They're wild caught so I wanted to give them a bit of cover to get used to tank life.
Cover is a good idea. I would add more driftwood. It will provide good cover, give them something to graze on, and they will very much appreciate the tannins that will leach in to the water.
I just upgraded filter too so that will perhaps help that a bit once all the new filter media colonizes.
An upgraded filter is a great idea for these guys, although it won't reduce the amount of nitrates in your tank. Nitrates can only be reduced by consumption by algae or plants, and water changes. I do 50% every three days.
i believe I am going to try Paraguard, as it's worked pretty well for me before.
Paragaurd had also worked well for me before and was my go to when these guys broke out with ich. Unfortunately mine apparently had super ich, and paragaurd was largely ineffective. Afterwards, I wished that I had gone with a stronger medicine to begin with as I might now have lost one of them. This was only much experience though. Use your best judgment.
As far as the planted 180, it's not that they may eat the plants, they WILL eat the plants. Mine get clipping from my wife's planted tank weekly and the only thing I have found that they won't eat is riccia fluitans moss. Anubias stand up to them fairly well, but still end up with chunks missing on every leaf. Mine love glossostigma elatnoids, hair algae, and marimo balls as an occasional treat.
No need to apologize for hijacking. The purpose of this thread is to log and compile as much practical information as I can. Anyone who chimes in only adds to the usefulness of the thread.