# How to know if oto catfish is getting enough food



## rakizta (Sep 7, 2014)

I just bought an oto catfish 2 days ago for my nano tank and seemed to be doing very well. I have noticed most of the leaves are cleaner now and he did a great job getting rid of the algae even in the glass. But if he ran out of algae to eat in the aquarium, how often do you give him supplements like veggies or algae wafers? What are the signs that they are hungry or undernourished? He is still going from plant to plant so right now I think he is still fine for now. I just wanna know what to do in the future thanks!


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## Betta132 (Nov 29, 2012)

Once he looks to be out of algae, give him some food every couple of days. 
An oto should look plump if seen from the side or while clinging to the glass.


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## jeffturneraz (Apr 28, 2014)

I have new Otto's as well.

In one tank I have detritus worms galore.

I put zucchini clipped to side 2 days ago and the Otto hasn't touched it.

I just noticed last night before bed with the tanks 'moonlight' on, the zucchini has white worms all on it.

Is this the reason he hasn't touched it?

My instincts say of course it is. But then I think isn't the want for the food more powerful? Like if it had snails all over it, wouldn't the Otto find a spot to squeeze in?

I know Otto's aren't aggressive but I thought they were not scared if it came to smaller things like snails or maybe even worms?

I was scared of these worms at first but after many posts was assured they were harmless and good for my tank...but do you think the Otto is avoiding food he loves because worms are on it or is it more likely he still has plenty of algae around the tank to eat still?

Thx


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Fish are like many other animals, including children: If they are presented with a new food they do not immediately know it is food, and may be reluctant to eat it. 
Worms, on the other hand do not have whatever warning signal is involved in avoiding unfamiliar things, or else the zucchini resembled something else they were already familiar with, so they moved in on it. 
Keep offering a variety of foods, and when you find something the Oto will eat you can put 2 of something on the clip: The food he eats, and something new, including other vegies or algae wafers. 
Mine like the inside of a broccoli stem. The skin is a bit too hard, though. 
Green beans, sliced lengthwise to expose the tender inside.


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## FatherLandDescendant (Jul 24, 2014)

Diana said:


> Fish are like many other animals, including children: If they are presented with a new food they do not immediately know it is food, and may be reluctant to eat it.
> Worms, on the other hand do not have whatever warning signal is involved in avoiding unfamiliar things, or else the zucchini resembled something else they were already familiar with, so they moved in on it.
> Keep offering a variety of foods, and when you find something the Oto will eat you can put 2 of something on the clip: The food he eats, and something new, including other vegies or algae wafers.
> Mine like the inside of a broccoli stem. The skin is a bit too hard, though.
> Green beans, sliced lengthwise to expose the tender inside.


I assume you use fresh veggies and not canned?

I tried a cucumber slice and mine only rested on it. The slice went gelatinous over night, ended up with a slimy goop that had to be fished out with a net:tongue:


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## psych (Jan 7, 2013)

I have four ottos and feed mine a combination of zucchini, cucumber, and some kind of seaweed purchased at a local pet store. They seem to like the zucchini and cucumber most. I hang mine off a clip always in the same spot in hopes I can train them to look for food there. I believe they enjoy the seaweed as well, but that usually disintegrates so it's hard to tell. During earlier morning and early evening I'll see two or three attached to it. They never look really plump but after nearly 1 1/2 months they're not dead so something has to be going right in there.


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## rakizta (Sep 7, 2014)

Just got home from work and read all ur msgs. Thanks guys for the tips. I'm goin to try if he'll touch the algae wafer first, if not I'll get the zucchini and see what happens. He is still working on some of the algae left in my plants. He looks happy still lol


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## jeffturneraz (Apr 28, 2014)

Diana said:


> Fish are like many other animals, including children: If they are presented with a new food they do not immediately know it is food, and may be reluctant to eat it.
> Worms, on the other hand do not have whatever warning signal is involved in avoiding unfamiliar things, or else the zucchini resembled something else they were already familiar with, so they moved in on it.
> Keep offering a variety of foods, and when you find something the Oto will eat you can put 2 of something on the clip: The food he eats, and something new, including other vegies or algae wafers.
> Mine like the inside of a broccoli stem. The skin is a bit too hard, though.
> Green beans, sliced lengthwise to expose the tender inside.


