Feeding Oto cats

[Sasquatch]

We bought three otos yesterday and for the moment they're in quarantine. They seem to be enjoying their new temporary home, but we're wondering what and how to feed them.

For the moment we're giving them some Hikari algae wafers and we transplanted some algae covered Hygrophila from our main tank. They're attacking the algae on the Hygrophila, but when we put the wafer in this morning, the platies (also in quarantine) ate more of it than the otos.

Is there anything else we can feed them to give them a more varied/balanced diet? I've heard of blanched zuchinni and lettuce, are there any other suggestions?

Also when do you feed them? Would they have more luck if we fed them at night?

We're trying to "fatten 'em up" so they don't get chomped by our bumblebee catfish which has been known to eat young platies the size of our otos (and whom we suspect of polishing off a deceased platy while we were away during the holidays ... )

So how do you feed your otos?

[travie]

I feed my 3 otos algae wafers. When I started putting the wafers in the tank, the otos were never interested. I just kept up feeding them the wafers, and eventually they started eating them. Since they had actual algae to eat in your tank, made them not hungry enough to eat the wafers.

[slinky]

The wafers are always eaten by other fish, especially catfish. Every week I hang a piece of squash that is attached to a suction cup. They love it and will stick to it, especially the unpeeled portions and the underside so they are upside down. Only keep the cucumber or squash in there for a day or else it will discintegrate and get all over your tank.

[MeganL3985]

I put in hikari wafers at night. They're gone by morning. Dunno if the oto's are the ones eating them, but they sure are fat so they're getting enough food somewhere! :) lol

[Nick_Pavlovski]

I've had great success with my Otos feeding them blanched slices of cucumber.
They leave the skin and attack the soft pulpy meat.

[slinky]

I've had great success with my Otos feeding them blanched slices of cucumber.
They leave the skin and attack the soft pulpy meat.
That's what everyone told me until I left the peeled cuke in there once. The otos LOVED hanging onto the peel and sucking it. Perhaps it's like dessert for them...

["the"Trinity]

I don't know why, but we never had any luck feeding cucumbers to our Oto's. Ours went for the Hikari algae wafers over anything else we've tried for them.

[slinky]

I don't know why, but we never had any luck feeding cucumbers to our Oto's. Ours went for the Hikari algae wafers over anything else we've tried for them.
Try squash. Cukes were just okay, squash they seemed to like much more. It also sometimes takes time for them to go for it all.

["the"Trinity]

Try squash. Cukes were just okay, squash they seemed to like much more. It also sometimes takes time for them to go for it all.

Thanks Slinky!! We might give that a try, and whaddya know . . . we have some squash in the house. Just had it for dinner tonight! LOL

[Sasquatch]

Thanks everyone for the replies. We tried cucumber yesterday and they made a pretty good dent in it during the night. We'll take out what's left today since I don't want it to rot in the aquarium.

We also bought some squash and we'll try those out soon. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Hailey]

hmmm, does it matter what kinda of squash? because we grow our own butternut squash

[slinky]

hmmm, does it matter what kinda of squash? because we grow our own butternut squash
It depends where your otos are from. If they are from Long Island or LA then they might be picky.

Actually, I'm just kidding. I've just read and seen others say that squash seems to be more appealing to otos and just put it in the tank. Try for at least a week. Mine didn't go to a cucumber at first and then I tried squash. Now they run to squash and love it.