Otto's

[Orion]

Local Wally world has gotten some ottos in, $1.66 a piece. I have never kept them before, but I am guessing that they DO need filtration, oxygen, and tropical temps. The reason I am asking is that my wife saw them and wanted to put them in with her betta. He is in a little 2 gallon acrylic tank with no heater or filter.

Also, I have black alge in my planted tank and I have 2 SAE's and 1 CAE. They are not doing much in the department of eating much of it. They are some, just not quick enough to keep up with the growth rate of the alge. Would adding a couple of ottos be to many alge eaters?

 

[AmazonTankz]

No, to the best of my knowledge ottos can't stand colder temps, and have to have a pretty well esablished tank to live. Can't really help you with the last question. Maybe only a few certain kinds of cat fish will eat black alge?? I don't really know.

 

[sinasster]

otto only eat the light brown algae. I dont know who eats the black.

 

[Orion]

I'll put my cat in there if it will help! LOL

It's not very bad right now, but it is growing faster than the sae's can eat it. I dont have this problem in any other of my tanks.

 

[AndyL]

Why not go with a small (or a few small) snails, MTS make up the algae cleaning crew in my 2g, and they do a pretty darned good job.

Just my .02

Andy

 

[Orion]

Well, I have quite a few in another tank. Do these guys eat that black algae?

 

[agpoel]

The only fish that are supposed to eat hair algae (the type you have) are SAE's...

 

[Orion]

I have two SAE's, and yes they are true SAE's. They are a little slow about it, but they get most of the algae off of the plants. They dont touch the sides of the tank or the filter.

 

[mpg]

i've had them in an unheated 10 gallon tank before and they seem to do fine. i understood they can take cold water, they just can't take a lot of changes. adapt them slowly.