Just a quick reply, I read this earlier today...but retained what you stated and just wanted to thx for the reply Diana. Thx!


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## drip loop (Apr 12, 2014)

If you just bought an otto 2 days ago he's not full , and sometimes probably far to gone if you doesn't start eating with you pretty quickly


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## jeffturneraz (Apr 28, 2014)

drip loop said:


> If you just bought an otto 2 days ago he's not full , and sometimes probably far to gone if you doesn't start eating with you pretty quickly


I posted a pic in another thread and was told he didn't appear too thin, and also he has lots of algae to work with.


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## drip loop (Apr 12, 2014)

Yes but we are not taking into account is how long at the travel without eating till they finally get your tank in the other tanks have been a committed to be going there so much dress just in transit that looks can be deceiving in a lot of them can be sick beyond appearance. Funny thing about fish they can't say ouch


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## drip loop (Apr 12, 2014)

Sorry about the grammar its voice to text and as we all know it stinks


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## drip loop (Apr 12, 2014)

If you want to know more about them actually quite a bit more go on youtube and watch it how they're caught and get a better feel for what they deal with from that point until the end up in the final destination fish tank


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## drip loop (Apr 12, 2014)

If I wasn't driving I never would be posting this with voice to text and quite frankly I will probably be the last time I ever post anything I happen to have to contribute without using my own fingers to do it


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## jeffturneraz (Apr 28, 2014)

Yes, I read up on them a lot before I got them. Read all about how they catch them.

I have tried zucchini and now algae wafer, but the wafer was covered by my amanos and I don't think he has it in him to shew the shrimp off bc he's outnumbered. 

He is running out of algae I think. Tank walls are spotless.


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## jeffturneraz (Apr 28, 2014)

drip loop said:


> If I wasn't driving I never would be posting this with voice to text and quite frankly I will probably be the last time I ever post anything I happen to have to contribute without using my own fingers to do it


After no luck with algae wafers or zucchini, I bought seaweed and better clips.

From what the box says, these seaweed sheets aren't like zuchinni in that the box says to remove leftovers after a few hours.

I'm guessing like 3 hours I'll leave it in.

Man I hope he likes this. This little guy doesn't like anything. My tank is cleaner than ever but I can't find what he likes. Hopefully this.

Side note, it floated up, I figured the sheet would be of a thickness to where it would hang down flat against the wall...


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## drip loop (Apr 12, 2014)

You could use it in a blend with gelatin or agar agar whatever that binder is and add veggies till your fish turn green


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## jeffturneraz (Apr 28, 2014)

drip loop said:


> You could use it in a blend with gelatin or agar agar whatever that binder is and add veggies till your fish turn green


I think that went over my head...what are you saying specifically?


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## HuginMunin (Jan 31, 2014)

Keep trying the zucchini. When I first started with otos I tried everything and they wouldn't go for anything. After a couple of weeks I just put the zucchini in every few days and eventually they got round to it. Once they recognize it they'll go after it every time. Be persistent and they'll find it and love it. Mine now flock to it within a few hours of it going in, every time.


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## jeffturneraz (Apr 28, 2014)

HuginMunin said:


> Keep trying the zucchini. When I first started with otos I tried everything and they wouldn't go for anything. After a couple of weeks I just put the zucchini in every few days and eventually they got round to it. Once they recognize it they'll go after it every time. Be persistent and they'll find it and love it. Mine now flock to it within a few hours of it going in, every time.


Okay will do. Been 30 minutes now and he hasn't touched the seaweed yet. 

The amanos are all over it though


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

How big is your tank? They can live off biofilm just fine if the tank is big enough. You can also try feeding Repashy Soilent Green/Super Green.


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## jeffturneraz (Apr 28, 2014)

Monster Fish said:


> How big is your tank? They can live off biofilm just fine if the tank is big enough. You can also try feeding Repashy Soilent Green/Super Green.


10 gallon w 1 Otto.

20 gallon w 1...had 2 but one didn't survive the move

Idk what repashy is but I will Google that.

Thx.


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## jeffturneraz (Apr 28, 2014)

Wow that seaweed stuff is a huge mess.

I thought it would be thick enough to be sturdy kind of like a credit card .

That way the Otto could rest up against it just like the wall of the tank.

It is instead it is very thin and waves with the current.

