BikBok Posted May 2, 2011 Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 I have been told on a number of occasions that Otocinclus fish only eat algae. On a recent trip to an LFS they went as far to say they'd that ottos would sooner starve to death than eat anything I would give them. However that's not been my experience, i have ottos from 3 different sources and they have all eaten veges (courgette and pumpkin especially) and will steal tablets from the kuhli. Note, my ottos are not algae starved, they do graze on the glass, driftwood and plant leaves to eat hidden algae (and not so hidden) I never wipe the back glass for that purpose. What have other peoples experiences been? Please turn a blind eye to the green spot algae in teh photos below!!! I'm working on that, aparrantly I need phosphate to correct it. In the first photo, the lower otto is one of my new ones, just got it in the weekend but it's very fat! That's how it came? Is it perhaps a female? Hopefully it wasn't damaged in the catching/travel process.. oh why am i such a worry wort! They are all my lil aqua babies and I love them! That fat one has been named Miss fatty boomsticks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 2, 2011 Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 On a recent trip to an LFS they went as far to say they'd that ottos would sooner starve to death than eat anything I would give them. Really now? They eat all sorts of veges and pleco food! I was considering getting some for my tank again, but i'd never see them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axolotl-danio Posted May 2, 2011 Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 When I had mine they ate courgette too. Loved the stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikBok Posted May 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 Glad to hear my ottos arn't weird! shame that some people might be put off them if they think they might starve to death! My ones are out and about all the time. They are so cute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ally07 Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 I'm sure that most animals are quite adaptable. Under extreme hunger, I'm pretty sure you could train most fish to eat just about any sort of food you give them. Algae eating plecos love courgette and cucumber, so I don't see why otos wouldn't as well.. Weird of your LFS to say that they would rather starve. I'm sure that your otos would steal a bit of leftover flake food as well, but you just don't see it. Now, wild-caught and/ or carnivorous fish - that's a different story! Such a pain to get them to eat anything good for them. :facepalm: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikBok Posted May 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 otos are mostly wild caught I think but as it pans out, also adaptable. That fat one is still ok, it's the most active one in the tank so it must be just a fat oto. I was concerning myself with bloat/dropsy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 how many ottos have you got now BikBok? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikBok Posted May 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 Hi Sophia... I lost one but now have 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 cool - do they swim about together at all? Is Sharky 1 or 2 still alive or did they pass to fishy heaven? I am going to get some more soon :happy2: ooh and was it the vege clip from HFF you use to give them spinach etc? I remember you saying they love the leafy vegetables Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikBok Posted May 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 yeah , they swim together, or land together. So sweet. It was one of the Sharkeys that passed on sorry. I used to use a miniclip (a small bag sealer clip from $2 shop) to hold down veges (had to also attach a small ziplock bag of gravel for weight) ...probably easier to use a vege clip but I didn't have one. But now I use a stainless steel rod . The ottos like courgette, spinnach, silver beet and pumpkin. They wern't too fussed on broccoli or carrots. They will also happily take algae wafers, shrimp pellets and any other sinking tablet. They are so comical and I've seen them chasing after the odd guppy haha. That's when they look particularly sharkey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 RIP Sharkey :tears: thanks for the other tips, I am looking forward to more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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