Ok so about a week ago I say that my river rocks were getting brown algae on it. I know about algae so I just left it. But every day it seemed to have gotten alot more. Today the rocks have a fair good amount of brown algae almost 4 times as much as last week. What is causing the algae to grow this fast. I was thinking of getting a rubbernose pleco just to keep it under control or should I use some chemical algae stuff.

hello robert!!! i have noticed the same thing on the river rocks on my tank. so i tried the chemicals and i would not advise it... it seems the chemicals work great to great green water algae but when it comes to the rocks... it really doesnt... it only turns it a darker brown almost black color... of course, once that happens the algae is ALOT easier to remove from the rocks, but do you really want to scrub each rock individually? i would recommend a rubbernose or brislenose pleco to do the job... anyway, hope this helps!

Ok thnks. I'll go get a rubbernose or bristle nose plecto and seee if it helps.

I got a rubbernose pleco on Sunday. He seemed to be doing fine, sucking on the side of the glass and the rocks. Today I found him dead. I was putting algae wafers in the tank but I dont know if he got at them. He was probably only 1 inch long. I am going to take him back and get a new one. Should I get a bigger one? Any reason why he died? Could the stuff on my rocks and side not be brown algae?

Wait up.Is your tank cycled yet? You should post in diagnosis about the pleco..otherwise you may bring home another and the same thing might happen. The brown algae disappears if you turn it face down btw (It needs light) Or you can remove it and wash it in tank water.