How Well Do Otocinclus Catfish Eat Algae? A Little Experiment From The Den....

Folks, a little experiment from the den. It's well known in the hobby that Otocinclus Catfish are great algae eaters. I've kept them for years, and they always keep my tank nice and clean - but I wanted to see them in action in "real time."
Taking a "dirty" plant from my 2.6 gallon Fluval Spec (have to deal with the algae issues there), I brought it to my Otos in another tank...they did the rest.
These little guys are algae bloodhounds. The smell it from a tank away and eat it by the pile. The humble Oto. One of my favorite members of the cleaning crew.
Raising a pile of algae to you, Otocinclus,
Keep tankin!
--d

[@NiX_aKi]

You're a good communicator, man. Looking forward to more educational videos. Have you considered widening your spectrum?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

NiX aKi very kind of you! I'm looking forward to making many more. Actually have thought a little about widening the spectrum..just not sure yet what would be on the spectrum 😏. But it has been a blast sharing the success and failures of mine in this hobby, for sure. 👍.

[@mothmanmothman4909]

Yeah he is. Sounds like a professional.

[@michaeljconway5983]

That molly was doing serious damage as well.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Michael - the molly sure did - mollies go after algae and biofilm as well...one of their perks, aside from all their misbehaving 😉Thanks for checking out the video!

[@Aquatasy]

Holy cow! I knew Otociclus catfish were good algae eaters, but I'm amazed at how quickly they cleaned off that anubias. That is astounding! Love those little critters. Excellent video, as always.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Right?? I was at work, but I'm sure they polished that off within a few hours - knew they would 😉 I think they are now entitled to a raise and a better benefit and severance plan 😜

[@mikef3300]

I have 7 otto’s in my 55 gallon planted aquarium and they are great fish. They tirelessly work on keeping unwanted algae under control and are great to watch when they all get together. Great video

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Completely agree, Mike! Thank you for watching and thank you for the kind words on the video!

[@kellyharrison5184]

Nice, clear narration. Good info and not a lot of unnecessary filler chatter. Thanks, you answered several questions I had about the Otos.

[@Stayfit503]

Those black Mollys are good algae eaters amazing nice video 👍

[@Elysian777]

I always forget that I have them in my tanks until I see a video about them.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Lol. I hear ya. Mine move quietly among the plants, assassinating algae for me. These didn't come out until I dropped the lava rock into the tank. Wasn't really quite sure where they were all hidden... :)

[@Techno4more]

Awesome video man. Ive had algae issues for years now (mostly diotome brown) and finally decided I need some otos to help me out. Currently letting the algae build up so they have something to eat when I bring them in Thanks for the Video

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Fearbleeds - my pleasure and thanks for the kind words! The good news is that the diatom brown algae is easiest to deal with - the little guys will help you out a lot - just remember, if/when they do eat it all up to the extent you aren't producing enough algae in the tank, you can always supplement their diet with algae wafers - and my guy's favorite...zucchini. My otos definitely eat WAY MORE zucchini than I do.... :)

[@DJ_LittlePea]

Otos are amazing fish and so much fun to watch ... this tank is delightful 🤗

[@dmichaelsfishden]

+PsychedelicBabe they really are 👍. Thinking about letting them out of the tank and going to work on my house to clean that a bit too 😉. Thanks for the kind words about the tank! It's coming together 😀

[@zennyfieldster4220]

These little guys are amazing. They keep to themselves, Only get 2-2.5 inches big and are addicted to algae. I just put an algae infested decorative in my 20 gallon and within 10 minutes, 2 of my 3 where stuck to it like glue. The 1 I named “grumpy” loved its red plant until it got a hold of it and won’t leave the area now.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

They sure are!

[@tropicalfishcareguides1570]

Hey just wanted to say I’ve been using Otos over a tear after watching this vid and I love em. I’ve got two in a ten gal an 4 in a thirty gal. Algae problems are almost non existent. Thanks.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Glad you are!! They are great! Thanks for watching! :)

[@Mr.Helper.]

are they eating green algae or just brown ?

[@Damitsall]

Oto cats are a planted tank enthusiast best friends. They are indeed my humble best friends. I still got an old 1 that's like 10 years old, he's a big boy.

[@ethan7347]

Very amazing! I would have loved to see a time lapse.

[@JolliBliss]

Nice vlog, thanks!

[@o00user00o]

i feel the guppy could get some credit too for cleaning off the algae

[@user-cf3zh8tq9m]

You convinced me totally. My two new thrimps are missing, dead or who knows.... but these seems to do really well.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Glad they are doing well!! Yeah, sometimes shrimp disappear. They can climb out of the tank pretty easily unless it isn't covered well. I"ve found many on the floor over the years. Sometimes dead, sometimes still alive and I've thrown them back in the tank...

[@NeonTetraAquarist]

Wow. Great video! Many beginners need to know that these are much better than those overly used "Chinese algae eaters".

[@dmichaelsfishden]

You mean that ornery wrecking crew the "Chinese algae eaters?" Such bullies with attitudes....😝 As always, thank for watching and for the kind words, Neon. Yeah, those Siamese algae eaters get a lot of attention, but they get so awful when they mature. Otos are one of my favorite fish - love watching them, and they are such a great cleaning crew. Your tank's best friend 😀 Hope I can help spread the word that, for beginners, Otos are the way to go. Hope you are doing well, my friend!

[@AussieAquatic]

Typo!! Chinese Algae eaters, ornery. Siamese Algae eaters, AWESOME!! Otos are terrific, once they survive transportation. Another fabulous Vid.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

My new favorite fish. I always new they cleaned well, but, seeing it in "real time" was great. I've never lost one due to acclimation if drip acclimated. Thanks for the kind words, Colin!

[@fishrrelaxing9361]

Neon Tetra Aquarist Chinese algae eaters are horrible they will attack your fish and suck the slime coat off them constantly. They are overly aggressive and shouldn’t be kept in any tank.

[@3xaqua247]

Great work mate! I have a 6 of them in one of my tank, very helpful and friendly fish👍🏻

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Thanks, 3x aqua! Appreciate the kind words and glad you are working with these fabulous little guys! Subbed to you - keep up the good work!

[@3xaqua247]

Thank you mate👍🏻

[@jbjacuarioschernobyl466]

Great video!!! 👍

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Thank you, JBJ! Glad you checked out the video and enjoyed it!

[@stephenbeck8753]

Nice video. I love these little guys. I have a 54 litre (about 14 gallon) planted tank with 8 male guppies. In your opinion, would adding 3-4 Otos stretch the bioload too much or would I be better with a few snails or some cherry shrimp? I have quite a bit of brown algae with a little bit of green. Thanks.

[@fishywishes8150]

Wow!! I just got some of these for my planted tanks just for this reason. Great video and awesome channel! Subbed to your channel.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Fishy Wishes thank you for the very kind words and welcome aboard! Subbed back 😀. Yes, these are fantastic little guys that really keep a clean tank for you. I have them in all my tanks. They make me look good 😉

[@fishywishes8150]

dmichaels fish den Lol! I'm hoping they will make me look good too. Thanks for the sub. Happy New Year.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Fishy Wishes Happy New Year!

