How to Promote Diatom Algae for Otos?

[Phinny]

My oto's feasted on the brown diatom algae (BDA) in my tank but then refused to eat anything else after all the BDA was gone. Does anyone have a recommendation on how to grow brown diatom algae? I know most people are trying to get rid of the stuff. I read somewhere that people have grown BDA on rocks in a separate tank and added those rocks to a tank with otos. 

[AdamTill]

Yeah, diatoms aren’t easy to culture. This is the only reference I’ve seen to doing it consistently, and it’s not simple. https://www.plantedtank.net/forums/12-tank-journals/1270281-flow-go-style-stream-tank-oliver-knott-inspired.html#post11050473

Some people do the rock in the sun thing, and that seems to work, but generally for green algaes.

Personally, I’ve never not been able to train them onto Repashy  Soilent Green and veggies.

Edited January 12, 2021 by AdamTill

[Brandy]

Mine like the middles of cucumbers. I have 10g per fish, and high light and they seem to stay fat so I guess I am growing something. Water is warm also, and driftwood in tank to provide surfaces in adition to glass. I avoid cleaining glass.