Do you want to feed your Otocinclus, but you don’t know if you should? Can they just live off the algae and plant matter in the tank? In this article, we’ll find out what we should feed Otocinclus and how often to do so.
How often should I feed my Otocinclus? You should offer vegetables, algae wafers, sinking vegetable flakes or pellets. Try feeding them once a day and remove leftovers. Some Otocinclus prefer to eat at night when the tank is peaceful.
How Often Should I Feed My Otocinclus?
Try to come up with some sort of vegetable offering once per day. Your Otocinclus will enjoy eating until they are full. They won’t overfeed, but the leftovers they leave behind should be picked up before it affects your water quality.
If you can’t cut up, freeze or boil vegetables for your Otocinclus every single day, then substitute them for algae wafers. If you offer these foods at night, your Otocinclus will be alert and active enough to find it at the bottom of the tank while its tankmates are asleep.
- Make sure these vegetables sink to bottom.
- Frozen slices sink faster.
- Use rubber bands to tie the food to rocks.
- Clip with vegetable clips.
- Stick a fork or skewer full of vegetables in the substrate.
What Should I Feed My Otocinclus?
You can feed your Otocinclus any of the following foods once a day:
- algae wafers
- cucumber
- zucchini
- spinach
- lettuce
- kale
- cabbage
- bell peppers
- yellow squash
- brussels sprouts
- peas/beans (de-shelled)
You may be able to train your Otocinclus to eat:
- protein rich pellets
- sinking vegetable flakes
- repashy
Your Otocinclus will naturally eat:
- soft algae
- glass surface algae
- diatoms
- leaves
- plant debris
- leftovers in the substrate
We consider this a complete meal guide for your Otocinclus. Do not feel overwhelmed by all the options. Once your Otocinclus has settled into your tank or a month passes by, you will notice it becoming easier to offer a variety of foods that your Otocinclus will consume.
How Fast Will My Otocinclus Eat?
Your Otocinclus can eat all day by grazing on diatoms or algae on rocks, the substrate or the glass. You may not notice it because the grazing occurs at night in most cases.
When adding food into the tank, it’s best to notice how long it takes for them to eat it. If they leave it alone for too long, the leftovers dirty your tank and add more ammonia.
Your Otocinclus may finish these meals in these average times:
- cucumber: 5 hours
- yellow squash: 2 hours
- zucchini: 4 hours
- romaine lettuce: 20 minutes
- bell pepper slice: 5 minutes
It’s best offer blanched vegetables the day of or the day before you perform a water change. Also make sure to vacuum the gravel after feedings. Your Otocinclus leaves debris behind and poops a lot into the substrate.
Why Do Otocinclus Starve?
Otocinclus eat with the assistance of gut bacteria that breaks down waste and absorbs nutrients. If the living bacteria doesn’t process the food or stop functioning due to being unfed, they will die. Your Otocinclus won’t be able to digest food and will not survive soon after.
Other reasons why Otocinclus starve:
- wild caught with chemical sedatives
- long shipping process
- multiple holding tanks
- water fluctuations
- not enough nutrients
- not enough naturally occurring algae or diatoms
Otocinclus are not bred in captivity. Wild caught Otocinclus are usually dosed with sedatives and make a long journey before arriving to your home. Stressed fish don’t usually eat much.
Your tank may not have enough diatoms or algae for the Otocinclus to consume enough nutrients. It may take a few days to a month for the stress to subside. You will notice your Otocinclus eating more when they are comfortable.
What Are Some Otocinclus Feeding Tips?
Here are a few tips to consider when feeding your Otocinclus:
- Don’t remove the uneaten vegetables right away. Wait 4-12 hours.
- Blanched vegetables are messy to remove. Offer them before water changes or vacuum sessions.
- Place larger foods in central areas.
- De-shell peas and beans for better digestion.
- Feed at night when tankmates won’t compete for it.
- Place smaller foods in their favorite spots.
- Don’t scrub your tank fully clean (let your Otocinclus help).
Will Otocinclus Eat Flake Food?
Your Otocinclus may develop a taste for flake food when they discover pieces of it in the substrate. Some flakes meant for their tankmates may go uneaten. Your bottom-dweller may get to it and like it.
Usually Otocinclus don’t eat flake food. There are vegetable only options available for these herbivores, but algae wafers tend to be easier and more common for Otocinclus to enjoy.
Do Otocinclus Eat Leaves?
Your Otocinclus will enjoy a well planted aquarium. They will definitely munch on leaves if they find it tasty. Slow-growing plants are best to consume less carbon dioxide.
This way, there is enough carbon dioxide and dissolved nutrients for algae to grow as well. Younger Otocinclus will usually go after algae over anything else.
The following slow-growing plants are recommended in a tank with Otocinclus:
- Anubius
- Cabomba
- Cryptocorynes
- Echinodorus
- Java Fern
- Java moss
Conclusion
Otocinclus may seem picky at first, but give them time to settle in. They made it through a long journey to get to you. They arrive stressed and need time to understand that the vegetables we are offering can be eaten.
Our tanks simply do not have enough algae to satisfy their dietary needs. Feed your Otocinclus once a day.
Try to feed them during the night to give them peace and quiet when there is no competition for food. Make sure the food sinks. Weigh it down with clips or tied down with bands.
Thank you for stopping by at HelpUsFish.com for all your informational needs concerning the fish you wish to keep in your aquarium. We have plenty of articles on a wide variety of marine life that may also pique your interest. See you again soon!
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