• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Best way to feed baby ottos.

Konsa

Member
Joined
20 Nov 2010
Messages
1,015
Location
Lostock Hall
Hi all
Few days ago noticed my ottos are having some fun and there are eggs here and there in the tank.At first I didnt get very exited as have troubles with breeding cherry shrimp in the that tank (first babys now after over half an year)
But this morning saw that the eggs in sight arround 15 at least as tank is heavily planted are hatched .There is almost non existing soft algae in the tank but having in mind that I barely feed and the 4 adults are spawning tells me there is enough bio film in there.
I have mix of blanched kale,spinach and nettles I can use but the adults are not interested in those.The only food they eat is what they find in tank and algae waffle once a week or two weeks.
Tank is No 2 in the thread
https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/my-current-tanks.50042/
Any advice welcome.
Regards Konsa
 
Repashy Soilent Green would be perfect for feeding them.

What you are feeding already sounds great though, I'd be personally feeding more algae wafers if they are breeding and you have growing babies. My favorite wafers are Hikari, the mini ones are an idea size for ottos :thumbup:.

Congrats on the babies, nice and natural wee tank!
 
Thanks for the reply.
For now things are going well.They still have the egg sacks to feed off.Think another 24 hours before they start munching arround.
Today dropped in the tank a catapa leaf from a bucket I had outside with some asselus its been there for couple of months.Was pretty well covered in bio film so it should provide some food too.
Need to revise my waterchanges volumes as had couple of the adult shrimps dying lately.TDS is 215 but think that the 50% weekly is stressing them to moult too often.The new shrimp babies on other side have doubled if not trippled for the last week.
Regards Konsa
 
As you are actively growing biofilm for feeding, sounds like everything is in hand.

IMO I very much doubt you are doing too many water changes, more likely to be too few if you are having dying shrimp. TDS doesn't indicate too much really, what's your tap water TDS/other stats like? What are you feeding the shrimp?

Fewer water changes is very rarely a solution to any problem. Remember shrimp don't live forever (1-2 years for most small species) so if you have no large enough predators, you will see dead shrimp from time to time, especially with a large breeding population of shrimp :).
 
Hi
What I have in mind was that maybe the large volume of the waterchanges is stressing them.I am firm supporter of large weekly wc.
The food they get is algae wafers ,hikari shrimp cuisine ,blanched kale,spinach and nettle leaves.But as the tank is stocked low I feed once per week or even once per two weeks.There is a lot for them to pick on from the plant mass I have and not very keen on the food (very lazy shrimps :) )
I have added some tandora mineral stones 2 days ago too.
I dont test the water parameters in my tanks.It is classed as moderately soft (or hard not really sure)water from the water report if I remember correctly.Tbh it is what it is.I am not the kind to test and fiddle with water parameters.There is no point in it.

Regards Konsa
 
Last edited:
Hi all
Little update on the babies.
Unfortunately dont have decent camera for pics.
Things are doing well.Seems the tank is providing enough biofilm to keep the little ones growing and they seem bright and with little fat bellies.I am only feeding a bit of crushed algae wafers every other day in addition of the leaves I drop for the shrimps.Switched to two 25% waterchanges per week instead one 50%.I can't really tell how many babies I have atm as there are lots of hiding places.The most I managed to count at once was 8 while they weren't very active a week ago.They are all over now.Fast little things darting arround with surprising speed.
The female looks full again so maybe soon will have another batch.
It is very rewarding to see that the tank is functioning well and even managing to provide for the babies with a little intervention from me.
Regards Konsa
 
Back
Top