[@MiG-21bisFishbedL]

Yup, I'm grabbing a couple of Otos for sure now

[@dmichaelsfishden]

MiG-21bis Fishbed-L they do a great job!!! Try to get 4.

[@HAWKONER]

Amazing little fish. I got 2 of them today off some lady who was turning her daughter's aquarium into a hamster cage. Will definately be getting some more.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

They sure are! Glad you are stocking up! 😀

[@Elysian777]

Great video!. Some of 'algae' on the leaves looks like brown diatom- which looks cleaned off too. But the other anubias in the tank has some very dark green algae which they appear to not like. Funny how your mollies went to town too.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

El Dal-CL - they sure did get the brown diatoms. The other algae is the green spot algae. Otos won't eat that. That's an issue I've been dealing with. Somewhere there is an imbalance between nutrients and lighting. If I threw a Nerite snail in the tank, it would eat the green spot, but I can't, because I have WAY TOO MANY assassin snails in the tank and they would eat a Nerite. I'm looking for a different light - I'm using the original Finnex 24/7 light on this tank, and I don't think it's a very good light. They have made HUGE improvements with the Finnex SE series and CC series. But....we learn by trying, right? And yep! The Mollies went to town! A lot of hobbyists forget...Mollies are AWESOME algae eaters. Thanks for checking out the video! 👍

[@waldo1877]

This video helped out alot!

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Very glad it did, waldo187! Thank you for watching!

[@KaltrinaDemiri]

I have two of these in my shrimp/snail tank and I love them, I heard they do better in bigger groups so I plan to get a few more of them and a few more for my other tanks :)

[@dmichaelsfishden]

They are great!! Mine have always done better with a group of 4 or more...around there.... :) And they keep the tank sparkling clean. I have them in all my tanks now - glad you are getting a few more. Thanks for checking out the video!

[@AndyMahnFL411]

Considerable result (before vs. after). I have not had great success keeping the Otos alive, which goes to your point of careful acclimation and water parameter sensitivity. I have heard that the wild collection methods also stress these guys. Thanks for the vid.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Andy - my pleasure. Keep trying with these little guys. My first several Otos didn't make it when I used the "float the bag method." But after I switched to drip acclimation, I've never lost one....I have about 20 now, and they are probably all a few years old. Because of these little guys, I now drip acclimate every new fish, regardless....I prefer to be safer than sorry with it. Water parameters are key....absolutely no ammonia or nitrites, but they can handle a little higher nitrates. Once you get these guys past the first few weeks, then month, they will get used to your water and you are all good 👍 And you are exactly right - it is because most of these are wild caught that they get so stressed....Thank for checking out the vid!

[@AndyMahnFL411]

Sounds like drip acclimation is key. Too late for these two in my nano, as I cannot go back. I'll see how they fare. I was quite surprised to read about some wild collection methods using sodium cyanide. Would explain the high mortality and gradual decline. Appreciate the 411!

[@warrenshakespeare7818]

Two of these SAVIORS cleaned 10 bushy cryptos(couldn't see green on some brown diatom attacked leaves)- glass-rocks- heater- CLEANED EVERYTHING! in a 2 1/2 gal hopeless, yet healthy-clean, betta tank in three days - brown, green, fuzzy, spots, everything!... THEY read your mind and just eat the algae!!! :) :) They made me happy! Couldn't believe it was actually happening!

[@dmichaelsfishden]

They are great! Glad they worked well for you!

[@anthonyragan2696]

I love otos. Looks like that was brown algae or diatoms on that anubias -- they love that stuff. The mollies were going at it pretty good, too.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Anthony - as always, thank you for watching and for the support . This was all diatoms. And the mollies are great at it too...I meant to mention them, but I wanted to make it more about the Otos - follow up vid....not many people know how good mollies are at eating algae. That was my "Molly Gang," a slightly inbred group of Golddust Mollies I've had for over 3 years. They are personable, know me, and I can't let them go.....I love those little terrorists..😀

[@missmisswinn]

Great video! Who is that other chubby fish who is cleaning the aubias nana?

[@titoortega4251]

Amazing!

[@dmichaelsfishden]

+Tito Ortega they sure are amazing little guys! 💪👍. This one shocked me too - didn’t know they were that good. No winder I can’t find brown Algae in any of my tanks 🤔😏. Thanks for checking out the video!

[@BigDavos]

Hey Doc i really enjoyed this video! Very informative! Can you please tell me what substrate you are using in that 20 gallon? Is that stratum?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

freshlyunreal thanks for the kind words! Glad you enjoyed it! 👍. The substrate is actually Brightwell Aquatics Florinvolcanic Rio Escuro F substrate. Both in the 20 gallon and the 2.6 gallon tank. It is a volcanic ash based substrate. Picked it up on Drs Foster and Smith’s website. It’s pretty good stuff. Not quite as good as ADA substrate, but it’s had a very similar resemblance to Stratum.

[@purplelovebetta1030]

I've added 5 Siamese algae eaters in my 17-gallon tank they failed the job though they seem to eat algea off the rocks and tank walls. They were always eating but the algea growth is still visible.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Purple Love - I'm so sorry for the late reply. Ok...so first thing. I think the names given to fish can be confusing. Yes, they are called Siamese Algae Eaters, but they really (in my experience) only eat two types of algae: black beard (this is good!) and brown diatoms. But it is kind of a "side salad" for them. When they are very young they do eat more algae. As they get older, and as food is given to them, it seems they eat less of it. I have one adult in my 36 gallon tank (he would rather eat the bloodworms given). In my opinion, based on my experience, I believe the best course here would be to address the reason for the algae. Excessive algae is caused by an imbalance of lighting and nutrients. Though algae eating fish are helpful, they certainly can't move mountains. How is your feeding routine? Lighting? How many hours per day? In my opinion, I think we might want to first address the algae issues first. Do you have baby SAEs? Please know they do grow to around 4 - 5 inches, so a 17 gallon would be tough to keep 5 in....I only have 1 adult in my 36 gallon. Let me know how I can help. It would be helpful to know your lighting and feeding routine...also plant load 😀

[@cdropbox]

very cool

[@shotclips]

They are the best!

[@dmichaelsfishden]

They sure are!!!

[@death3443]

Feeding them a slice of cooked cucumber once every week gives them more the taste for algae in my tank. They start to ignore algae when they find out that the food the other fish get tastes better then algae :D got mine a view years now and enjoy watching them every day

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Absolutely right! Glad your otos are doing well - they are great little fish. Thanks for checking out the video!

[@Twowheelsandadream]

How do you cook the cucumber

[@jhonatanperez4118]

Wow they did a great job

[@dmichaelsfishden]

They sure did. Makes my cleaning job a lot easier...😉 Thanks for checking out the video!

[@pjdynomight]

Awesome!!!

[@dmichaelsfishden]

👍😀

[@jjlwow5394]

Good video

[@dmichaelsfishden]

JJL Wow - Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the kind words!

[@thegoodsamaritan4333]

im loving this fish, im gonna buy some. how many would you recommend for a 83 gallon tank heavy planted of low tech.

