What can I feed my starving otocinclus?

[rymeyer]

I'm very worried about my otocincluses not getting enough food. It seems like most of the algae in my well planted, bogwood-containing, 29-gallon community tank has been eaten. Unfortunately, I can't induce my algae-eating crew (1 common oto, 2 Niger otos, and 2 hill stream loaches) to eat anything else. The otos are getting thin, and I'm worried that they will starve.

Things I've tried so far:
1. sinking algae wafers - As far as I can tell, they pay no attention to these. Also, the other residents of the tank (guppies, danios, and cories) eat the wafers before the otos have much of a chance at them.
2. zucchini - I've heated zucchini, sliced into discs, in water for 2 minutes on high in the microwave and then anchored them to the wall of the tank near the otos usual hang out, but they don't eat them. In fact, I've see on oto stop by, sample it, and then continue on.
3. uncooked salad leaves - these were not romaine or spinach, and again the otos seemed to ignore them.
4. The otos pay no attention to other fish foods, including frozen blood worms, frozen brine shrimp, flake, sinking shrimp pellets, and floating pellets.

My next step is putting some bogwood in a water-filled jar next to a window, but, since that will take a while to grow algae, and right now there isn't much sun in Seattle, I'd like to find some other food that they will eat, that won't pollute my tank, and won't get eaten first by my more outgoing fish.

I would appreciate any suggestions. This is my first post to this forum, so I'm pleased to meet everyone.

[Pidge]

Hi Ryemeyer,
I've never kept otos but I have an ancistrus in a well planted tank with hardly any algae. Apart from salad leaves, zuchini and algae wafers he'll eat mango, butternut squash, sugar snap peas, garden peas, mange tout and melon. Maybe you could try offering some of these to your oto's and see if one takes their fancy. Also, you could try preparing the vegetables you've already offered them differently. I think zuchini can be fed uncooked but frozen then thawed out, or even just raw. In my experience with hillstream loaches mine would eat bloodworms and more meaty sinking pellets as well as algae. I hope this is of some help. Good luck.

[medaka]

Hi rymeyer

and welcome to planet catfish

Can you either post some photo's of your otto(s) or look in the cat-e-log, to get a better i.d.
see : -http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loricari/G_49.PHP

Also could you let us have your water perameters please,
i.e: Temp, Ph, Gh etc.

it may well be down to one of these being unsuitable for your type,
However, try some pea's, tomatoe's, spirulina flake or even sea weed (the type they use for suchi). There is also a manufacturer who makes a paste feed for Loricariidae. I Can't remember the manufacturer name, but It is a paste made from spirulina & Artemia Nauplii. I had success with this food on some green Ottos that I couldnt get feeding.




btw I have moved your post to the Loricariidae section

[djw66]

Though Seattle is less-than sunny at this time a year (I used to live in the Land of Rain), you can still grow algae for your fish. I use fist-sized river cobbles in a vat with either 'feeder' goldfish (preferable) or common guppies swimming about as an ammonia source, a sponge filter and a sunny spot on my deck. You could use a terrestial plant light in liu of sun, as terrestial lights are usually skewed toward the red end of the spectrum, which algae loves.

You might also try leaf spinach on your otos; washed and tied to a rock of course. In a day or so it'll soften up enough for the otos to make a go of it.

As an aside, you shouldn't ever just buy one of of a species of Otocinclus. They survive much better in groups of six or more, as they live in large troups in the wild. A lone Otocinclus often has problems due to the stress of not being in a group of its fellows.

Welcome to Planet Catfish.

Dave

[racoll]

Hi Rymeyer. Welcome to the site.

I have just the solution for you.

Otto's usually don't eat fresh veg that has just been added to the tank. It's often 24 hours before they start to touch it. They go mad for it when it goes a bit yellow and soft.

Mine love leaves of spring (or collard) greens.



I microwave the leaves for 1 min, and them freeze them (this speeds up the breakdown process). I put a new leaf out when the last one has all gone.

You should aim to have this food in the tank for them 24/7.

Get an veggie clip and attach it to the side of the tank near the top where the current is strong (or wherever the ottos hang out).

Good luck.

[rymeyer]

Thanks for all of the replies. I think that I will try the collard greens method suggested by racoll as well as djw66's suggestion for growing algae in a goldfish tank.

To answer some of the other questions, the tank is kept at around 78 degrees. pH is close to 7. It sometimes dips to about 6.8 and sometimes, after a large water change, is close to 7.2. The water is very soft (~1 or 2). I do 10% water changes twice a week or a larger water change once a week. I have two backpack, waterfall type filters, and I stagger the cleanings so that both are cleaned every two months. The tank has been running smoothly since last August.

The otos are 2 Hisonotus leucofrenatus (Niger otos) and I'm pretty sure that the other is an Otocinclus mariae. Unfortunately, I don't have pictures.

I realize now that I should have been keeping them in schools, but I'm afraid to buy anymore until I am sure that I can feed the ones I already have.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

[racoll]

Another thing to remember is the ottos may not instantly accept the new food. Keep sticking at it. If they don't seem to be eating any after two weeks, then you may have to try something else.

[Hwardale]

Hi Rymeyer. Welcome to the site.

I have just the solution for you.

Otto's usually don't eat fresh veg that has just been added to the tank. It's often 24 hours before they start to touch it. They go mad for it when it goes a bit yellow and soft.

Mine love leaves of spring (or collard) greens.



I microwave the leaves for 1 min, and them freeze them (this speeds up the breakdown process). I put a new leaf out when the last one has all gone.

You should aim to have this food in the tank for them 24/7.

Get an veggie clip and attach it to the side of the tank near the top where the current is strong (or wherever the ottos hang out).

Good luck.

Thank you! Thank you for this tip! I know this post is 18 years old, but I want to thank Racoll for the advice. I, too, was worrying about my otos. I bought three to clean up diatoms in my established tank, which they did in short order, but then I started to worry there wasn’t enough for them as only one had a round belly. I tried zucchini, but it deteriorates so rapidly, then I read this post. I was skeptical and have never eaten collard greens myself, but I wanted to try it. I bought organic. Nuked them as instructed for 1 minute then popped them in the freezer. The first leaf took 2 days to attract their attention. There was some interest which was encouraging. By day three it was ready to be replaced. The new one went in this morning. I checked tonight after lights were out and all three were happily munching away. It’s a great relief to know they’ll get enough to eat. Thank you again, Racoll!

[Jools]

Love this. It is too easy to think old information isn't valuable. Also, I feel like this was only posted yesterday.

Cheers,

Jools

[bekateen]

Hi @Hwardale,

I see your post shows you're in central California. I'm in Stockton, just a stone's throw away. Do you attend any of the three fish clubs in our area? There's the SFAS in the San Francisco area, the PCCA near San Jose, and the SAS in Folsom. All are good clubs. I attend the SAS on a regular basis. If you're into fish, I encourage you to try one out.

Cheers, Eric