Caper Posted May 27, 2005 Report Share Posted May 27, 2005 I had a posting in the beginner's...but since I found out that they are actually a catfish...thought I'd post here I gave my tank a good cleaning...last week...how will I know if there is enough algae for them to eat. I did buy the algae wafers as well just in case...what do you folks recommend. Snowman...wasn't it you that recommended these...I now hummingbird suggested the bristlenose...but couldn't get any...from the pics I've seen on the net...they do look like otto's...but since I don't have much luck with the people you buy from here...thought I'd check with you folks so...would say they are otto's? What advise do you have on keeping these guys healthy? When I do the monthly water change...that's when I usually clean everything in the tank...glass, ornaments & such...when you have algae eaters...should I still do this...or will I destroy the algae they need to survive? How will I know if there is enough algae for them? How often should I put in an algae wafer? I hope I'm making sense...really bad week...brain is fried! Oh...and I did put one wafer in last night...but took it out after awhile cuz they didn't go near it. PLEASE HELP ME Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted May 27, 2005 Report Share Posted May 27, 2005 Hi Caper, yes it looks just like my Ottos, when i clean my tank i clean the algae off the glass but leave the ornaments as they look more natural with a bit of algae on them, i dont feed anything special, i assume they clean up the flake food left over by the guppies and swordtails, it seems to be eating enough as they have rather large tummies LOL, depending on the size of the wafer i would probably put 5mm square in for it every couple of days, you may find yours is cleaning up after the other fish and if it doesn't seem to be eating the wafers after a week i would stop giving them to it. If it hasn't eaten it after 24 hrs or so i would remove it to stop it from polluting the water. Hope this helps : -)> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted May 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2005 Thanks Snowman When I first saw them...thought they were ugly...but now I think they are cute, my Oscar & Felix. They're more active then I expected them to be...mind you I only had them since last night...lol...when I first saw them swim...I thought OMG are they supposed to being swimming around...duh :-? I wasn't sure at all about the cleaning, especially the glass...ummm...won't they keep the algae off the glass????...and I didn't know they would eat leftovers...lol...the flakes that is Can they jump out of the tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted May 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2005 When I took them home yesterday...they were quite active...when I came home from work today...not as active...but still ok...but just checked them...active again like last night...do these guys normally become more active in the evening?...Can they tell time :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted May 28, 2005 Report Share Posted May 28, 2005 They should keep most of the algae off the glass, i get a type of green algae on my glass that is very hard that the suckers wont eat so end up having to scrape it off. All depends on how much and what sort of algae you end up with in the tank. : -)> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted May 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2005 The last time I gave my tank a good cleaning...used the algae brush to clean off the glass...before I did the cleaning, on the inside all I could see was...how to describe :-? ..hmmm...as if I had cleaned the outside and left a film on it...except was inside...first thought it was on the outside and tried to wipe off, needless to say, was on the inside...duh...sorry not a good description...anyway... When I was using the brush...it looked like white falling down...nothing heavy but could still notice it...I thought this was some kind of algae???? Once I finished the glass was all nice and clear. Took everything out to clean...except gravel...oh and of course the fish ...the ornaments and such were slimey to the touch...again this was aglae...am I right? I've seen green algae in swimming pools...but can't tell if in tank. I know when I was married we had a pool and the people who installed it told us that when the sides started to get slippery (slimey?) it would mean algae starting...so that is why I thought the slime on the ornaments and stuff were algae?????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted May 28, 2005 Report Share Posted May 28, 2005 The slimey stuff is most likely algae, seem to be a lot of different sorts and its hard to control them all. A bit of algae isn't a problem as long as it's not trying to take over your tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted May 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2005 Silly question...but how long does algae take to grow? I just want to make sure that there's enough for the ottos...and yet not enough to take over the tank...oh well, one of my biggest fears in getting an aquarium was feeding the fish...now it's clean tank but healthy ottos :-? Thanks Snowman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted May 28, 2005 Report Share Posted May 28, 2005 How long it takes depends on lighting, what sort, hours, whether it gets any sunlight and what sort of nutrients and levels of nutrients. I usually just wait and if i can easily see a build up on the glass then clean it. I have a ship and one rock in my 4ft guppy and swordtail tank that i get comments on, they have a build up of green algae that looks quite cool and natural, the fish seem to like it as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted May 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 How will I know if they are getting enough algae to eat? Snowman...I got the ottos on Friday...was it too soon for me to try the wafer in with them???? Oh...and is it normal for them to be more active at night...they seem to be swimming around more at night...I'm guessing...looking for algae???????? One more thing...I was reading on the net last night...they have nostrils and it said that they can probably "smell" their food...is this true... If they don't go for the wafers...like you said Snowman...after a week...does this mean they are getting enough algae to eat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Most catfish seem to be more comfortable with the lights out. If it's hungry anough it will eat the wafer, as to if it's eatin, bit like me, if it's fat it's eating if it's skinny it's not eating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted June 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 Are ottos considered a scaleless fish???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 Ummmmm not sure, i don't think so but could be wrong, it has happened once before :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted July 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2005 Thanks Snowman! I have to do more reading about the otto's but so far I haven't come across anything that says if they are scaleless or not. Once before...congratulations :lol: :lol: :lol: When I cleaned my tanks last night, I did clean the glass but left ornaments alone to make sure I wasn't taking all the algae away, don't want to starve my Oscar & Felix! I haven't used the wafers since...ummm....the first week, and they seem to be getting along just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatBrat Posted July 3, 2005 Report Share Posted July 3, 2005 Oto's are not considered scaleless fish. They are a member of the Loricariidae family (which encompases all species of plecos). Members of the family have "Rows of armour plating covering body, underslung suckermouth" (from Planet Catfish). Cheers, CatBrat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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