What Do You Feed...

[Saracirce]

So, a few days ago my mom surprised me with some Otos and platies. I was expecting something along the lines of platies or guppies but not the otocinclus. The thing is, I'm not sure they're getting enough to eat nor do I think they like the algae wafers I've bought for them. The reason my mom bought the otos is because a few months ago, I had a soft algae bloom and apparently she still thinks I have an algae problem but I don't. I used a scrubber to get most of it off and introduced some snails to the tank. That got rid of the algae rather effectively and, after a big population bloom, most of the snails died off. The ones who didn't I'm trying to get rid of now by picking out the ones I see little by little. I know you're supposed to be able to see the cats constantly pooing but it's hard to see because they generally refuse to come to the front of the tank where I can get a good look at them. They do have a good round belly on them but I have only had them for a few days now. The only fish I've seen interested in the wafers was one of my female platies who pecked at it a little bit and I've seen one oto nibbling on it but he moved on after a couple seconds and the rest I haven't seen anywhere near it. I also don't know what they've been fed before so that just makes me problem a bit worse. I do plan to buy some lettuce or a zucchini next time I go to the store but I'd like an actual food designed for fish to give them as well.

Tank:
10 gallon with good filtration
5 platies, 1 guppy and 5 otocinclus catfish
No live plants yet but I'm currently trying to grow some bulbs

Current food: Wardley: Algae Discs All Vegetable Food http/www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10813495

So, any advice for what I can feed them? I'd prefer something readily available from WalMart as I live in a small town about 8 hours from the nearest big city, with exclusion to anything in Canada, and that's the only store I know of that sells a good amount of fish food and equipment.

EDIT: I should probably also add that, so far, the Otos are acting fairly normal based on all that I've read on them and I do have plastic plants and rock decor in my tank but all of that is in the back so that's usually where they hang out. It's nice and shady for them.

 

[gregswimm]

I have 4 otos in my 20L planted. I never feed them, i have enough algae growth that i never need to. otos are such small fish that you can let a small bit of algae grow in your tank for them to feed off of. I avoid scrubbing the back pain of glass for this reason. If u wanted to give them food you can do algae wafers and maybe some cucumber(as i know plecs love cucumber and zucchini).

I hope all goes well with your ottos!