[@joshthomas2841]

I know this is an old vid but figured I might as well try get a response. I currently have a 10g fluval flex tank with a betta and nine neon tetras. Do you think it would be possible to stock two of these little guys in there or would it become too crowded? Thanks for the vid!

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Josh - no worries - no matter how old the vid, I still get the notifications :) I don't think it would be a problem at all. Neon tetras have small bio-loads, as well as Otos, so you really aren't overloading it too much. In my 10 gallon, I have a Betta, 5 Celestial Pearl Danios, 2 Sparkling Gourami's, A Nerite Snail, tons of malaysian trumpet snails, and 2 Otos. No problems at all. Go for it! :)

[@Vistal11]

I just put the bag in the water until it's the same temp as the tank.. then put them in. Never had a issue.

[@kellysuzanne976]

Same

[@Tracks777]

When is your next video? :D Keep it up!

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Thanks for the kind words Mister!

[@metalhead9849]

I have one that basically polished clean an Anubias. Took him about 5 hours...unbelievable!

[@heatherleelovejoy9690]

Love this video, I have 2 in a 30 gallon, they only stay in one corner so I'm thinking I need to go get a few more so they feel comfortable

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Heather - thanks for the kind words! Yes! If you get a few more, they should feel much more comfortable in the tank - you can also (if you have room) but some more "dither fish" in the tank - smaller community fish that will swim around in the front. This will let the Otos know there are no predators nearby. They will feel safe the other fish are out, and this may help coax them to come out more :) But definitely getting a few more Otos will help them feel safer :)

[@heatherleelovejoy9690]

dmichaels fish den love your Chanel! The 2 Otocinclus are with neon tetras, Rasboras, and Dwarf Gourami's so I think there is enough movement. I think they need more of there kind, I'm going tomorrow to get a female dwarf gourami that I have been on a waiting list for and now some Nirite snails and a few more Otocinclus! And thanks for responding! Love your videos!

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Definitely plenty of movement! Like you said, they just need some more of their own "crew." Sounds like you have a nice shopping spree coming up! ;) Enjoy, and thank you for the kind words on the videos!

[@gailcousins3693]

Awesome and very informative video on Otocinclus catfish. What food do you feed your Otos to supplement their diet?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Gail - great question and thank you for the kind words on the video! I feed a lot of spinach, romaine lettuce, and zucchini on little food clips. I’ve learned after keeping Otos for years, they really need good greens to supplement their diet. You of course can also feed algae wafers to them, if you don’t have other fish that will snatch those up 😀. But once I started steadily proving them spinach and zucchini they started living much longer and were much healthier. I’ve heard people also like to feed them butternut squash, which I tried, but the seeds are a little big in the squash, and I didn’t want one if my other fish accidentally swallowing a seed they couldn’t digest. But between the zucchini, romaine lettuce, and spinach, they are getting all the extra nutrients they need 😀. Hope that helps!

[@gailcousins3693]

Hello! Thank you for getting back with me! I put algae wafers for them and my betta would go looking for it below! He will find it! I bought some food clips. I will try putting the green vegetables on these clips. How you prepare the lettuce and spinach for them? Where do you put the clips with the food at? How long do you leave them on the clips? I am concerned with the food affecting the water.

[@markhaunert5029]

Really impressive video. New subscriber. Thank you

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Mark - thanks for the kind words and glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the sub! Proud to have you aboard!

[@markhaunert5029]

@@dmichaelsfishden thanks for responding. My LFS used to have a great employee that would rock swap with me for otos. He would give me a alge covered rock in place of a cleaned up one.i thought that was pretty neat. Kept them happy and big bellied

[@TheVoyagers.]

Mollys are great too

[@miquelmontgomery2542]

I have Bettas in 10 gallon tanks, I don’t think my Bettas would do good with 4 other fish in his tank. Is one okay by themselves or is there another breed that’s good to room by themselves?

[@deborahjeanne2141]

I love my otos. I’ve never had algae on my glass because the otos have kept it nice and clean. They have round, fat little tummies, a sign of healthy otos. I can thank my LFS for these little gems. Once my 55g is up and cycled, I’m going to get about 8 otos for that tank. They’re such sweet little fish, they don’t bother any other fish, they aren’t bullies - all they care about is sucking on plant leaves, driftwood, and glass walls.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

They are great little fish! As long as you give them some greens to supplement their diet. Mine love spinach, zucchini, and green beans. :) Which is fine because I'm not a fan of any of those veggies - someone has to eat them when I buy them ;)

[@hazzy6866]

I love these fish but I don't really want to keep wild caught fish knowing the numbers that die during transportation. I'll be looking for some tank bred otos for sure

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Harry - totally get it. Sometimes they can be a gamble. The reason most are wild caught, is that, apparently, they are extremely hard to breed in the aquarium. The only way to acclimate them is through careful drip acclimation, over a period of 30 /40 minutes. To keep their stress down, it's better to try to get these from a local fish store - I don't think they do well at ALL if they are shipped over long distances. I'm grateful my local fish store always has them in stock, and that is only 15 minutes away. I still drip acclimate them carefully. If they can get through the first 2 weeks, that's the first test.....then the next two weeks, the second. After a month, if they are still alive and kicking, you should be just fine. If you do hear of any tank bred Otos though, please let me know! That would certainly be the better option. Appreciate you watching the video and thank you for the support!

[@licht9262]

How many ottos should I put in a 5 gallon tank?

[@AlexAlex-nr5rd]

Hello dmichaels fish den. I like your channel very match. I wold like to know what kind of substrate do you use for your aquarium??? Thanks.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Alex - thank for the kind words! Glad you like the channel! The two tanks in this video have the same substrate: 75% Brightwell Aquatics FlorinVolcanit Rio Escuro F Substrate (can find on Drs. Foster and Smith's website). and 25% Seachem Flourite. Hope that helps! Both are great substrates....👍 😀

[@AlexAlex-nr5rd]

Thank you vary match for reply to me.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Alex Alex of course! Here to help any way I can.

[@tonyshaw7420]

Yup otocinclus are awesome

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Sure are!

[@mrswiggles2012]

thanks much. I have a algae covered anubias and was wondering how to clean it. I just usually rub it off with my fingers. Its in a 55 community tank. So now, thanks to you, I'll get some otos to help me out. Thanks again.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

My pleasure and btw - I absolutely love your KZbin handle name :) Siamese Algae eaters are also great for eating algae, so perhaps consider one of those as well. Note: Not Chinese Algae eaters (those are the nasty ones). Siamese Algae eaters will have one black lateral line that runs down their body to the middle of their caudal fin (back fin). Very peaceful fish and great algae eaters. Glad the video was helpful!

