Bottom Dweller/algae Eater

[HeatherW]

I recently had a common plec die. Might have been bacterial, might have been the salt.
He had grown from an inch to over eight inches and was too large for my 20 US gallon anyway.

I need something as a bottom dweller to help cleanup algae and uneaten food.
I understand these guys still need to be fed, and are not solely clean-up crew.
Removing uneaten food is priority #1, algae secondary as not much grows.

My tank:
20 US gallons, plastic plants and ceramic decorations.
Platies, a molly, and platy fry.
I add salt to make slightly brackish for the molly mostly, but the platies are fine with it.
Any added fish will be other livebearers.
Temperature 77-80 degrees.

What I want in a bottom feeder:
Okay with slight salt.
Will not hunt fry.
Can be fed sinking spirulina disks and leftover "plant diet" flakes, spirulina flakes.
Remains small enough for 20 US gallon.
Nice and hardy, won't overpopulate (snails).
Fairly inexpensive to buy.

Suggestions? Smaller plecs? Ottos? Snails? Shrimp?

Thanks, Heather

 

[catxx]

most scaleless fish (plecs, corys, otos) are intolerant of salt.

 

[my fat fish]

ottos is alwyas good you will find shrimp will do a good jub but wont tend to clean the class as for algae i am also takeling this problem and am going to try Zebra Snails as they dont eat live plants

 

[dwarfgourami]

If it is just to clean up uneaten food, there is a simpler way round the problem- feed less! That way you won't have to struggle to find a bottom-feeder that tolerates salt. Seeing how greedy platies and mollies are, they ought to be able to keep your bottom clean for you.