Petshrimp.com Discussion Forum

One of our shrimp tanks is beginning to develop a thin layer of green algae on the sides. The snails just are not doing their job. Sometimes the shrimp can be seen grazing on the stuff but not enough to keep the greenness under control. Would an oto in the shrimp tank be a disaster? I know other folks have said that otos won't eat meat-stuff but I've seen our otos (both otherwise well fed on algae) enjoying worms the fish left over. I don't want an oto eating our shrimps.

I have 4 otos in my 29 gallon tank and they do not harm the shrimps. The otos only eat soft algae, so they will not be able to eat the hard algae on the glass.

Ok, but I thought I read that otos will eat the green algae on the sides of the tank, sides of the decor in the tanks, on the plants, etc., that they have rasping teeth to srap off the algae on surfaces (and that they prefer this type of algae). So, what is "soft" algae then?

Otos do *not* eat shrimp...not even babies. The algea on the side walls is a *good* thing. It will feed both the shrimp and their hatchlings.

Soft algae are what the name says. They are soft slimy algae types, as opposed to hard, hard-to-scrape and stringy algae.

Mustafa