Possible ways to provide more food for otos

Hi,

I upgraded my 5 gallon to a 10g. All my fish seem to be doing fine.
4 guppies, 15 shrimps, 1 Oto.

I noticed algae on my leaves 2 months ago, that's when I bought 3 otos. Unfortunately only 1 survived. Since then he has been cleaning all my plants, deco and rocks. I tried giving some algae wafers, but my guppies are like pigs and eat everything!
I swopped out driftwoods and plants from my betta tank (that had grown algea) and within seconds my shrimps, oto and even guppies were nipping on it.

Since I upgraded to 10 gallon I want my oto to get 2-3 friends as I know that they are happier in a group.
But I would be worry that there wouldnt be enough algae for them to survive.

I haven't tried, but I am very certain that my guppies would eat anything I put in including zucchini, cucumber or spinach. For my shrimp I built a cave were I drop shrimp pellets through a straw amd the guppies can not get to it. This worked great for my shrimps. But I am not sure what to do with my oto.

I read about growing algae on rocks or extra plants in a separate bowl. But would lots of lights and tank water be enough for that? I have high light on my tank and dose with flourish comprehensive. More light and more nutrition should be helpful to grow more algea, correct?

Does anyone have any other ideas how to feed otos without guppies eating everything?

 

Your better off taking some rocks and growing the algae in a bowl outside of your tank in a windowsill or depending on your climate right in direct sunlight and have enough rocks to rotate the algae filled ones with the clean ones. If you turn your lights up or keep them on longer you may introduce algae the otto cat won't eat and then you will need to combat that type of algae in an entirely different way

 

How is that when you want algae you don't get it and when you don't want, you get it...
I have been trying to grow algae in a minI bowl with tank water at a Window. But all I get is some white algea. Does anyone know if an oto eats white algea? I don't want to introduce it into my tank unless he eats it...

Should I start trying again: like cleaning the bowl and rocks super intense and restart the growth?
I added some flourish comprehensive (3 drops) to put more nutrition in, did it maybe contribute to grow the white stuff instead of the green algea?

 

I can't answer your question on the algae rocks, sorry I haven't tried that. But my otos refuse to eat veggies or algae wafers, so what I ended up doing was buying Bacter AE. It quickly produces biofilm on essentially all surfaces. Your shrimp will appreciate it too, as they are the "intended audience" of Bacter ae

 

Thanks! I will definitly looking into that. I just worry my shrimp will do a little bit too well then. I keep seeing tones of pregnant shrimps and also spot on and off baby shrimps. I guess its good, but I also hope my guppies keep them under control. Don't want it shrimp explosion.

I remember having a marimo ball in my old betta bowl that produced quiet a bit green algae once it started to break up. Maybe I should at that do the jar with the rocks?
I also read that otos might eat on broken up marimos. Anyone knows something about it?