. It could have been there yesterday but I really don't remember seeing it. I am beginning to wonder about putting the algae wafer in there...

 

If they're going to accept algae wafer at all, one is more than enough for 3 of them to share.

 

Mine eat biofilm off of my decorations as well as veggies, that clear stuff you saw yours eating may be that. Veggie clips make feeding vegetables pretty easy and you don't have to get your arm wet if there's leftovers to get out. Heres a link:



Forgot to mention mine have never seemed to be interested in algae wafers.

 

Yea there are two of my three on the tube now. It's like they LOVE the stuff..whatever it is. It wasn't there just a day or two ago. And it's only on that clear tubing that goes to my air bubble deco. I thought it might be like hair aglae but what you said makes more sense.

 

When I first got mine they were going crazy cleaning all the decorations and weren't very interested in the veggies. It took them a couple of days of making zucchinI available to them before they took to it so if you go that route have patience. Now mine go for spinach, kale(sometimes), yellow squash and zucchini.

I am not an expert on algae by any stretch so I could be wrong about that.

 

I might be able to get a pic of it and post it. If my son comes over tomorrow I will get him to do that. Maybe if you saw a pic you could tell me better what it could be. Just strange that it's only on that clear tubing and nowhere else.

 

Sorry we couldn't get it to show on the pic because the tube is clear and the stuff is almost clear. It's white and "wispy". I can't think of another word to describe it. I don't think it's "hairy". It's almost like a film that the water flow has pulled off the tube and it's just waving in the wind, so to speak. I really do think it's some type of film from the tube being in the water. I mean it may be algae, but does it show up almost overnight like that?

 

Ok one of the otos died yesterday. He was the big one I've had for a very long time. I believe he just died of old age because one there was nothing obviously wrong with him. He was growing a lot since I put him in the 25g tank, and other than he was dead again there were no visible injuries or diseases on him. I read they live about 2 years and that's close to how long I had him.

So now I just have the 2 little ones.

 

Sorry that you lost one.

 

Thank you