Three hours later upon trying to remove it, bc uneaten you obviously can't leave it...the whole thing broke apart into a bunch of pieces so I had to end up fishing it all out with the net.

I'm not sold on the seaweed sheets. At least not attached to clips on the side. Maybe if there were a box with a top and bottom with open sides so the algae eaters could swim in and out easily, and that also clipped the seaweed to the bottom of said box.

Just something so that which ever way faces up has a top to prevent breakaway pieces from floating upwards.

That being said I had 1 to 2 amanos only..eat it and the Otto ignored it so idk if seaweed is worth it in the first place.

Zucchini... I cut that length wise. As opposed to the little circles. That way I have a long piece that can be as long as the zucchini and as thick as I want as to make it stiff.

Clip that on the side and it's a much better surface to rest on and eat on.

I know zucchini isn't natural in the wild for them but it seems more close to natural than seaweed. Or do I have that backwards?


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## HuginMunin (Jan 31, 2014)

I've tried algae wafers, sinking wafers, cucumber, squash, spinach, chard, lettuce, peas, seaweed and zucchini. The only thing they've ever eaten other than the diatoms and aufwuchs in the tank is zucchini. I have no idea why they're so fond of it. I'm willing to bet they'd go after the Repashy gel food as well, but I've never tried it; I have a great pig of a gourami who tends to selfishly devour anything that's left just sitting in the tank. It even goes after the zucchini after it softens up a bit (the angelfish do too).


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Seaweed has worked fine for me for years.San Francisco bay brand or sushi nori from walmart.
Yes it floats, and the guppies I raise shred it to bits which causes it to float all about the tank where other fishes,snails,shrimps enjoy it.Discus ,Angelfish,Plecos,oto's,nearly all of the livebearer's are but a few that I have seen eat it whenever I place it in the tank.
The seaweed and or zuchinni do not contain the animal proteins that other foods contain and I have left these foods in the tank for three or four days sometimes while away fishing, and fishes /water chemistry indicated nothing of concern.
Personally would not purchase otocinclus whose primary food is algae, unless I was prepared to allow enough algae to exist to keep the fish healthy/happy.
As others have noted some of these fish do not readily take to foods that they would not see in the wild where most of them are sourced from and some readily take to the vegetable matter.
I love these little fishes but I take pains to prevent algae so I don't keep em.


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## jeffturneraz (Apr 28, 2014)

HuginMunin said:


> I've tried algae wafers, sinking wafers, cucumber, squash, spinach, chard, lettuce, peas, seaweed and zucchini. The only thing they've ever eaten other than the diatoms and aufwuchs in the tank is zucchini. I have no idea why they're so fond of it. I'm willing to bet they'd go after the Repashy gel food as well, but I've never tried it; I have a great pig of a gourami who tends to selfishly devour anything that's left just sitting in the tank. It even goes after the zucchini after it softens up a bit (the angelfish do too).


Ha. You have got me beat! Sounds like sticking with zucchini is my best bet until he figures out that big thing in the tank is edible.

On the topic of catfish in general, I know my Cory catfish have long seemed to act almost blind in daylight. I obviously do not know this for fact but he acts like it when I see him searching for food right next to his head that he should be able to see but until his mouth hits it is when he acts like he has first found it.

Does anyone know whether blindness is a common theme with catfish? Just a random theory. 

Other fish see food, zero in on it and attack it or swim to it.

Cory's seem to be "sniffing" the bottom and it is right next to their heads but until they finally touch it...they act like they don't see it.

Wondering if I'm correct and if maybe a common trait with all catfish? Otto's included? ( while we're talking about Otto's eating )

If so it would explain maybe not investigating new things clipped on the walls right away?,idk...maybe a stretch.


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## jeffturneraz (Apr 28, 2014)

roadmaster said:


> Seaweed has worked fine for me for years.San Francisco bay brand or sushi nori from walmart.
> Yes it floats, and the guppies I raise shred it to bits which causes it to float all about the tank where other fishes,snails,shrimps enjoy it.Discus ,Angelfish,Plecos,oto's,nearly all of the livebearer's are but a few that I have seen eat it whenever I place it in the tank.
> The seaweed and or zuchinni do not contain the animal proteins that other foods contain and I have left these foods in the tank for three or four days sometimes while away fishing, and fishes /water chemistry indicated nothing of concern.
> Personally would not purchase otocinclus whose primary food is algae, unless I was prepared to allow enough algae to exist to keep the fish healthy/happy.
> ...


