Pleco or otocinclus?

[SidFishous]

For what it's worth, I completely solved my diatom/brown algae problem with an albino longfin bristlenose pleco, and by adding PhosGuard to the tank filter. My 75 gallon tank had been plagued with brown algae from the start, for over a year. Can't say which one of these had the biggest impact, but I have watched the pleco vigorously munch the algae off the plants, glass, and gravel. When the tank is looking particularly clean, I'll toss in a few algae wafers and the pleco likes those too.

 

[Mottoman216]

For what it's worth, I completely solved my diatom/brown algae problem with an albino longfin bristlenose pleco, and by adding PhosGuard to the tank filter. My 75 gallon tank had been plagued with brown algae from the start, for over a year. Can't say which one of these had the biggest impact, but I have watched the pleco vigorously munch the algae off the plants, glass, and gravel. When the tank is looking particularly clean, I'll toss in a few algae wafers and the pleco likes those too.

Thanks for the input! unfortunately the closest LFS with plecos is about an hour drive away. I settled for 5 nerite snails and 4 young oto catfish. they are definitely munching away on the diatom/brown algae. the snails have made a nice dent on the glass and the otos are doing a great job on the fake plants and they also appear to clean the glass.

the only issue I am having is that for the 2nd time so far I have found 2 snails upside down. they were both hanging on some driftwood, upside down. they both just happened to fallen around the same time? I thought they were dead but they didn't smell bad when I pulled them out, so I put them back in upright and they seem to be moving again. is this normal? can these little guys not flip themselves over if they take a fall? also, the 3 other snails are spending the majority of time above the water line. though they occasional move lower and start working on the glass from time to time.

3 zebra 2 tiger snails is what I have.