# what Otocinclus (otto) like to eat



## dthb4438 (Nov 12, 2007)

If you ever find your Otocinclus not eating much try this....
They really seem to love peas. Yes, peas. I have a bag of frozen peas for my shrimp and the oto's. The oto's always seem to find the peas before the shrimp do and devour them quickly.

Just take some frozen peas, cut them in half and take the skin or shell off. Drop them into the tank where they can reach them. I think that some oto's are just real picky. My oto's seem to like blanched cucumbers, peas, and occasionally, algae wafers, but the peas are by far their favorite.


----------



## Strick (Apr 6, 2009)

I did this, too. Peas are also a favorite of my RCSs...


----------



## dthb4438 (Nov 12, 2007)

Right!!! Have you ever seen them fight over a piece of pea?


----------



## Strick (Apr 6, 2009)

Oh yeah. Slap fights are hysterical!


----------



## Youjin (Mar 15, 2006)

quick question - do you blanched the peas (and how long in the microwave, cover or uncover ?)


----------



## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

Youjin said:


> quick question - do you blanched the peas (and how long in the microwave, cover or uncover ?)


Oh yeah I'm wondering this as well


----------



## dthb4438 (Nov 12, 2007)

I've never blanched the frozen ones, but if you did, you might want to cut them in half first or you would never get the knife thru without squashing it. It's always easier to cut while they are still frozen. I would think that just putting the cut ones on a paper towel and "nuking" them for 5 seconds max should take care of it. You won't be feeding them a whole lot, so I would think that 5 seconds will be good.


----------



## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

LOL for some reason, that sounds adorable to me. An otto eating a pea. :flick: :flick: :flick: :flick: :flick:

BRB gonna go get some peas for my ottos ^_^!


----------



## ShortFin (Dec 27, 2005)

Defrost first? or just drop them in while still frozen?


----------



## dthb4438 (Nov 12, 2007)

Well, while they are frozen, cut them in half, pull the outer skin off and the meaty part of the pea is all they eat. Drop them on in and watch the slug-fest. Shrimp also love them, from the Amano's to the RCS and CRS and so on. Even the fish like to pick at them.


----------



## Strick (Apr 6, 2009)

When I give them, I put a frozen pea in very hot water for 30 seconds or so, then I peel and crush it with my fingers. My RCSs swim over as soon as they get a whiff.


----------



## wakesk8r (Nov 26, 2007)

nuts!!
I read this 30 seconds ago. Skinned a pea dropped it in and instantly my shrimp flipped out!!
they are going crazy over it


----------



## Aquarist_Fist (Jul 22, 2008)

Mine too. Impressive! My otos are turning their nose up at their pea...like with everything I offer them (bastards).

Since no one has mentioned it: neither peas, nor otos, nor shrimp are algae. This is in the wrong forum.


----------



## ryan_p (Mar 18, 2009)

thanks for sharing i might try this as well. let the devouring begins


----------



## Damian (Jun 17, 2009)

Interesting. I might have to try this out. On the occasion, my little guys like to attach themselves to a slice of zucchini.


----------



## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

Ehhhhh mine aren't paying any attention to it


----------



## t0p_sh0tta (Jan 24, 2008)

Mine don't like peas, at least not while I'm looking. I've seen them on blanched lettuce and cucumbers, but that's about it.

I'll nuke them and try one more time.


----------



## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

thread moved to 'Fish'.

and peas didn't do it for my oto and he's gone missing. I'm assuming swimming in the great beyond.


----------



## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

Mine get algae wafers,melon and zucchini.:thumbsup:


----------



## Vladdy (May 6, 2008)

Cucumbers didn't work for me when I used to have otos, and neither did peas or lettuce. Zucchini is good for them.


----------



## fishorama (Jan 14, 2009)

I never see mine eating any veggies but I've seen them push loaches away for Tetra tabimin & Ken's earthworm pellets.


----------



## aschaal03 (Feb 2, 2009)

My smaller ottos have been eating flake food off the substrate. Is this strange? lol They also like Hikari wafers and algae wafers.


----------



## dthb4438 (Nov 12, 2007)

Thanks mods for moving this to "fish". I guess I must have had a "senior moment".

I've got my oto's trained now to come up to the top when it's feeding time. I only do this once a week or so. Maybe I can teach them to jump thru a hoop or something. :bounce:


----------



## nsean (Apr 11, 2009)

Zucchini seems to be well received with my 2 Oto's


----------



## ryzhik (Jan 9, 2013)

Just joined this forum after watching our Oto school do something new...had to share.

We have our Otos with a school of ember tetras. The tetras get freeze dried daphnia often. I had put a zuchini in a clip for the Otos earlier today, some of them grabbed on and ate it since then. But just five minutes ago, half the Otos were at the surface against the glass - swimming up trying to get their heads out of the water. What?! They were eating the daphnia! Loving it! Looking from the side or top, they're little Great White Sharks jumping out of the water clamping onto the little daphnia bits.


----------



## dreamchick (Nov 15, 2012)

thank you for the advice! i will have to try that.


----------



## mR. JLee (Jun 10, 2012)

How do you guys get your otos to feed on veggies?

I tried zucchini couple of times and they never eat them. I blanched then put it in the tank floor and left it for a whole day. I only left it that long because i read that otos don't register it as food unless it has been in the water for awhile. Well they didn't even touch it. 

My tank consists of 4 platies and 4 otos. I had 6 oto but 2 died recently 5 days apart. Also had some platy fry but they probably got sucked by my 2 HOB filters. My current is pretty powerful running 2 older model aqua-tech 30-60 the same as the penguin 330 rebranded and without bio wheels. I'm thinking my current might have something to do with the onto not eating veggies.


----------



## ryzhik (Jan 9, 2013)

mR. JLee said:


> How do you guys get your otos to feed on veggies?


I don't do anything special. Chop off a slice, at a bit of an angle (more soft center exposed when held by a clip). Clip it, stick it in the tank kinda in the middle of the height. Within a few minutes, at least one of the Otos usually finds their way there.

Ours definitely have a preference for ZUCHINI and not cucumber. They refuse to touch cucumber, so we have to be careful about which we grab in the store.


----------