Point taken. I am now realizing the whole "don't buy an animal to get rid of a problem" mantra.

Up until now, for me, this only applied to snail eaters...assassin snails and a clown loach. I can not complain about either of those 2. They do a good job and are so easy to maintain and fun to watch.

Now with this Otto...I am impressed, my tank is spotless on the glass and he even cleaned the tubing spotless that goes to my diffuser.

...but I am seeing how it can create a new situation easily.

Hopefully I can get his finicky food situation figured out before anything bad happens and he will be happy.

I can now see I am currently going to greater lengths to maintain the Otto than simply scraping the tank sides myself during my WC...but maybe that is just this initial part getting used to him and vice versa.

I see your point though.


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## jeffturneraz (Apr 28, 2014)

roadmaster said:


> Seaweed has worked fine for me for years.San Francisco bay brand or sushi nori from walmart.
> Yes it floats, and the guppies I raise shred it to bits which causes it to float all about the tank where other fishes,snails,shrimps enjoy it.Discus ,Angelfish,Plecos,oto's,nearly all of the livebearer's are but a few that I have seen eat it whenever I place it in the tank.
> The seaweed and or zuchinni do not contain the animal proteins that other foods contain and I have left these foods in the tank for three or four days sometimes while away fishing, and fishes /water chemistry indicated nothing of concern.
> Personally would not purchase otocinclus whose primary food is algae, unless I was prepared to allow enough algae to exist to keep the fish healthy/happy.
> ...


PS so you are telling me I can leave the seaweed in there for a few days? Is that something you did the one time when you were gone or are you saying you have since continued to do this?

I found it odd that I could put food (seaweed) containing salt in my tank in the first place but you are saying due to it not having animal protein I can ignore the directions and leave it overnight no problem?

If so this will be helpful in giving more time for my Otto to try it. I have 24 huge sheets of it & paid $7...it would be nice to get some use out of it! 😜


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## AquaMD (Nov 29, 2012)

I have one in my tank, it's not the most active fish.
Shows no interest in food that has fallen to the bottom - flake or brine shrimp
Must be getting enough food as I have had him well over a year.


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

jeffturneraz said:


> PS so you are telling me I can leave the seaweed in there for a few days? Is that something you did the one time when you were gone or are you saying you have since continued to do this?
> 
> I found it odd that I could put food (seaweed) containing salt in my tank in the first place but you are saying due to it not having animal protein I can ignore the directions and leave it overnight no problem?
> 
> If so this will be helpful in giving more time for my Otto to try it. I have 24 huge sheets of it & paid $7...it would be nice to get some use out of it! &#55357;&#56860;


 
I cut about three inch squares of the stuff and either float it on top where most of the guppy fry gravitate due to the floating plants ,or clip it to the side of the tank and leave it till it's gone.
Won't hurt nothing.

Felt bad for the oto's I kept when the algae was gone ,and even resorted to placing smooth stones in a bowl of water out in the sun till algae grew on them ,and then I brought the stones in and placed em in the aquarium.
Yep,trying to keep the little fellas happy was a fair bit of work.


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## n25philly (Dec 12, 2013)

It can take time for oto's to catch up to what is food. Are you blanching the vegetables you are putting in the tank? They tend to eat soft algae the most so if you blanch them it will make it easier for them to recognize it as food. They will catch on. I have an oto in my tank that never seems to have much algae at all and he does well on the bio film and he will eat pretty much anything I put in for my cory cats like bottom feeder pellets, shrimp pellets and algae wafers. If you just have one your tank there probably already is more food in there for it than you realize


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## Knotyoureality (Aug 3, 2012)

You might want to keep in mind that otos can happily nibble away at the near invisible algae that pretty much every tank has. Nor are they large, voracious fish that require huge amounts of food. 

If they have nicely rounded bellies, good color and occasionally zip around the tank you're likely fine. Offering a variety of food helps ensure their health--and your other stock will enjoy it anyway--but I wouldn't stress. In terms of how to feed, I slice off small pieces of whatever food I'm feeding---zuch, peas, asaparus, green beans, kale, spinach, radish or turnip leaves, brussel sprouts, etc--blanch it so it'll sink and just drop it into the darker corners of the tank or clip it to a lower piece of driftwood in a shaded area; otos tend to be shy feeders so a huge slab of food clipped in a brightly lit area isn't going to encourage them to try it out.