[@Sudipto17Kolkata]

Your mollies were helping too :-)

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Good eye 👍 They sure were - they like to pick around the edges (when its convenient for them) - the Otos did most of the work, but, the mollies for sure helped. Depending on the type of mollie, they can be pretty decent algae eaters in their own right

[@BeinGiza]

Great video, Thanks! Sadly, my Ottos are dying :'( (Ammonia is less than 0.25 PPM, Ph is 8) I don't know what's the problem. My aquarium is 1 month old and it should be cycled already. None of my shrimps & snails are dying.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Hi and thanks for the kind words! Are you supplementing your otos diet with vegetables? If they don’t have enough good algae to eat what I usually supplement are slices of zucchini, which I put on a food clip for them. They also really love spinach (which I also put on a food clip for them). Those are their two favorite. The other thing with Otos is that sometimes it is 50/50. Many of them sold in stores are wild caught so depending on the stock (some are stronger than others) they could be stressed. Has your aquarium had an algae bloom yet now that it is cycled? One of the best ways to tell it is cycled is you will start seeing brown diatom algae. Either way, don’t give up! If these don’t make it try again, and try to immediately supplement their diet with spinach (right from the bag) or slices of zucchini (you can blanch them for 3 minutes to soften them a little). Otos that just make it to your tank often need some extra nourishment. Hope that helps. The first Otos I had never lasted too long until I start consistently supplementing their diet. Once I did that, my Otos do fantastic. I’ve had many now for 3 years and counting.

[@BeinGiza]

@@dmichaelsfishden Thanks alot sir! I liked and subscribed. Many thanks! Im gonna put some spinach and check the Nitrate levels today. I used to feed them Algae wafers.

[@STELLASCUTENESS]

Great videos! Pa - Aufwuchs is pronounced owf-wooks.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Thanks for the kind words! And for the pronunciation help! (I know I mess that one up from time to time)...

[@mickcarson8504]

The Otocinclus are good algae eaters but they have to pause occasionally because they will exhaust themselves out scraping that hard green algae stuck on the glass in the form of hundreds of stone-hard green dots, and their mouths get tired. I boiled the tank water before putting the fish in and in a month those tiny green dots reappeared again. Very hard to scrape them off with a magnetic pad. I use a blade to scrape it off and the result is, the Zebra Danios and Cardinal Tetra love that stuff. From each passing of the blade on the glass to scrape the algae off, the fish follow it along the blade and then eat the loosened algae. I don't know of any Zebras and Cardinals eating algae but these love it. I have 11 Otocinclus, all busy scraping algae from anything and they seem to be quite tame. They share the service with the Siamese Algae eaters without conflicts.

[@NicoSlayerr]

Happy Otos after that meal!

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Linda Navarro they sure were! I had to put them on laxatives after those leaves 😏😉

[@GREYGHOST-135]

hi mike just wondering will these guys eat chiclid eggs for example kribs

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Destroyer 2697 I’ve never seen any of my otos go for Krib eggs - the Kribs would never allow them to get that close 😀. Plus Otos are more aufwachs and algae grazers (they also like spinach and zucchini). But you’ll be fine. Even if Otos has an appetite for eggs, which I’ve never seen, no way will the Krib parents allow them near the eggs 👍

[@Codingers]

can oto's eat and clean BBA?

[@majorbruster5916]

I have been using Otocinclus for some years now as well as Farlowella spp. They can get to places where other algae eaters are not so effective. The problem I found when buying wild-caught otos is that many are in such a poor state of nutrition that they don't survive long after introduction, which is pity because more have to be collected from the wild to offset the losses anticipated on the journey to our tanks. By "offwoks" do you mean Aufwuchs? This is not a white film over the surface of hardscapes rather a bushy growth comprised of filamentous algae and biofilms and in my experience otos don't eat this as they lack the dentition to handle this. Tropheus are better equipped for this.

[@MrxDerpReal]

I have 6 guppies, 4 cories and 6 neons in my 10 g, how many otos can I fit?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

That's a pretty well stocked tank! With the current stocking, I wouldn't do anymore than 2 or 3 Otos. They do best in groups of 5 or 6, but you have pretty good stock already - Going with 2 or 3 still gives them a little group to hang with :) Must be a really colorful tank with the guppies and neons - very cool!

[@MrxDerpReal]

Thanks for the advice, most of my guppies are probably endler crossed and are grey with orange at the back, definitely not the ultra guppies the internet likes to display

[@dmichaelsfishden]

My pleasure! Keep up the great work!

[@mellewedin8221]

I have found to let a tank grow algae or green water. When I get mine, I put them in these tanks. These tanks are set up for all algae eaters that I first take home. I have have only lost one out 6 that I bought. It was in ruff shape to being with. Unfortunately I had to get them from Petco. I told the girls that work that section to feed these guys when they come in. They are wild caught and they are pretty much starving to death when you get them. It has cut down on the loss of fish.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

I couldn't agree more....👍 They are not nearly fed enough in chain petstores...BUT that's why they have you to rescue them 😉They are terrific algae eaters, but they do need their diet supplemented, especially when tanks run out of algae. And yep, wild caught, and get transported several places before they end up in a store so they are already stressed...but, with a little tender loving care and good acclimation, they will do great for you. Glad you are keeping them!

[@mellewedin8221]

They are my favorite lil guys. They get blanched veggies, and the occasional algae wafer. Although my tanks are window tanks so they constantly grazing on algae. They have nice lil round belly's. Every fish I get goes through a round of meds before they are go into their forever tanks. My group of oto's ended up with ich. I put a end to that really quick. It pains me to know they where ripped from their home. I'm sure their home is slowly disappearing.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Their habitat may be, as with many fish. The White Cloud Minnow's habitat is completely gone, and they are only survived through our efforts in the hobby...it definitely is unfortunate and sad. BUT they have a NEW great home with YOU! Keep up the great work! You are doing everything perfectly!

[@MrAsifhu82]

Wow never saw it happen so fast

[@dmichaelsfishden]

They are little bloodhounds 😀 Clean like mad! (And they were probably hungry, as they usually are). They have taken care of most of the brown algae in the tank so I supplement their diet now with Repashy food

[@Mig13]

Do they eat Staghorn algae?

[@adam7260]

I got four otos yesterday and they go on the wall and look like they are eating but I don’t see the algae going away also I added a algae wafer and they are not touching it what should I do

[@lemonlizard1]

hey there, hopefully your otos are doing fine. They don't eat the super hard algae (green spot algae for example). They are also picky with normal food, it may take some time. Continue trying to feed them and eventually they will realize it is food. I would also recommend chlorella flakes, blanched vegetables and BacterAE

[@GREYGHOST-135]

hey i just got some otos yay

[@ostrich3335]

i luv otos i have wanted some for months but i am worried that they would die after i get them. do you know how i can keep them alive?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Oldro - a few tips for you. One, remember they are usually wild caught and transporting them to your store is super stressful on them, then they go into other tanks, etc....so I try to get them from my local fish store right when they come in, so they aren't stressed as much. The biggest things though: Otos are sensitive to your water, so if you don't know how to drip acclimate them, I have a video on my channel on how to drip acclimate fish 😀This helps them get used to your water. They also don't just eat algae - you do need to supplement their diets with algae wafers or fresh zucchini or green beans 👍 Definitely give them a try! They are great little fish - keep your water nice and clean (remember they are sensitive if the water conditions aren't just right). Mine live quite a while now when I get them, so you will get the hang of it!

