# Hungry Otos!



## gonathan85 (Sep 12, 2009)

Help! My Oto Cats are hungry and from what I can see, my tank isn't producing much algae? Wierd, I know, people usually fight algae.

I've tried zucchini, but they won't take to it...

I have some rocks sitting in tank water in indirect sun, but that's taking awhile...

what should i do?


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## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

If they're honestly hungry, they'll scavange off broken up algae wafer. Some won't feed at first because of adjustment shock. I find I rarely see my oto's eating, but they find enough food from small bits of decaying matter.

One knowledgeable LFS owner that I spend a fair bit of time talking trade with recommended canned unsalted green beans. He uses it for adaptation to get new oto's into his tanks, and apparently it's been dropping out the mortality rate quite well. I can't say they took to it all that well when I tried it, but then again a densely planted tank may have offered them more appealing things.

-Philosophos


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## gonathan85 (Sep 12, 2009)

Philosophos said:


> If they're honestly hungry, they'll scavange off broken up algae wafer. Some won't feed at first because of adjustment shock. I find I rarely see my oto's eating, but they find enough food from small bits of decaying matter.
> 
> One knowledgeable LFS owner that I spend a fair bit of time talking trade with recommended canned unsalted green beans. He uses it for adaptation to get new oto's into his tanks, and apparently it's been dropping out the mortality rate quite well. I can't say they took to it all that well when I tried it, but then again a densely planted tank may have offered them more appealing things.
> 
> -Philosophos


Alright I'll try the wafers and the green beans. Thanks!


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## griffin7882 (Apr 26, 2006)

another check is if they have round bellies, they're fine


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## gonathan85 (Sep 12, 2009)

griffin7882 said:


> another check is if they have round bellies, they're fine


Two of them have decent round bellies...another looks on the thin side...


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

They also like cucumbers. You could try that. Mine also like shrimp food.


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## gonathan85 (Sep 12, 2009)

Tex Gal said:


> They also like cucumbers. You could try that. Mine also like shrimp food.


I suppose they might be getting used to the tank still. I suppose they find things at night when I'm not paying attention...IE the sinking shrimp pellets.


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## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

I just discover this the other day that they love freeze dry blood worms. Of course they nver bother the live one I put in but they can not help it keep going up the surface to eat them(the dry ones).


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## gonathan85 (Sep 12, 2009)

armedbiggiet said:


> I just discover this the other day that they love freeze dry blood worms. Of course they nver bother the live one I put in but they can not help it keep going up the surface to eat them(the dry ones).


How strange! I'm going to buy some blood worms the next time I am at the LFS...platys could use a treat other than flake food. =)

I've never heard of them liking a protein diet...worms.


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## Gordonrichards (Apr 28, 2009)

yeah, use wafers. My gf just upgraded to a 10 gallon. I planted it, and popped him into the tank. Gave her wafers to put into it.

I have a 10 gallon tank with a compact fluro over it. There is tons of algae in that one! Take some water out of your tank and put it into jars. Place the jars into a window that gets direct sunlight. Eventually you should get green water. Pour into tank. Profit!


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## t1824003 (Jul 30, 2009)

I used green beans on the weekend and the wafer on the week days.


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## gonathan85 (Sep 12, 2009)

right on!

i'll try the green beans.

update: the otos finally took to the algae wafers and are very happy and chubby.

i think that all it took was for the algae to be reduced in the tank for them to try the new items.

yahoo!


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