# Oto Cat vs BBA



## hitechboy (Jul 27, 2010)

I started my super high light (6 wpg MH), CO2, EI, 24g cube for about 3 weeks. BBA being to grow out of control. 10 ml of Excel per day don't do much.

Last week end I went out and got 6 little Oto Cats. Today, there are no BBA on any larger plants, the little guys work very hard to eat them all. I even saw them clean up a thick carpet of BBA on the heater casing.

If you have BBA problem, try start the biological war with Oto Cats and I am sure you will be very happy with the result.


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## WillyJ (Jun 22, 2010)

I washaving massive BBA issues in my 20H before I added 3 otos and about 8 nerite snails. Its almost spotless now


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## williamsonaaron (Jan 27, 2010)

BBA = black brush Algae right?

I have never seen my oto's go anywhere near it.


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## NJAquaBarren (Sep 16, 2009)

I wouldn't hve thought Otos would eat BBA, but in my tank I would see them occassionally skim the leaves of BBA. I only had 5 in a 84g tank, so I went out and bought a dozen more. Sure enough, they are eating it. Very surprised. Will see if they keep it under control.

AB


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Nothing eats BBA, maybe mollies or flagfish, maybe. Do you have a pic of the algae in question?


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## hitechboy (Jul 27, 2010)

This is what it look like:









The whole logo was covered with a thick carpet of BBA. This is what it look now.


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

Otos fresh from the LFS are usually _badly starved_ and will eat things they normally don't like to.

Plus killing BBA (even partially) with Excel makes BBA more palatable to them.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

DarkCobra said:


> Otos fresh from the LFS are usually _badly starved_ and will eat things they normally don't like to.
> 
> Plus killing BBA (even partially) with Excel makes BBA more palatable to them.


Thats the missing link here. The BBA looks slightly pinkish which to me means that it was dying off due to Excel dosages. In that case jut about anything will eat it. 

Good job in ridding yourself of this nuisance algae. Now keep constant co2 levels and lighting period and you should be good. roud:


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## hitechboy (Jul 27, 2010)

I will continue to dose 10 ml / day until the BBA all gone! 

I didn't feed the Oto but their tummy look so big! I thank they are still having some good time. Let see if they will clean up the remaining bushes of BBA in a week.


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## hitechboy (Jul 27, 2010)

After another week of 10ml Excel daily. My Oto finished them up nicely, 95% of all BBA gone now!


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## justin182 (Aug 19, 2009)

Good news!


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## Sharkfood (May 2, 2010)

My ottos never ate any BBA. They only ate brown diatom algae when the tank was new, and fungus that grew on my driftwood. Initially I had some BBA, thread, and staghorn algae which they never even took a taste of. Nowadays I feed them spinach and zucchini.


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## DANIELSON (Jul 15, 2010)

Kind of off subject but what is that foreground plant? looks great.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Looks like HC to me.


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## DANIELSON (Jul 15, 2010)

Thats what i thought wish mine looked that good lol.


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