[@yvonnebassie418]

hi still kinda new at this fish stuff... i have two tanks on the go right now in a 10gal i got an angel, 2 feeder fish and a oto. in the 30gal i got 2 cory catfish, 2 guppiees, two silver type fish and two different types of tetras with 1 pleco(almost a year old now). I switched the oto and the pleco cause the oto never came outta the rock. I know the 10 gal is too small for pleco but ...i thought the oto was scared of the size of the others(had angel and feeders for 6months or so). should i swap pleco and oto back and just get a couple more otos.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Yvonne - so sorry for the late reply. Yes...absolutely! You are right on...swap the pleco back, and just get a few more otos. Otos will feel more secure in a small group...which is probably why your one oto was getting a little skiddish. And the 10 gal is tough on a pleco, unless they are really small...but then they grow, of course...plus they make a mess, and you'll be cleaning the tank a lot more. You are right on 👍 Swap the pleco and oto back, and just give your oto some buddies...😀

[@urbansk8r231]

Hi, two otto cats will be fine. I know from experience. I have a planted tank with lot of hiding spots but my otto cats are always out an about, even on the front glass or on the soil substrate in front of glass. My otto cats spend most of the tme appart but do from time to time interact with each other. At first my otto cats were spooked by the fast movements of my harlequin rasbora, now they dont care an just swim through the school. Theyre very interesting to watch an do a great job with the algea.

[@kapilmohan2247]

Hi, Dmichaels, Ive decided to keep otos for my 150 gallon tank. Think of buying 10 otos but im a bit concerned about other fishes attacking them. I suspect bosemani raibows and mono angels may have a go at them. Just went through a couple of forums where people shared their story about rainbows trying to swallow the otos eventually killing both. Have you experienced something like this or may be any suggestion as to what i should be doing? I have 5 RTS, 4 redflame gauramis, 4 mono angles, 5 bosemani rainbows and 10 blue rams. Also plan to add 4 clown loaches.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Kapil - it's an excellent question. What I can give you is my experience. I have Otos in all of my tanks, I think a total of 20 or so now....In most cases, my Otos are left alone. They are calm and peaceful. When I've seen fish go after them, it seems to be as a defense mechanism to the Oto trying to feed off the fish's slime coat. Now that I have little brown algae in any of my tanks for them to graze on, I always have to leave a little something in the tank to keep the Otos well fed. Besides regular, normal feeding, I usually always have a little slice of zucchini (their absolute favorite) in the tank, or a piece of spinach. This gives them a constant food source to graze on. They will eat Aufwachs too (the bio film you can see sometimes on the top of your tank, which is also present on driftwood, rocks, etc.) I've also heard, though I'm not sure - that Otos may have very tiny spines on them, which makes them a very uncomfortable snack to eat. This isn't to say that your rainbows, gouramis, or mono angels won't have a go at them every once in awhile.....but I really don't think they will very often. Again, in my experience, when fish do, it's more of a defense mechanism to the Oto trying to eat the slime coat......I can say I've never had any issues since my Otos are now very well fed and can constantly graze on something. Hope that helps!! I would say, go for it!!!

[@kapilmohan2247]

dmichaels fish den Thanks sir for the valuable information ... Well, as of now I have enough of green algae in my tank to get the otos going.. will surely look into other options as well.... Will go ahead and add the otos and clown loaches... Hope it works out well :)

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Kapil - give it a shot! I'm sure everything will work out great. Sometimes in this hobby, we just have to give it a try. There are a lot of people out there that want to say they are experts, but everyone's situation is so different......We learn by trial and error, my friend

[@kapilmohan2247]

dmichaels fish den ... Rightly said.. just going to pickup the shipment.. will update once I get them home.. :)

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Sounds great!! Good luck!!

[@lebenverre6284]

What's the red plant in your tank?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

LebenVerre - that is Telanthera Cardinalis. A great plant, but grows pretty quickly. It's one of the few red plants I can grow successfully, low tech. :)

[@nendibus1309]

Which algae do the otocinclus eat? Thanks for the video.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

N Endibus - My pleasure! Thanks for checking the video out! Otos eat most types of algae, especially diatoms/brown algae, as well as Aufwachs. Think of Aufwachs as biofilm - that weird cloudy stuff you sometimes see on the top of your tanks - this is essentially just a bacteria that adheres to surfaces in the tank. Otos do tend to stay away from green spot algae, however. They just won't eat it. I guess the green spot algae is like lima beans to them - I use lima beans because I can't stand them :) But they will eat most kinds of algae in your tank. If you do run out of algae (or the otos catch up), you may have to supplement their diets.

[@ludwigiapilosa508]

What about the green haze that gradually forms on the glass? I'm not talking about the hard green spots. I have five Hypoptopoma and they seem to pretty well on that. Are they as good? Think I could probably use a few more or perhaps a few regular ottos.

[@nickbronson4386]

I’m thinking of getting some of these for my 20G once it’s done cycling, would they be ok with Cherry Barbs? Also would 4 be enough for them to be happy or would I need more.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Nick Bronson go for it! They should be fine with Cherry Barbs and 4 will also be ok. I’ve had as little as 2 in a tank. 20G is plenty of room. Remember though, these little guys are almost always wild caught and they can be sensitive to acclimation. I would add them after your Cherry Barbs after the tank is cycled a little more and I would drip acclimate these Otos. I have a video on drip acclimation if you need it. But 4 in a 20 gallon, you are good to go! 👍💯💯

[@nickbronson4386]

dmichaels fish den how long after the cherry barbs would you recommend? I’m picking up some of that airline tubing tomorrow so that should be good for drip acclimating them whenever I do get them.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Nick Bronson honestly, I’d give it a week or two. I know you may not want to wait that long but the barbs will help further cycle your tank and will create more ammonia. If it was me, I’d let the beneficial bacteria catch up a little then go with the Otos. Barbs are much hardier so they will help with the further cycling. Just food for thought 😀👍

[@nickbronson4386]

dmichaels fish den I’ll wait at least a week, but the first step is getting this cycle done lol, should only be a few days now as I can get 4ppm ammonia down to 0 in 24 hours and nitrites are dropping

[@dmichaelsfishden]

👍For sure! You're almost there with the cycling. Wait at least a week, should be ok. Have fun!

[@jannford9059]

Just wondering why the anubias that was already in the tank has algae growing on it?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Hi Jann - it was a lighting/nutrient imbalance that caused the algae to grow....It's a constant battle with constant adjustments. :) Any time you have too much lighting and/or too many nutrients and don't have the plant load to compete with the nutrients, algae will grow. Not that algae is bad...every tank has a little of it in there...we just don't want it getting out of control :)

[@jannford9059]

@@dmichaelsfishden Why don't the otos eat the algae on that plant as well? They did such a great job on the featured plant.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

@@jannford9059 oh, they did ;) They just saw that big meal on the plant I put in and went for that right away. They are little guys and like to graze on the algae in the tank a little at a time - but eventually they got around to the other plants. :)

[@fishrrelaxing9361]

😂😂 that platty is going nuts eating algae off the anubius too. They are also not sensitive to acclimation 😉

[@dmichaelsfishden]

john smith it’s a Molly, from a very long strain going on over here. It’s supposed to be a black dust Molly but over the years the strain has been diluted 😔. You may be right regarding the acclimation. I’ve never lost a fish due to it so my apologies if I’m stubborn in my process 😩. I lost quite a few fish in the past floating the bag, and none with drip acclimation. Maybe I’m just getting old an ornery 😄😂👍

