Plants and Pleco Food

[IndiaHawker]

My plants seem to be really suffering lately - on a few of them parts appear to be rotting away. Is this because I'm using sand substrate with no plant food (fertilizer on order, coming soon)?

Also I've noticed my Bristlenose Pleco is eating the plants which I imagine is at least a part of the problem (could this cause parts of plants to rot away?), which I read that they only do if not fed enough? I've been feeding one broken up algae wafer a day (the only bottom feeders are him and a bronze cory, although the fish seem pretty interested in the wafers!), I didn't want to do more as I read about how bad overfeeding can be. Would I be safe to feed more algae wafers than I'm doing? I gave them two in one day the other day as a one-off, and they seemed to appreciate it! I'm planning on getting some more interesting frozen foods soon which I will look more into, bloodworms are a plan so far and likely a few others.

Please and thanks for any help!

 

[Byron]

The plant issue is not the sand. It might be lack of nutrients, or inadequate light, or both.

I understand that BN pleco will not eat healthy plants but may if algae is insufficient for their needs; they will also browse plant leaves for algae and this can harm delicate plants. [I had this occur with my Farlowella vitatta and chain swords.] They will also eat dying or decaying leaves. They are omnnivorous but primarily vegetarian, so more frequent "algae" or kelp based foods are advisable. Try some fresh veggies like zucchini, cucumber, blanched spinach though I found this latter rather messy), once they get used to them.

I use Omega One's Veggie Rounds. The cories and loaches love these, as they do have some fish meat, but they are high in the veggie side. Two or three times a week--you can drop one in after total darkness if other upper fish are eating them out from under the BN; BN are nocturnal (as are cories) so they will eat in darkness when upper fish are "sleeping," but darkness means total pitch blackness, no room light.

Frozen bloodworms once a week, but no more often, for any fish. BN also must have real wood to graze; they "eat" the wood but this provides important intestinal bacteria more than nutrition, but real wood is essential in the tank.

 

[Colin_T]

if your plants are rotting it could be the plants are not true aquatics. Also most aquarium plants are grown out of water and when put under water they lose their terrestrial leaves and grow new submersed leaves.

What plants are you having trouble with?

 

[seangee]

Are these new plants? If so it is not uncommon, cut away the melted bits and give them a few weeks before doing anything drastic.