Adding Otos To New Tank

[Tyler LaZerte]

My aquarium is about a month old now and is fully cycled (not seasoned, mind you)  I do have a good carpet of diatoms and heavy diatoms on the wood piece. I want to get Otos because I love their behavior and looks and purpose but was curious if I should clean up some heavy diatoms in my tank before getting them in a couple weeks. Or, should I leave the diatoms heavy so the otos (and corys I am going to get a well) have some good food sources?

[Patrick_G]

How heavy is the diatom layer? If it’s starting to get unsightly I’d do some clean up. If it’s not bothering you just leave it. The Otos will clean it up in no time. 

[Tyler LaZerte]

I mean, I know it's a food source so i'm not too upset with it but it doesn't look nice lol. There's a good dusting on the sand and a good half inch of so on the driftwood piece. Parameters are all fine though so it's not affecting that. 

[HH Morant]

Lots of algae is good for preventing or softening ammonia/nitrite spikes, as well as keeping nitrates down. Plus being food for the otos. For over a week now I have had 4 new otos in a quarantine tank that is full of plants and overrun with algae. Water quality has been perfect. The only problem is that I cannot always find the otos in an aquarium full of plants and algae. 

[Tyler LaZerte]

@HH Morant My tank has a bit of Val bit it is not fully planted so I should be able to see them well