Holy leaves!

[kev]

I have just planted my tank. Most of the plants are doing well but i have 3 that have the middle of their leaves eaten. They are small plants with oval leaves. They are green with white veins and one with pink/red veins.

Is there anything i can do to stop my plants from being attacked by my plants. My sig shows what fish i have but I think its the barbs I'm always suspisious of the barbs. I though about adding vegetables more often (they like de-shelled peas) Would this satisfy their hunger for plant matter.

 

[Lateral Line]

Pretty much all barbs like plant matter in their diet, so they are probables. Do you have snails? They, of course, are quite partial to tearing holes in leaves. I'd also watch the partridge...

 

[kev]

No i haven't got any snails (not in my tank anyway). And the partridge never leaves the pear tree

 

[William]

Out of those fish I would say its most likely to be the barbs. But as Lateral line says those partridges can make a real mess of a tank

 

[kev]

Right so its probably the barbs - would giving them vegetables make them leave my plants alone

 

[AquaNut]

Why on earth would you not suspect the pleco? I've personally watched mine suck great big holes in the middle of leaves just as he described. Adding more veggie matter will definitely help. Try cucumber - that's my plec's favourite.

 

[Lateral Line]

>>> not suspect the pleco?

Yeah, also a poss. I don't really know them that well being a Cyprinid specialist. However, watch a Barbus everetti's eyes light up when you add some new plants to the tank! I don't know what Barbs s/he has - the common name is not familiar to me, and could refer to many sp.

 

[AquaNut]

I should have been more specific. I agree - barbs like plants and veggies, but I find my barbs are far more likely to eat the leaves off fine leaved plants or the ends of grass like plants than they would be to eat a big hole out of the centre of a broad leafed plant. If he said he had dwarf sedge plants and they were all frayed and disintegrating on the ends, I'd say it was the barbs, but holes in the centres of leaves sounds like the work of a plec to me.

 

[kev]

I've looked up my barbs and they are (it may be spelt it wrong) pentazona barbs
Slightly smaller that tigers with and extra band.

I added some cucumber last night and all the fish went for it. I didn't see the pleco go for it though but their was a lot less in their this morning so I'm guessing it was probably him. Do i need to always have something in the tank to keep him away from the plants or just occasionally.

 

[Alien Anna]

>>> not suspect the pleco?

Yeah, also a poss. I don't really know them that well being a Cyprinid specialist. However, watch a Barbus everetti's eyes light up when you add some new plants to the tank! I don't know what Barbs s/he has - the common name is not familiar to me, and could refer to many sp.

My cherry barbs have been known to take the odd nibble of a plant.

 

[Alien Anna]

Personally I wouldn't except the possibility of it being snails. They can be pretty sneaky. Try shining a torch into the tank in the middle of the night and you might catch the culprit. Bloomin' great holes in the middle of your plants sound like snails to me.

 

[kev]

I haven't got any snails though??

 

[Alien Anna]

I haven't got any snails though??

Thats what they want you to think 8)

 

[AquaNut]

Hey kev - Glad your fish liked the cucumber! I don't give my tanks fresh veggies every single day. It depends on what else you're feeding your fish. I like to offer as wide a variety as I can, within reason. A tank with a pleco could easily have a piece of veggie every other day, though. Just make sure you don't leave the veggies in the tank after they start to get soft and mushy; they'll deteriorate into your water, fouling it.

 

[kev]

I usually leave veggies in over night - 24hrs I can't see that they are going to start to rot in that time. But should I be leaving them for that long - should I take them out after a few hours??