[@fishrrelaxing9361]

dmichaels fish den I meant molly lol.. but as for acclimation I have zero patience. I just drop in fish and then treat the entire tank for parasites etc. not had an issue but the more sensitive fish I do have a hard time getting sensitive fish to take like angles. It takes about 4 angles for me to get one to survive transfer. Outside that I’ve really never had issues with any fish just dumping them in. I fully respect the drip method it’s the right way to add any fish. I just don’t have the patience and would rather buy. 10 fish to get one to take then spend 2 hours acclimating a fish. As for Molly i actually just got back from store after seeing this vid and got the last three black molly they had. I’m responding to you comment right now as I actually watch them eat diatom off the silicone joints of the tank. Simply amazing! What fish eats diatoms outside bristlenose pleco lol. I’ve got a lot tech planted I just finished yesterday even though it’s running seeded media from my juvie cichlid tank in two days after completion I’ve got diatom and hair algae everywhere. Thanks to this video I just added the last three molly at my lfs alsong with 5 bristlenose and 12 nitrite snails. I’ve kept a lot of fish but never mollies. I’m simply amazed how good they are as cleaners. I can honestly say outside of pred tanks if you’re not keeping a few mollies in there you are missing out. These fish have left me feeling like an idiot for not having them before this cause I’m watching them eat algae everywhere with the same energy that loaches scour the substrate for uneaten foods. I went to buy otos which I couldn’t find and came back with black mollies. I couldn’t be happier with my choice.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

john smith so happy to hear! I think Mollies are totally underrated as algae eaters. They peck like crazy! Enjoy them. Also very personable fish. Regarding the acclimation, I'm super nervous. I just ordered a $30 Betta I am picking up tomorrow. Picture of him is on my Instagram. I am going to video the whole thing. From pick up to the tank. You may be right. I may not be. If I'm wrong, it will be a $30 error 😩. I can't believe I'm spending that much on a fish! Thank you for the great comments and for the support. Let me know how your mollies are doing! Great fish! Keep in touch.

[@merrydavis3227]

@@dmichaelsfishden lol. The prices get higher the longer you have tanks which breeds more tanks👍😂

[@Bakkefication]

I have hair algea all over my anubias and java fern, I'm currently adjusting nutrients and light hours. If I succeed will the algea clear itself or do I need something like a nerite or amano to remove the algea I have?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Bakkefication - adjusting the nutrients and light hours is the best method, of course, so you are right on there. Excessive algae is exactly that - an imbalance in lighting and nutrients. What I would try to do, after adjusting the nutrients and light hours is to remove as much of the algae as you can on your own. Though it might clear itself, it's nice to try to remove as much as you can. That being said, absolutely, Amano shrimp and Nerites will help you. Amanos are pretty good with hair algae, in my experience, and nerties are great with diatom and green spot algae, as well as black beard algae. Anubias and Java Fern are pretty low light plants, so feel comfortable dropping your light hours to around 4 or 5 hours....won't hurt the plants. Hopefully that helps! You are on the right track!

[@Bakkefication]

It so difficult to know what to adjust though lol. But if I drop light hours to 4-5 hours, wouldn't I need to drop the amount of ferts alot too? My fert doesn't have any nitrogen or phosphate in it. And I'm dosing a small amount of liquid carbon since I've read that co2 can help the plants combat algea.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

It is - a lot of it is trial and error - you are absolutely right, when dropping the lighting, you'll need to drop the amount of ferts as well. What ferts are you using? If you want to keep things really simple, try NilocG's THRIVE or Aquarium Co-Op's Easy Green - they are all in one fertilizers with most of the nutrients you need (may need to add a little extra iron). It's one pump per 10 gallons one or two times a week. Plenty of nitrogen and phosphate in those. With the carbon - are you using excel? API CO2 booster? The carbon can be helpful but it isn't the same as CO2 - in my experience, and I used to use excel a lot, it never seemed to do much at all for algae, but that's just me. If it works it definitely won't hurt. Right now, we have too many nutrients going in with a little too much lighting - it should help to cut both back a little - but remember, try to remove as much of the algae as you can on your own prior to that.......once it's more under control, you can then slowly ramp the lighting and nutrients back up 👍

[@robin212212]

What helped for me was i bought the Excel liquid carbon; put it into a little spay bottle and sprayed the algea with it (yes underwater). After 3 or 4 days you will see the algae dying, and the other fish (e.g. plecos) will eat it.

[@corysummers3008]

in this video are those mollys or plattys?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Cory - a great question. They are gold dust mollies, but not good looking ones. This is a strain that has been breeding in the tank for 4 years, and each time, the new fry lose more and more yellow coloring. Really healthy gold dust mollies will have prominent yellow and black coloration. I've finally removed all of the males from the tank in an attempt to stop all the breeding (I think they are all imbred now). They aren't the prettiest, but I've had them for so long it's kind of hard to part ways with them. They are my "ugly duckling" fish....😏

[@jmr9735]

I just got one of these tonight. I lost my golden CAE 6/12. :( I'd had him for 11.5 years, and he was an amazing fish.) Since then, the brown algae has gotten completely out of control. It's all over every single plant in the tank, and it's growing up the walls. I knew my CAE did a great job, but it's even more obvious now. I got the fattest one in the store, and I put him in my tank a little bit ago. I've seen him on a plant a couple of times, but I think he's gone into hiding. Question is - there's so much algae in there, I can't imagine he can do this on his own. I have a 20g tank with 2 corys, and 10 tetras of various breeds or whatever. This one is #13. Should I get more? I don't want to overload the tank, and I don't want him to run out of food. Thank you!

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Jennifer - I've been there - this video might be helpful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eF7Ni2htbbyFftU Sorry about your golden, but glad you picked up an Oto! If it is a tank that has been running for awhile, you may want to pull back a little on the lighting - brown/diatom algae can grow for a variety of reasons...but usually an imbalance in nutrients and too much lighting. That being said, a little army of Otos and some Nerite Snails - if you don't mind snails, will do some great work for you. Otos are almost always wild caught, so they are a little stressed and take a little while to acclimate to the tank. They do also do better in small groups, so you might want to pick up 3 or 4 more of them. They like being in little "crews." It reduces their stress. You'll be surprised how well 3 or 4 Otos and 2 Nerite snails will destroy all that brown algae - just give them a few weeks :) Believe it or not, you'll run out of brown algae in a month or so....after that, the Otos and Nerites will still eat what algae is there, but you'll need to supplement their diet with algae wafers, zucchini, etc...I don't have any brown algae in any of my tanks anymore, so I always have to feed my Otos and Nerties. Hope that all helps! Let me know if I can help further! :)

[@jmr9735]

@@dmichaelsfishden Thank you. I appreciate the guidance! I was thinking just tonight that I need to keep my sun room blinds closed for a while and also keep the tank light off. I have a couple different bags of algae wafers in my drawer. How much do you feed yours?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Jennifer - you are on the right track! Keeping the sun room blinds closed will go a long way. If your tank is getting sun AND has a light on it, that may be just too much light. I have a few tanks across from the blinds - If I leave the blinds open all week, I'll get extra algae for sure. Regarding the wafers - I would wait until the Otos get all that algae for you :) Once they've eaten that algae, I would feed an algae wafer once or twice a week. Otos will also eat Aufwachs (this is a protein film that exists in your tank - on driftwood, on rocks, etc...) in your tank. I usually give my Otos a slice of zucchini once a week (the slice lasts a few days), and an algae wafer once a week (also lasts a few days in the tank)- seems to do the trick. You want their stomachs to look nice and round - if any of their stomachs look sunken in, I'll feed them more....but usually twice is week is all they need - they continue to graze on algae in the tank - there just isn't enough algae anymore to really see well...but it is there

[@JimTheTwin]

could i house 4 ottos in my 10 gallon along with some endlers?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Jim - sure can! Endlers are great with Otos - 👍 And in my experience Otos are most comfortable in a group of 4 - 6 or more - they do much better with a little "crew"

[@charlotteb1873]

would 3 ottos be ok?

