# Otocinclus...What "regular" foods will they eat?



## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

So after about 2 weeks, my Otocinclus population has taken my algae ridden tank to algae free. I made some other changes and don't want to imply they will solve all your issues but now they have nothing to eat.

I know more than a few foods they eat but I was wondering if there is any sort of list out there that is fairly extensive. I don't shop much and my wife doesn't like foods like zucchini, cucumber, or carrots (don't know if oto's love carrots but many of my shrimp did). On the flip side, my wife is vegetarian so we have plenty of veggies about 100% of the time. Just wondering if anyone has compiled a list or has some suggestions. I don't mind picking up food for them, it's just that what I know to feed will go to waste.


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## secuono (Nov 19, 2009)

Mine eat all kinds of waffers, all flake foods, fresh cucumber, too. But won't eat the seaweed stuff or any kind of meaty frozen foods.


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## WestHaven (Jun 30, 2012)

Algae wafers


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

WestHaven said:


> Algae wafers


I have those. Maybe it's a bad assumption but I just figure fresh food is better than something that is far from that. Will toss a few in tonight if I can find them.


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## Bettafins (Apr 9, 2013)

Broccoli.


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## secuono (Nov 19, 2009)

Leave some algae on the plants and back wall, too. But mine go nuts for those disk veggie 
waffers.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Broccoli, Cucumber, Zucchini, Peas, Green Beans, Yam, Pumpkin, Butternut Squash... 

Softest foods (Cuke) serve raw. 
Fairly soft foods, or even the hard ones sliced very thin can be blanched or microwaved. 
Harder foods could be baked almost to the tenderness that we like, but no spices. They can be boiled, but I find they fall apart faster in the tank when boiled. 

Buy a bag of mixed frozen vegies. 
Feed one frozen veg. at a time. Just toss it in frozen. It will defrost fast enough. When you figure out what they like, just buy those. 

Peas: if you want to go to the effort: 
Put a couple of frozen peas in a bit of hot water. Pop them out of their shell. They will usually split in half, too. Feed about half a pea per Oto daily. 

Green Beans: Put a frozen green bean in a bit of hot water. Slice lengthwise to expose the tender inside. Treat the baby beans like the peas. My fish will start on the tender inside and will end up eating the whole thing. You may be able to buy them already sliced like this. Look for 'French cut'.


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## brittie1 (Feb 28, 2013)

Blanched spinach or kale. Cantaloupe or other melon.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

Thanks for some more answers. I think I will try Kale first. I have way more than we ever eat in the garden so it will be super fresh haha. I also usually have spinach, Broccoli, Peas, Green Beans, and Butternut Squash. Sounds like I can do this without going out of my way. I could only buy a large amount of Cucumber at Trader Joes that would all go to waste, same with Zucchini. I just hate wasting food and I grow some of the stuff mentioned anyway.


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## tripleDot (Jul 5, 2013)

Mine loves Ben & Jerry's Coffee Heath Bar but I prefer Chocolate Peppermint Crunch. So my oto gets a piece of cucumber while I gorge on the B&J Choco-mint.


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