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## TECKSPEED (Jan 2, 2013)

I just picked up 4 otos for a 20 gallon tank that has a good bit of algae, they are quite fragile but as long as they are nice and plump I dont worry about them at all, another thing is you can increase light to produce more algae, thus giving them more food to eat. Just food for thought.

I often find mine hanging off the glass or sitting on hardscape. Just sucking down some algae or other detrius


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## rakizta (Sep 7, 2014)

Hi guys! Just updating😕. 10 days after putting my oto cat in my aquarium, plants and glass looks cleaner than ever. So I'm kinda worried that he won't have enough algae to eat anymore. I've tried giving him algae wafers twice during night time before lights are off but he won't go at it. I put blanched zucchinni and failed as well. Here's a picture of him now. Is he still healthy? Is he thin?


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## Ziggy (Sep 2, 2011)

n25philly said:


> Are you blanching the vegetables you are putting in the tank?


I was just about to ask that as I didnt see it being mentioned. Its a CRITICAL step. I put a disc on a small plate with a puddle of water, give it a spin in the microwave till it JUST turns soft. The skin of the zucchini should be supple and the flesh soft, but not mush.

Never seen an otto who wouldn't park themselves on a piece. If you are putting it in raw its no different than your plants (which as you know they dont eat!)


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## HuginMunin (Jan 31, 2014)

I actually never blanch mine. The first time I did the other fish in the tank just went to town on the zucchini until it was virtually gone. I run each piece under hot tap water for a few seconds just to get any dirt and/or wax off that might be on it. That gives the otos a day or so to themselves on the zucchini before the angels and gourami get at it. So I guess it's a psuedo-blanch.


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## DesignZ (Aug 14, 2014)

Blanched mine, still they don't go at it and tends to float. How long should you keep it in just curious?


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## jeffturneraz (Apr 28, 2014)

DesignZ said:


> Blanched mine, still they don't go at it and tends to float. How long should you keep it in just curious?


I'm in the same boat. Today I put zucchini in for the 3rd time since I got my Otto.

I didn't blanch first 2 times but this one I did. Still nothing.

I'm just going to keep trying.

I will eventually try something new...repashy? ..but for now I'm going to hope this zucchini catches on eventually.


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## DesignZ (Aug 14, 2014)

jeffturneraz said:


> I'm in the same boat. Today I put zucchini in for the 3rd time since I got my Otto.
> 
> I didn't blanch first 2 times but this one I did. Still nothing.
> 
> ...


How long are you leaving it in? I have it almost 24 hours. Hopefully they catch on


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## jeffturneraz (Apr 28, 2014)

DesignZ said:


> How long are you leaving it in? I have it almost 24 hours. Hopefully they catch on


2 days on the first try.


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## HuginMunin (Jan 31, 2014)

jeffturneraz said:


> but for now I'm going to hope this zucchini catches on eventually.


 I think this is the proper route to try. Judging from your original post you've only had your otos in for a little over a week...? There's probably still plenty of aufwuchs for them to feed on. It took me a few weeks (at least 3 if I remember correctly, possibly longer) before I observed them feeding on the zucchini. I think I probably prolonged the process by constantly changing the target food I was putting in the tank. I'd stick to the zucchini, on a regular schedule, so they can recognize it in a more timely manner. Just relax and keep it up and hopefully you'll soon have that elated experience of seeing your oto chomping on some zucchini. Also bear in mind that as a steward of the otocinclus you will have to inevitably deal with some of them dying off, sometimes very soon after you get them, sometimes a few months after.


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## Ziggy (Sep 2, 2011)

DesignZ said:


> Blanched mine, still they don't go at it and tends to float. How long should you keep it in just curious?


I use a stainless steel bbq skewer. Stab the veggie with it and just set it in the tank against the side. Puts the veggie down low for them. I'll leave a piece in for a couple days anyway.

P.S. this is also a fantastic way to get rid of nuisance snails: They will congregate on a zucchini slice overnight, greatly simplifying their removal in the morning.