[@FactsCountdown]

I bought 6 ottocinclus 3 days before but they didn't eat any food i have tried cucumber and algae wafer but they are not eating it plz help

[@mikaelafox6106]

I’ve heard they like zucchini but I haven’t tried it yet.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

In my experience, they absolutely love zucchini - I think more than algae.... :)

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Vigo - yeah, my Ottos don't go for cucumber either. Whats worked for me: Zucchini - they absolutely love it (maybe even more than algae). And I've recently been using spinach. I'll put a few spinach leaves on a food clip and they also eat that up pretty well. Mine haven't gone after algae wafers or even repashy food - not sure why. I'm still trying different things - but zucchini or spinach should be winners for you

[@FactsCountdown]

@@dmichaelsfishden which algae eater eat green algae and hair algae

[@no-lh7mu]

If I had a pair of Otis would it be okay? I'm am afraid that they will starve in my 20 since my mollies and guppies eat algae.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Great question. You can try - I've done it - I have 2 Otos in a 10 gallon and they are doing just fine. Though I don't have any other algae eaters in that tank, except a Nerite snail. You are right, your mollies and guppies will eat some algae, but Otos will also graze on Aufwachs - essentially, biofilm. If you have ever seen a clear film at the top of the tank, that is Aufwachs. Your Otos will also get algae that builds up on the glass and in crevices that your mollies and guppies can't get to. :) I would try it - if after a few weeks you notice a nice round stomach on them, they should be getting enough food :)

[@wildark45]

I've got a new tank cycling and I can't wait to pick up a set of these. Moving my 10 gallon inhabitants over to their new mansion and I think these would also make a great addition

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Anthony - you'll love them. They punch the clock and work for you. And they get along very well in a community tank! Good luck on the new mansion! Thank you for watching the vid. I hope it was helpful!

[@wildark45]

I loved it thank you for posting, always learning stuff from the pros

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Anthony - you are too kind. Always learning myself by trying (then of course sharing with you all 😉) just very grateful the videos have been helpful!

[@liamsan7857]

But the plant beside the anubias is still full of algae

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Liam Boon Aik black beard and green spot on the next plant over - you are right! Unfortunately Otos don’t eat black beard or green spot algae - only a Nerite Snail or Siamese Algae Eater might...on a very good day 😀👍. Good eye!

[@pascal590]

dmichaels fish den few questions! What would eat black beard and green spot? How many otos would u recommend for a 5gal? And do they clean glass? Great vid thx!

[@huyquoctran2088]

If they eat algae that fast then you have to supplement them with wafer? Or they might starve ?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

john - great question - it depends on how much algae is in the tank...but they do eat it fast..if you start seeing you are out of algae, yes definitely supplement with a wafer. I think part of the reason some people don't do well with otos is exactly what you mentioned...they starve off...it's a good idea to supplement with wafers anyway to give them some extra nutrients - and hint: they LOVE zucchini 👍

[@urbansk8r231]

or blanched vegies aswell. Those otto cats can be picky eaters or maybe it could be that my algea hasnt run out yet, so they have know need to look for other food source. So my siamese algea eater ends up eating the zucchini aswell as the algea.

[@2KXMKR]

I have two on their own (originally 3) and they look so miserable. They are so lethargic and hardly ever move. I have algae in my tank but they don't seem at all interested. I moved them to their own 10g tank to see if it was because of the other fish intimidating them or something, but same behavior. The water conditions in both tanks should be perfect for them, so I couldn't figure out what was up with them. Now I know that they like to be in a group I'm going to go get another four and see how they get on. I love these little guys and it's horrible seeing them looking so miserable.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

MickMaan I've found it depends on the inhabitants. I believe now that Otos do understand their environment. If you introduce a dominant fish they will freeze frame (for a long time). If you introduce the Otos AFTER the hierarchy is established, it's much better. That they aren't doing well in their own may be a product of their own environment. Remember most are wild caught and skiddish in nature. If you've just moved them to their own tank, give them some time 😉. Keep keepin that water clean! 👍

[@2KXMKR]

I'm looking forward to getting the new guys! I'll be putting them back in the main tank once I get the new guys. They do seem a bit more outgoing in their own 10g but hopefully they'll be more confident in the main as a group. They're getting kicked out so I can get some shrimp in the 10g :D

[@2KXMKR]

I thought I'd come back and update you. What a result! As soon as I put the four new guys in to the tank the two originals came swimming over to check them out and immediately began schooling with them - literally within seconds. They're now making their way around the plants in my tank and are absolutely decimating the algae I've had trouble with for over two years! The two originals actually seem to gently chase away the other fish if they get too close when they're in their group and then come swimming back. It's as if they've taken on a parenting nature. They're completely different fish now!

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Right!! So glad to hear! Otos, man 💪 Small, yet mighty. Thank you for the update!!! Yep, they do much better with shoals 👍

[@johnedelbi]

is it do great job also with the brown algae that grow on the rock ?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

John - yep, they got the brown algae on the rock as well 😀 They are machines when it comes to taking care of brown algae and diatoms, my friend. 👍

[@johnedelbi]

dmichaels fish den i have 800l planted aquarium how many oto you think i need to make sure am am save 🙃

[@dmichaelsfishden]

John - I think that's 800 liters, right? About 200 Gallons - man...you can load up on Otos, depending on your other fish load. I'd put 10 - 15 in there to start 👍

[@johnedelbi]

yes i put 20 :) oto and 10 flyfox

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Sounds like you are all good, my friend!

[@devinsalim2227]

Do otocinclus eat brown algae?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Devin - sorry for the late reply here - yes, they absolutely eat brown algae :)

[@ziranshuzhang6831]

how to feed them, they are not touching the algae wafer I put in the tank for 3 days, worry about them to starve to death.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Ziranshu - they will normally eat brown algae / diatoms, but mine will munch on spirulina algae wafers as well. They also like Repahsy food's Soilent Green. How long have they been in the tank? Are they brand new?

