Can algae eaters starve to death?

[kevinsam]

Wondering if too many plants will starve the algae eaters like otocinclus?

 

[FallenPepper]

I mean are you giving them regular food as well?

 

[Guppy10]

Hi, if you don't feed algae pellets that could happen I suppose.

 

[seangee]

Otos will feed on biofilm and this does grow on plants. So the absence of visible algae is not necessarily a problem. However they do get through a lot and need to graze constantly.

So it is quite possible for them to starve and I would definitely add algae wafers if the tank seems to have no algae. I do keep my lights on for several hours longer than I used to before I got otos. Just don't go too far with this because they won't eat problem algae like bba.

 

[TheTenthDoctor]

Yes. If they aren't getting anymore than algae. They need supliments like veggies and algae wafers

 

[Retired Viking]

I use Tetra PlecoWafers for algea eaters

 

[JuiceBox52]

Look at their bellies. Are they plump and rounded? When I got mine they were pretty underfed and had very flat tummys. Now they are nice and chubby

 

[kevinsam]

I mean are you giving them regular food as well?

No I haven't been feeding them anything. Was just hoping they could survive on the algae in th e tank.

 

[kevinsam]

Look at their bellies. Are they plump and rounded? When I got mine they were pretty underfed and had very flat tummys. Now they are nice and chubby

Mine are kind of skinny. Looks like I'll have to feed them extra algae wafers.

 

[kevinsam]

I use Tetra PlecoWafers for algea eaters

Thanks. I'll get some pleco wafers. They're pretty skinny.

 

[kevinsam]

Yes. If they aren't getting anymore than algae. They need supliments like veggies and algae wafers

Okay, that's what I haven't been doing. I'll need to get some. Thanks.

 

[kevinsam]

Otos will feed on biofilm and this does grow on plants. So the absence of visible algae is not necessarily a problem. However they do get through a lot and need to graze constantly.

So it is quite possible for them to starve and I would definitely add algae wafers if the tank seems to have no algae. I do keep my lights on for several hours longer than I used to before I got otos. Just don't go too far with this because they won't eat problem algae like bba.

I like your idea of keeping the lights on longer. I'll try this to grow some more algae.

 

[TheTenthDoctor]

Okay, that's what I haven't been doing. I'll need to get some. Thanks.

My Otocinclaus LOVED cucumber. Blanched cucumber. I stopped keeping otos after I found out they were wild caught

 

[FallenPepper]

Nothing wrong with wild caught? If anything they are the healthiest compared to the inbreeding within domestic fish

 

[seangee]

I discovered last night that mine LOVE blanched spinach. Took some of them a while to work out it was food but within a couple of hours they were all over it.

Big plus that lots of the other fish (and shrimp) liked this too. Another big plus that after 18 hours it is not noticeably decomposing or fouling the water. @Russjw by the time it got to lights out last night they were at it in all 3 tanks. I will definitely be adding this regularly.