breeding shrimp w/ oto's in tank plz help

[tropicalcrazy]

ok so im wanting to know, im breeding cherry shrimp in my 16g and would like to transfer 5 of my oto's out of my 55g into the 16g. i thought i read or was told somewhere that oto's and shrimp get along just fine even in breeding status.

also does anyone know if the albino bn that i have would eat baby shrimp? they only get max 3-4" when albino. i thought i also read somewhere that the do fine together also.

input would be greatly appreciated

 

[bassbonediva]

Your otos will leave the shrimp alone. Otos are strictly algae-vores (I'm sure that isn't a real word, but I think you know what I mean...they ONLY eat algae). Not sure about the albino BN, but I bet they're the same since their diet is 99% algae.

 

[OrangeCones]

I, too, think the shrimp and shrimplets would fare fine with otos, but the two species of otos I have do eat meat on occasion. The both will eat frozen (thawed) bloodworms and one species eats a bit off the sinking shrimp pellets.

 

[bassbonediva]

Wow, I must have weird otos. They won't even touch blanched veggies. I have to keep one wall of my tank covered in algae just for them or else they won't eat. I have such strange fish.

 

[OrangeCones]

Otos eating cucumber:

Otos eating lettuce:

Otos eating zucchini:

Otos eating sweet potato:

Otos eating green beans:

 

[bassbonediva]

As I said. Mine won't touch them. lol I want your otos, OC! What type are they? They're so pretty!

 

[OrangeCones]

They're called Otocinclus cocama, more commonly called zebra otos or tiger otos. I didn't realize how bad those photos were! Those were just for me documenting what they would eat.

Sorry for hijacking the thread, tropicalcrazy! I don't know about albino BN. I've kept regular BN and they did go after fry so I would think they would go after shrimplets.

 

[tropicalcrazy]

ok thanks guys and nice pics of your oto's.

the reason i ask is because now im in the process of exiting all my shrimp out of the 55g (last night i got like 4 adults and maybe 7-10 shrimplets or more, i dont know i didnt realize i had that many babies until i broke up the moss) and i also would like to take the oto's out of there too. well looks like i will scratch the idea of moving the bn, maybe then since i will be letting the swordtails breed, i should get a male bn for my female and let them breed also.

i would say after i have around 60-70 shrimp in the 16g i will transfer over the neons into the 16g, leave around 15-20 adult shrimp and the rest babies leaving total around 60 in there, anything above and beyond transfer back into the 55g, and the neons for the most part should leave alone the shrimp. i know they can eat the babies but i have never had an issue with any of my neons. is it possible because going in much smaller tank they might be more inclined, sure, but i think if there are tons there will be too many for them to pay attention

 

[Newman]

sounds like good plans. the neons might let a few shrimplets get away if you plant densely enough.

 

[tropicalcrazy]

sounds like good plans. the neons might let a few shrimplets get away if you plant densely enough.

thats what i was thinking. with all the new transfering that im doing i think there should more than enough cover and i think i may transfer the neons within the week. i dont think they will eat them that much and i think there are way too many for them to pay attention to them. i realize some will be food but for the most part, most should live. i now have 4 females bearing anywhere between 15-20 maybe more eggs, and they are all transfered into the 16g