[@26noelito]

but soilent green is made of people.,

[@Rhiilynn]

no that's Soylent green ;) Either way the people that make it have a weird sense of humor. If I remember correctly they also named one of thier supplemental fish foods Cheeseburger

[@dubzzyxd750]

Can I just keep two or one otocinclus?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Dubzzy - you can. I have two in my 10 gallon tank. They are doing just fine 👍 You just have to be careful acclimating them. I would recommend drip acclimation

[@FactsCountdown]

Which type of algae ottocinclus eat

[@dmichaelsfishden]

vigo - they absolutely love brown algae - diatom algae, which is that really common algae that tends to grow in aquariums. In my experience they will eat a little green algae as well. They algae I've never seen them touch is black beard/black brush algae and green spot algae (the really hard green algae that looks like spores). But since brown algae is so common in aquariums, it's great that they love that stuff 😀

[@kathleenmonsegue9700]

@@dmichaelsfishden what about green filamentous hair algae?

[@peymanshamtoub4889]

Wow just closed me on getting some

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Peyman - I’m so glad! Just really make sure to drip acclimate them as they can be sensitive to acclimation. If you can get them past the first two weeks, looking good. If they get past the first month, you are all good. Thanks for checking out the video! 👍

[@peymanshamtoub4889]

dmichaels fish den sure will do. Maybe that's why my pleco died within 2 weeks? I didn't drip acclimate it Are they also sensitive?

[@Marcelo-xp7fp]

So my friend....do you know if plecos or ancistrus, has the same bad habit of otocinclus that suck the slime of other fishes, ripping their skins? Thx in advance

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Marcelo - very good question. Yes, I have heard of Plecos sucking on the slime of some other fish. Mine never did, but I have heard stories about it. It usually means they are hungry. This seems to be more of a behavior that stems from their feeding schedule. This behavior should stop once the Pleco gets enough food. I always fed mine a combination of repashy, algae wafers, and lots and lots of Zucchini (that was his favorite - the started knowing me at the grocery store as the Zucchini guy...). But really, with a nice varied diet, this shouldn't be an issue with Plecos :) Hope that helps!

[@Marcelo-xp7fp]

I had such experience with ottos when i was a kid, when it sucked a gold fish. Im needing a good algae eater, and here in Brazil they are kinda common (both ottos and plecos). Maybe ill get a flying fox or a siamese one. I think they dont act like the ottos. Do you know if so? Thank you again for your quick reply :)

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Marcelo - another great one is the Siamese Algae Eater, you are absolutely correct. I have a few and they are GREAT at eating algae when they are young. As they get older, they get a little lazier, but they are fantastic. You'll know it's them because the black stripe will extend all the way to the mid tip of the caudal fin (tail fin). Give them a try! Great, peaceful, community fish 👍

[@Marcelo-xp7fp]

thank you

[@shubhamagarwal3580]

Will they eat brown algae ??? And I have 12 guppy in 2 gallon tank will it sustain with them

[@dmichaelsfishden]

They will absolutely eat brown algae (also called diatoms). Otos love it - that's what they are eating on the leaves in the video 👍 So the answer to that is yes! Though, I feel I should advise on the stocking here....12 guppies in a 2 gallon tank is pretty overstocked, so I wouldn't add anything else to that tank. The other thing with guppies - they will reproduce like crazy....12 will soon turn into 24....If you can set up a 10 gallon tank, you can keep 12 guppies and 2 or 3 Otos in there, no problem. Please make sure to test your water right now and watch your ammonia levels - You may need to do water changes in that 2 gallon tank every other day or so with that many fish....I hate to comment on overstocking, but I really don't want you to lose any of those great guppies! Hope that helps, my friend!

[@shubhamagarwal3580]

dmichaels fish den thanks a lot for reply I will definitely purchase a bigger tank for them I also have 20 fries which I have kept in bowl.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

My pleasure! When I first started in the hobby years ago, I overstocked tanks too. I think we all do sometimes....but based on experience, definitely try to get a 10 or maybe a 20 gallon for the little guys and the other guppies. Guppies breed like crazy!

[@shubhamagarwal3580]

dmichaels fish den ok thanks .... After I purchase bigger tank, can I keep the fries with the adults ???

[@dmichaelsfishden]

You can, sure. Especially if you don't have a lot of room for a lot of tanks - Or...you could keep the fry in the smaller tank for a little while and the adults in the bigger tank. Just remember, if you keep the fry in the tank with the adults, you'll get even more breeding once the fry are mature. And you could get some interbreeding, which can happen - this can lead to additional fry that aren't as healthy or colorful. But I did this with mollies a few times. I had a bunch in a 40 gallon tank, let the fry stay in it, and they would breed quite a bit but I would keep a few fry and donate the rest to my local fish store 😀 But sure - you can keep the fry and adults in the larger tank for a little while

[@melodyschubert260]

Are these fish egg layers or live bearers?

[@melodyschubert260]

As mine are breeding and would like to know what to watch for

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Hi Melody - so sorry for the late reply here. Catching up on a lot of comments. These Otos are egg layers - Have yours bred in the tank?! Any eggs? You certainly have the magic touch as these are very hard to breed!!

[@melodyschubert260]

@@dmichaelsfishden I have seen a couple of eggs. They laid a couple in a shell. Will see if they make it

[@gregedgerton3390]

Thank you so much. I have a 10 gallon tank. I love plants perhaps more than fish ! The tank is filled with plants of all kinds. Many green-leaved varieties, variegated, - but probably most are red. I've been so careful and attentive (like orchids, - big mistake). At first I had nothing in with my green friends. But then I began to worry about balance, so I placed about a half dozen shrimp with a few snails. But again, - algae began tying round leaves and also began covering them. I am so despondent, frustrated and depressed. I transferred ~ 18 or so Cardinal tetras to it but that's all. I am going to try your recommendation. Especially after the recorded experiment you showed. Food is NO problem as I regularly feed other catfish the same diet. I need help; some of my plants were expensive. I don't want them slowly choked to death. This bloody stuff is an insidious opportunist. If this works, I'd like to send a hashtag over Twitter - " 🐳 dmichaels fish den has saved 🐬 planted tanks all over the world ! 🦈 ". Thanks so much. I sure hope it works.

[@worddunlap]

Great fish and don't believe many of the YT people. Rather a simple fish to keep but will run out of algae and make sure you can feed them zucchini, pleco food etc. There lies the problem....Mine lives with guppies. HE lives a solitary life but hangs out, with the guppies. I flopped mine and he loved it after being in a pet store, shipped in a bag etc.

[@sergioortiz1839]

Are these better than Hillstream leeches

[@DebsInManchesterUK]

but i can not put them with my betta and that is where the plants with black alge is

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Debbie - no worries there, as Otos, unfortunately, don't really eat black beard algae. Otos are great with diatom and types of green algae, but the little guys don't have much of an appetite for black beard. Give a Nerite Snail a try - they can help a little....that with the combination of cutting the time your lights are on and excel, and you should start seeing small improvements 😀

[@DebsInManchesterUK]

Yes i cut back on having the lights on only 5 hrs a day now i took all the plants out and got rid of the algae by hand in warm water took ages and ages but plants look better now

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Well done, Debbie!!! That should do it 😉 I might keep the lights at 5 hours from here on out as well...it does take ages and ages to remove that algae doesn't it...been there 😀