new, brown algae, and compatibility

Insufficient lighting will cause brown algae. If you have incandescent, you may want to consider switching to flourescent. If you have flourescent, how long do you have your lights on for each day? Should be a minimum of 6 hours, 8 is better. Or more, though too much more may cause you to get green algae.

Another cause of brown algae is high nitrates. You show 5 (ppm?) for nitrates, so that wouldn't be the cause. That takes us back to lighting....

And I've heard that lots of algae eaters won't eat brown algae. I don't know for sure, though, so someone else will have to comment there.

Brown algae is VERY common in newly cycled tanks. It often goes away on its own, and otocinclus cats eat it - they're great for 20g tanks, they stay under 1.5" long, but they're best in a group and can be delicate.

Yeah, it should go away on its own. Plus with 3 CAE's in there, you've got enough in the way of algae eater. Besides, Otos are a little shy and CAE's can be territorial and there's only so much territory to be had in a 20g.

Chinese algae eaters? Watch those. I read up on them and didn't like what I read. I prefer my clown pleco and he does a gr8 job on everything, if you don't give him too many algae tabs that make him lazy.

simple fix, take the chinese back to the store and find a bristlenose(bushynose) pleco. they get to about 4-5" long and mind their own business. they won't eat your plants and eat more brown algae than your tank can produce. Once the algae is all gone, just give the pleco some sliced zucchini or algae wafers from time to time. He(she) will also gracefully clean all the leaves of your plants (if they're leafy anyway). CAE's are worthless fish in my book, they don't clean much and become very aggressive once they get over about 3". I have yet to hear one that hasn't become this way and they LOVE to harass fish with broad body profiles like angels or gourami's (hince your dwarf gourami). Kyle

You can probably sell them to someone in your area.