Otos - Exactly how much algae?

[Ellen4God]

How long should I wait until I add otos to my tank? The tank has been set up with fish for over a month now. The algae is getting pretty intense now, I think. How much algae should I be looking for?

[Dave66]

How long should I wait until I add otos to my tank? The tank has been set up with fish for over a month now. The algae is getting pretty intense now, I think. How much algae should I be looking for?

It doesn't matter how much, Ellen, Otocinclus will eat it. The more you have the better they will do.
Otocinclus and their kin come from under the 'floating meadows' (vast masses of vegetation) that float down the Amazon river. The intense sun means copious amounts of algae on the roots of plants, so the more algae you have, the happier they are.

Dave

[robnepper]

I read on another site that some one thinks the drip method of aclimating oto's is better than putting water in the bag every 15 min. What is the drip method? I also am about to introduces some otos into my cory tank.

[Dave66]

I read on another site that some one thinks the drip method of aclimating oto's is better than putting water in the bag every 15 min. What is the drip method? I also am about to introduces some otos into my cory tank.

OK, the drip method. You'll need a clean plastic bucket, a stack of books or bricks, your bag 0' Otos, and a length of air line tubing that reaches from the tank to about the middle of the bucket. Tie a loose knot in about the middle of the tube. Use the books or bricks to set the bucket at an angle. Start a syphon with the airline and let the water go down it into the bucket. Adjust the knot until you get one drop a second. Discard the water already in the bucket. Very, very gently pore your bag o' Otos into the bucket. Allow the one-per-second drip to slowly (takes an hour or so) double the amount of water in the bucket. Discard half, and allow it to double again. Then carefully net out the fish and add them to the tank.
Drip method prevents water param shock and thus helps prevent disease and death. Drip is also the standard method acclimating things like corals, fish, crabs and shrimp; in other words, reef life. In reef life, the doubling/discard can go on for hours.

Dave

[robnepper]

Wow, thanks dave!

[Dave66]

Wow, thanks dave!

No problem, Rob, its why I'm here :)

Dave