The wonder of Ottos!!

[rvm]

This is my 20g tank that I'm using as a Tiger Barb tank. Over the last week or so, it has suffered an extreme algae problem. I din't really want a bristlenose, so I thought I'd give Ottos a go as I've never had them before. Oh My God! They went at it like there was never gonna be any algae for them again!!! This is the tank just as I put them in.

And this is the tank now. 24 Hours later!!!! (that mark on the back is where I got some water on the background; not algae, there is barely a trace of algae in the tank now!!)

That is incredible!!! Only problem I've got now is what do I feed them now they've eaten it all? I think they'll eat the LFS out of algae wafers at that rate!!!

 

[jive]

how many ottos did u buy???

 

[gadazobe]

Wow, great job - they're lovely little fish - and great algae eaters. Give them veggies as well as algae wafers and that should keep them happy.

 

[rvm]

I got 6 of them as they were £2.50 each, or 6 for £10. Probably too many, but they've done the job, I might separate them into 3's and put 3 of them into my 55g. Would they have problems with Sajica cichlids, or a blue Acara??

 

[jive]

thats pretty crazy, expecialy for 24 hours.

 

[gadazobe]

Both the fish you mentioned grow to about 4", and can become terratorial (after all, they are cichlids) The ottos are possibly too small to keep with them and I wouldnt like to take that chance.

 

[rvm]

yeah, thats what I figured. The Sajica male is already 5" and the Acara will get close to 8" so probably not the best idea eh??!!!
Oh well, at least i've got one really clean and gleaming tank!!!! Bloody lazy plec in the big tank doesn't eat much algae at all. All he seems to do is crap all day long!!!!

 

[bunjiweb]

Otos can live with cichlids like most other sucker catfish but I wouldnt reccomend it whilst they are still small. Wait until they have grown a bit if you do want to add them They are great little fish

Ben