Otos Super Poopers?

[Johnlenham]

If not is it maybe the tetras?

Replaced 4 corys with one oto and 2 honey gouramis yesterday and my god something in that tank can poop, ive had to sand vac twice today and if it wasnt so late id do it again now!

It has never been this quick to get messy and I can only guess its the oto as hes zooming all over the tank munching on stuff, Its good hes eating well but sheeeesh if it can look this bad after 6 hours how bad is it going to be when I go away for 2-3days...

I feed once aday (around 11am) and its a tiny pinch of flake for the 9 tetras and 3 gouris and about 1/3rd a sinking waffer for the Bolivian.

Did put abit of cucumber in for the oto in case the algae wasn't sufficient but he didnt touch it so took it out.

 

[OldMan47]

Otocinclus live on algae. Algae is a low concentration food, unlike high protein animal feeds. Because their food is less concentrated, it takes more volume to give them the same nutrient intake as perhaps a betta would get from mostly animal protein. More volume in means more volume out, it is that simple.

 

[Johnlenham]

Otocinclus live on algae. Algae is a low concentration food, unlike high protein animal feeds. Because their food is less concentrated, it takes more volume to give them the same nutrient intake as perhaps a betta would get from mostly animal protein. More volume in means more volume out, it is that simple.

Ahh hat makes alot of sense thanks! was alittle worried I may have been over feeding but I guess not. I do hope they have some sense though and don't eat and eat till they explode right?

 

[danb_1985]

i've never kept otos but will be getting some this time around but from my research they like to have more than one of them in there? just though i'd let u know

 

[Johnlenham]

i've never kept otos but will be getting some this time around but from my research they like to have more than one of them in there? just though i'd let u know

Yeah I would have liked to get more but they only had one left in the shop, he seems very active though so hopefully he will be fine on his own for a few weeks when they will have more stock.

 

[Nick16]

dont wait, go to another shop and get a couple more. they are HIGHLY socail animals, just becuase he 'seems' fine doesnt mean he is.

 

[Johnlenham]

dont wait, go to another shop and get a couple more. they are HIGHLY socail animals, just becuase he 'seems' fine doesnt mean he is.

Sir yes sir!

Except I don't/cant drive, have no way of getting to any fish shops until at least Saturday but im away that weekend so cant then either. so ill have to wait anyway unless someone on here happens to have a couple needing a home

Did have a google and look at Ebay
Otos on Ebay

Maybe 2 more? Bearing in mind my 65liter (16gallon ish) tank has

3 Honey gouris (6inch ish)
1 Bolivian Ram (4ich ish)
9 Diamond Neon Tetras (9inch ish)
1 Oto
Allready so theres about roughly 1.2ich per gallon but when they are all fully grown it will be more like 1.5

 

[OldMan47]

Although I have seen many threads here and elsewhere that advocate lots of otos for a tank, I usually end up with only 2 or three of them and they do fine. I wish knew their real needs, they seem to do fine in small numbers in my tanks.

 

[Night61]

i have four ottos in my tank. three from two weeks ago one from three months ago. the three i purchased recently love to chase each other around the tank.
i throw algae wafers in the tank just to give them something to munch on.

 

[Johnlenham]

This is insane he craps so much its unreal. If I had black sand or gravel I wouldnt notice but on white sand its crazy. How on earth people keep there tanks clean looking with 4-8 is beyond me, I have to do 50% water change everyday just to get most of it then when I put new water back in it blows all the hidden stuff to the front

Maybe I should just carpet all the sand with plants that way I wont see it and it can fertalize the plants