Feeding Fish

[Chappers15]

Hi I’m about to set up a tank with 10 ember tetras, 5 otos and a small shrimp colony and I have some questions.

1. my feeding plan is two small meals a day but no meal on Sunday when I do a water change... is this ok?

2. obviously shrimp are scavengers and will eat anything that comes into there grasp but otos are vegetarian and won’t eat the tetras flake food but will the tetras eat the algae wafers? I want to make sure they all get enough food.

3. I plan on also feeding vegetables as I heard all 3 species will eat these. Is this true and if so, what vege would you recommend. I’ve heard zucchini, cucumber, courgette, spinach, peas and garlic are all good. Is this true and would you suggest any others?

Ok that’s everything. Thanks for all the help and I’m sorry this was such a long question

 

[Retired Viking]

I have a small shoal of ember tetras and feed them omega one and bug bite flacks that I first soak in tank water before pouring in the tank. I tried algae wafers but only my snails took interest. Careful with ember tetras they are delicate when it comes to changes in water chemistry. I would suggest waiting until your tank is well established before adding them.

 

[Crispii]

1. Should be fine.

2. Most likely. If it something that they considered as food, they'll try to eat it.

3. Zucchini, cucumber, and spinach are good vegetables to feed for your vegetarian fish.

 

[HoldenOn]

I would hold off on adding the otos right away. They are wild caught and are almost starved to death by the time you purchase them due to the fact they don't have biofilm to eat. Adding them to the new tank will most likely end in deaths. I would wait 2 months so that you can get some algae build up, and then let them go to town. After some time they will learn to accept algae wafers, but it can take weeks.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

What HO said. Ottos need an established tank with some algae growing.

 

[FishBearer9845]

Are you ensuring or do you have a cycled tank? Whole process can take about 4,5 even 6 weeks?

 

[seangee]

Hi I’m about to set up a tank with 10 ember tetras, 5 otos and a small shrimp colony and I have some questions.

1. my feeding plan is two small meals a day but no meal on Sunday when I do a water change... is this ok?

2. obviously shrimp are scavengers and will eat anything that comes into there grasp but otos are vegetarian and won’t eat the tetras flake food but will the tetras eat the algae wafers? I want to make sure they all get enough food.

3. I plan on also feeding vegetables as I heard all 3 species will eat these. Is this true and if so, what vege would you recommend. I’ve heard zucchini, cucumber, courgette, spinach, peas and garlic are all good. Is this true and would you suggest any others?

Ok that’s everything. Thanks for all the help and I’m sorry this was such a long question

1. 1 small meal per day is plenty, skipping one day a week is fine
2. Shrimp are not scavengers in the true sense. They do need to be fed, but will be ok with both flakes and pellets. You will have to crush the flakes very fine as ember tetras have tiny mouths, especially juveniles. They will all get enough food no need to worry
3. I use blanched spinach and courgette or raw cucumber. I don't do this more than once a week.

Finally people always tend to overfeed. 1/4 algae wafer is plenty for 5 otos, I agree what others have said - they may not take this initially. I have 30 ember tetras in a tank (with 30 chili rasboras) and they really need the tiniest pinch of flakes. For 10 you are probably looking at 1 or 2 flakes between them.