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## rakizta (Sep 7, 2014)

After failing with the zucchini and algae wafers, my oto cat finally took my bait... an apple. He is munching it for hours now. Just need to put it on a butter knife to keep it under water.


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## Ziggy (Sep 2, 2011)

Thats interesting! I never knew that apple was an option (for some reason I'd have thought they'd be too acidic  ).


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## AGUILAR3 (Jun 22, 2013)

interesting


rakizta said:


> an apple.


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## requiem (Oct 25, 2008)

My Otos are really skinny too and I can't seem to make them eat either.

I think I'll stop buying them altogether. They are typically wild caught with chemicals dumped in natural water sources. I'd rather not encourage that. Unless someone has found a captive bred strain?


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## caique (Mar 16, 2012)

Mine love blanched Organic Baby Bok Choy.

Steam for 3 minutes take out put in cold water and then take skin off and put it on a clip or rock with rubberband.


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## TheAnswerIs42 (Jul 10, 2014)

Mine loves cucumber, especially the seeds. I don't blanch it, just peel it so it sinks faster. Shrimp go crazy for it too.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

My otos eat cucumber and zucchini. I have some in my husband's tank and they are always plump so I only give veggie once a week. The batch in my 55g are idiots and don't eat the diatoms on the glass or goodies on the driftwood so I have to give them a veggie every 3 days (about how long it takes for them to pick clean a chuck)


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## 0xDEADBEEF (Aug 22, 2014)

I have 3 otos. 2 older ones that became extremely shy, and one I have acquired recently (and which has come with extra gift of ick, LOL).

I am giving them cucumber and Hikari Mini Algae wafers.
The old otos became very shy, just hiding on the back wall of the tank behind the heater or plants of driftwood, I do not ever see them eat.
The new oto is always next to feeding dish munching on the algae wafers or sometimes eating the cucumber.

There is a ton of algae everywhere, especially on Anubias leaves, but some of it seems very hard - I have hard time scratching it off with my nails. The snails seem to eat it, but I don't think otos do. Every time I change the cucumber bit, I throw away several snails. But they keep coming ;-)

I fear that my shy otos are going to starve. I don't know how to change their behavior and make them eat and come to the front of the tank.


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## jeffturneraz (Apr 28, 2014)

0xDEADBEEF said:


> I have 3 otos. 2 older ones that became extremely shy, and one I have acquired recently (and which has come with extra gift of ick, LOL).
> 
> I am giving them cucumber and Hikari Mini Algae wafers.
> The old otos became very shy, just hiding on the back wall of the tank behind the heater or plants of driftwood, I do not ever see them eat.
> ...


You can be certain they are at least eating at night.

I thought mine were going to starve, had algae to be eaten, then began noticing the algae was always missing when the lights came on in the morning.

I never got mine to eat anything I tried to feed it, so I gave up and he's still happy and fat off what is in the tank...many many months later. These things really are amazing at cleaning your tank. 

I tried most algae eaters, snails, amanos, and these Otto's are on another level.


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## 0xDEADBEEF (Aug 22, 2014)

jeffturneraz said:


> You can be certain they are at least eating at night.


Lets hope so. They are nice little creatures it would be sad if they starved.

But I would also like them to be more visible in the tank instead of always hidden. I just bought some Omega One Super Veggie Green Seaweed, maybe this will lure them out.


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## Kreed (Apr 28, 2020)

jeffturneraz said:


> Monster Fish said:
> 
> 
> > How big is your tank? They can live off biofilm just fine if the tank is big enough. You can also try feeding Repashy Soilent Green/Super Green.
> ...


I got some of the Repashy Soilent Green and every animal in my tank goes nuts for it. I have nerite snails, a school of chili rasboras, cherry shrimp, mystery snails and three otos. It's a little insane. 

Make sure you prep it correctly, or it won't turn into a firm gel. I followed directions that told me to add the powder to water that had been brought to a boil, which I did, but it didn't really solidify. The second time, I brought the water to a boil in a tiny pot I had, and then added the powder, let it boil for a few seconds more while I stirred, and it worked like a charm. I poke a chunk of it onto the end of a steel skewer just to get it down to the feeding dish, tap it lightly, and it falls off. Maybe they all take that as a dinner bell ringing or something because within just a few seconds, they all start converging. It doesn't gunk up the tank AND stays firm until it's gone, which doesn't take long. ☺


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