Plants disappeared completely in just a few days

[Linda N]

I recently ordered some water sprite based on how often it was recommended as a good plant to either float or plant in the substrate. I wanted the baby platys I get from time to time to have more places to hide. The plants arrived and looked great - nice roots and the foliage looked good too. I probably received 10 plants and I put 7 in my 20 gallon tank and 3 in my 10 gallon tank. I just floated them. Now less than a week later there is not a trace of a water sprite in either tank. I've been sick with pneumonia so have to admit my tanks haven't gotten the attention they usually do while I have been sick. What could have happened to the plants? In the 20 gallon tank I have some platys, albino cories, zebra danios. In the 10 gallon, a few male Endlers, a couple red shrimp and some pygmy cories.

 

[Colin_T]

Are there any other plants in the tank?
Did the Water Sprite get sucked into a filter?
Is there any rotting leaves in the tank from the Water Sprite or has it just vanished?

Fish will pick at plants but I can't see your fish eating 10 plants in 1 week. If you had silver dollars or Pacus in the tank, they would eat the plants in a few days but livebearers, danios, and catfish are not going to eat them.

 

[Byron]

I concur. If there were indications like those Colin mentioned (leaves decomposing, pulled into the filter, whatever) it might clue us in. It would also be helpful to know the GH and pH of the tank water, and the temperature. And the light data, and what if any plant additives were used.

Many plants take some adjusting to differing parameters; I have moved Water Sprite from one tank to another and had it go through a down-turn for a week or two, just because the conditions were different. But for everything to suddenly die completely there must be a reason.