New otocinclus catfish

[Maggie]

I got six otos yesterday and they're in quarantine where there's no algae. The LFS guy said to put in wafers and to try canned green beans, but they haven't eaten or hardly moved, and it's been almost 24 hours. I sprinkled in a bit of powdered spirulina that came with the brine shrimp hatcher, and that has made sort of a green mess. Any advice? Should I run out and get something? Put them in the main tank where there's plenty of algae and plants and risk it?

[JaredL]

I've had issues with providing enough food in the form of algae for my otocinclus as well. Another popular food you could try is blanched zucchini slices. Most ottos are wild caught, so they kind of need to learn to eat other things. Sometimes it happens quicker than others, sometimes it just doesn't happen. I would suggest continuing to try algae based foods and blanched zucchini. Make sure you remove excess/uneaten food daily or when needed. Also, these fish are likely highly stressed so make sure your tank parameters are on par to help reduce excess stress and perhaps encourage their appetite.

Edit: these likely being wild caught, I would try to avoid adding to community tank until they have gone through a proper quarantine/medication process.

Edited November 14, 2020 by JaredL

[Maggie]

Thanks @JaredL. I specifically asked my My LFS if they were tank bred and they said yes (it's a Cory-approved LFS - House of Tropicals in Baltimore MD - and I hope they were honest). I will go get some zucchini!

[JaredL]

@Maggiemake sure to check back here for more input, as I'm by no means an expert. Just have a little experience and have combed the internet for info on this as I myself have encountered this problem(had a 29 gal covered in algae and 6 ottos annihilated that in a couple days, so having a little bit of algae doesn't necessarily solve feeding issue long term)

[ChefConfit]

Do you have any cories or small plecos that will eat the wafers? Sometimes seeing another fish eating them will make them realize it's food. Otherwise mine love peas. Just cook them in a little water until soft then remove the skin. I just pinch them between my fingers till the pop out of the skin. Mine also go crazy for frozen BBS

[Maggie]

@JaredL @ChefConfit a bit of positive news...I finally saw one on the green bean so put a few more in there. Also cleaned the bottom (using an old turkey baster) and found they must have been eating the spirulina or a little bit of the wafer. A couple of them have perked up a bit. Boy they poop a lot. I am doing a 15-20% water change daily (1/2+ gal am and 1/2+ gal pm) since it's only a 5-gallon minibow and not cycled. 

[Maggie]

Good news this morning! All six are now hanging together and it looks like they've eaten! I replaced their green beans and wafers with new in this am's water change, and added more spirulina. Hurry up rapashy! My order was sent out yesterday by the lightning-speed Aquarium Coop. Today I'm going to see if my grocery store has kale or zucchini (they were out yesterday). Here they are this morning. 

[Larrimore]

Don’t have a lot of experience with otos but a bunch of my fish love zucchini so definitely give that a try.  

[Maggie]

10 minutes ago, Larrimore said:

Don’t have a lot of experience with otos but a bunch of my fish love zucchini so definitely give that a try.  

For some reason my grocery store has been out of zucchini since October or what is there is old. They always stock on Saturday night so keeping fingers crossed there is some today!

[Casual aquatics]

Raw fresh mushrooms!!!!!!

[ChefConfit]

@Maggie The 3 to the right are definitely eating. They have rounded bellies. The one highest up looks like it may be concave but it could just be distorted from the angle and glass. I find that to be the best way to tell if they're eating since they tend to be shy and not eat while you're near the tank in the begining. 

[DaveSamsell]

23 hours ago, Maggie said:

I got six otos yesterday and they're in quarantine where there's no algae. The LFS guy said to put in wafers and to try canned green beans, but they haven't eaten or hardly moved, and it's been almost 24 hours. I sprinkled in a bit of powdered spirulina that came with the brine shrimp hatcher, and that has made sort of a green mess. Any advice? Should I run out and get something? Put them in the main tank where there's plenty of algae and plants and risk it?

My Otto's were a bit fussy eating as well.  What they really went crazy for was Repashy Soilent Green.   They are good general cleaners and will scavenge around the tank's glass and plants, in general.  I often comment on how peaceful these fish are as well.  One of my favorites for sure.  

We have a vegetable garden in the summer months and usually have a ton of zucchini.  They would eat that for me, if blanched.  

They are also happier in a larger group, I noticed.    

[Maggie]

One has found the zucchini and has been using the kale as cover!