Is Something Eating My Plants?

[Catfishlover]

I think something is eating my plants. In particular, what I think is a giant red rotala has all of it's bottom leaves removed. The debris is getting stuck in the filter and clumping up in corners. I want to know if the plant is sick or if something is eating it. I have one black tetra, about 7 neons, an emerald catfish, a oto (Or is it otto?), a clown pleco, and a male guppy. Could any of these fish eat the plants?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

The red rotala are macrandra or wallichii. Since you talk about needles you have wallichii.
 
Both of the above need very high light, high levels of co2 in a tank as well as good fertilization, especially for the micro and trace elements. Tropica considers it to be an "advanced" plant.
 
Failure to give it the conditions it needs will for sure cause the lower leaves to die off from lack of light. I highly doubt your fish are eating the plants since there would be no dead leaves in the tank- lost leaves would be inside the fish eating them.

 

[Byron]

I concur with TTA.  Stem plants in general need somewhat higher light than would sword plants, crypts, Java Fern, and such.  This is because stem plants are naturally faster growing species, thus requiring more light (intensity) and nutrients, to allow photosynthesis to be full out.
 
Depending upon your present lighting, and the fertilization schedule which has to balance the light, you might be best with different plants.  I avoid stem plants simply because I have tried many of them and they rarely last long, due to my moderate light.  I put my fish first, and not wanting to increase the lighting, the plants I have are those that are OK with my light.
 
Byron.