oto update

The good news is my Otos are all still alive. Day two, now.

They didn't touch the algae wafer or peas- I cleaned that out this morning w/a 10% water change- but have eaten almost all the algae off the bridge. It's definitely more brown than green now.

I blanched a lettuce leaf in hopes they might eat that. If they don't, my next thought is to try zucchini, or move in smallest driftwood piece w/its attached Anubias and algae layer from the main tank.

But if they make such quick work of it, my guess is they might clean the main tank too well, and run out of algae to eat before long. I'm trying to cultivate it on rocks, put them in jars of old tank water in the windowsill (with a few drops of plant food added for good measure). Not sure how long it will take for that to grow a good amount of algae, hope it is soon enough to feed these little guys after they scrape the tank clean. If they make it through QT, that is.

I did try to get more pictures. It's hard because the plastic container is only semi-transparent. Here's a view of their little tummies! I was worried at first about the rosy color, but looking at other pics online, and reading descriptions reassured me that this is normal, they are kind of rather transparent on the underside. Plus I saw two otos in the aquarium in leasing office this morning, and they look the same (but with better overall color- mine still are rather pale).

I only saw one on the driftwood once.

I've given them names, although I should probably wait until I see if they make it.... They are easy to tell apart, with distinctive pattern of black splotches on the caudal peduncle. Otto is the largest one, his base color looks a little more brown than gray and his horizontal stripe pretty even. His tail blotch is circular patch with a curving outer band. Sparky has a paler area over the eyes, his horizontal body stripe is more a row of dark uneven blotches, and his tail patch is two round blots with a small point in the center. Otto is on the left here, under the castle legs, Sparky on the right wall.

The third one is Bits, his hoizontal band starts out wide and narrows towards the tail, his tail patch is straighter with a short triangular shape midline to the tail fin.

The other good news is the tank doesn't smell bad anymore!