Brown Algae

[MsGardeness]

I have recently (this week) gotten what appears to be brown algae in the 75g tank. I did a 25% water change and clean up the worse plants and stones and put everything back in. It's coming back again. I've check on the internet but see many different theories.

Some say Otto cats are the way to go to get rid of it but they are not compatible with the critters already here. Some say it's the tank cycling and not to worry - that it will go away as quickly as it came.

Does anyone here know what I should do, if anything? I don't want to use chemicals if I don't absolutely have to. All the fish still appear healthy and active with the exception of the male Dwarf Gourami. He is now trying to stay away from everyone else and will not even come to feed. He stays right near the top (within 1/2" of the top of the water) though not gasping at the top and only swims to move to another area where no one else is.

Does anyone else have experience with this brown stuff which is rather quickly covering 'a lot' of items in the tank? I have no live plants here other than a couple of floating frogbit. I did bring a few more trumpet snails over from the 20g tank two days ago to help out - but they are not doing anything. I've never seen this brown stuff in the 20g tank since starting it up late last year. This tank has been running for about 8 weeks.

[Pamelajo]

If it is brown beard algae sea chems flourish fertilizer will help by adding a double dosage every day for a week then regular dose once a week after that. May not be good if you have shrimp or applesnails, assassins are not bothered by it or pest snails.
If your looking for fish amecas spendens will eat it, but don't keep it under control unless you have lots of them and they can be nippy with other fish.

[MsGardeness]

I Googled "borwn beard algae" and mine is not that, not a hair algae - it looks like a brown powder which is spreading over most items. I'll try to get a pic of it.

[MsGardeness]

I just took some pics. The brown stuff in on various plastic plants, 'coral' stones/shells I picked up in Puerto Plata last winter (and cleaned before adding to the tank), and the plastic air hose.
1390
1391
1392
1393
1394
1395

[Jennifer Griffin]

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I'd comment here because I have this same type of algae. I have never noticed this algae to be a bother to any of my fish, including my female gold gourami. Fortunately my new pleco friends are doing a great job of decimating the brown algae. I make absolutely no claim to be an expert here, but I read that brown algae can be remedied with more oxygen + more light, which causes the green algae to compete with the brown algae for nutrients, thus phasing it out. Sounds strange to encourage another type of algae growth to get rid of another, but the green algae is more nutritious for snails and other algae eating fish.

How is your gourami doing now? Hope it is feeling better!