Who are eating my plants???

[AndersH]

So I've gotten some glossostigma which are still settling and a few new Pogostemon helferi, plus some HC. The HC and the glosso is having a real hard time getting on as as soon as something green appears its bitten off the following night. The helferi I've had bitten completely down from over 50 plants to nothing over a few months in a previous scape with mostly the same inhabitants. I had a few plecs at that time which I blamed and got sold to a LFS.

Now I'm seeing it again and now I'm a bit more at a loss.

The inhabitants are:

January tetra (I think it's them, Hemigrammus hyanuary. the lfs didn't know) (around 20 pcs)

2 Flase siamese algae eater (Epalzeorhynchos sp, is what looks like it the most)
6 Red fin columbian tetra.
2 Kuhli loaches
1 red coral platy (left over)
3 otto's
uknown amount of RCS shrimp.
5 caridina multidentata (amano's)
5 zebra snail (very new inhabitant)

I'll try and upload a pic of the crime scene:




I've also gotten some rotala rotundifolia which after some pruning have become victims of some predation. I'm not sure whether it's acclimatisation or eating. They've been in the tank for 3 week without showing signs of any withering and now leaves are like gnawed on.

All the fish except the columbian tetras are suspects atm. The columbinas are fairly new inhabitants and don't touch the plants. The other fish do.

Help.

and btw. got some fish for sale. cheap!


Edit: Yup thats 2 bba I got there The algae crew should dispose of them soon

 

[andyh]

my money is on the platy

or then then false siamese

 

[AndersH]

I've tried to catch that platy so many times but he's in no way stupid. Every time im near the tank he's hiding.

I've seen the january tetras bite a bit on the foreground plants even though the disciption says they shouldn't be doing that. I guess mine didn't read the discription when they enlisted

I'll make a cunning plan to catch that platy and the false siamese's.

 

[Gill]

my money is on the platy

or then then false siamese

Platy

 

[AndersH]

Platy has now been caught. I had to pull out all my redmoor roots and many of my stem plant bushed. All of that and almost 45 mins of fighting for one little fish. I'm glad its out.

I sure hope it was that fish.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[frothhelmet]

You say

5 zebra snail (very new inhabitant)

If these are asolene spixi, they are the cause of your problem. Cheers.

 

[Dolly Sprint 16v]

I agree with the above as I have platties within both tanks and my plants are fine. They will eat anything Inc. algae, they peck at food rather than nibble.

Regards
paul

 

[dgm1985]

my money is on the platy

"A good scapegoat is nearly as welcome as a solution to the problem........"

this quote seemed quite apt.

PS. I've had platys for quite a few years in planted tanks and they've never really bothered the plants. They'll eat bits of food, or bits of algae, off them but not usually the leaves themselves.

 

[AndersH]

The zebra snails are neritina nathalensis (not sure on the spelling). I think i might be underfeeding cos the problem is not gone. The glosso they ate are long gone but the rotala and hc is next on the list.