Something eating anubias?

[Mark Z.]

Hi all,

I am trying to figure out what has been happening to my anubia plants.

I have a 55-gallon aquarium that has about a half dozen large anubia plants attached to branches. I have had these plants for years, but they have not had nice leaves on them for years. All the leaves are small and appear to be nibbled around the edges.

The fish in the tank are two red head tapajo ciclids, boesmoni rainbowfish, Australian rainbowfish and another unidentified rainbowfish. Also three denison barbs and some nerite snails.

All the fish and the plants have been in there for years and I have never once seen a fish nibbling at the leaves. Almost all of the leaves are like this.

I have always assumed the fish are nibbling on the leaves when I am not watching, but I wonder if something else could be the cause?

Any ideas?
Mark

 

[Colin_T]

Can you post a picture of the plants?

Anubias are not true aquatic plants and never grow well underwater. They survive for a long time but do not flourish.

Do you feed the rainbowfish any plant matter or a vegetable diet?
If no, then they are probably the culprits. Rainbowfish need plant matter in their diet and if there is no algae they will eat plants. If you have a spare tank or pond you can grow duckweed (a floating plant) and put that in the tank for them. Soft leaf plants like Ambulia will also be readily taken.

If you give the fish a small goldfish pellet or goldfish flake, it will have more plant matter and less protein and they will do better.

 

[Mark Z.]

Thank you for the advice!

I have anubias in my other two tanks and they are doing very well. I do feed the fish tropical greens flakes and also greens pellets, but I had never thought of duckweed. I have duckweed in my guppy tank, and net out some each week and throw away. I didn't want it getting into the big tank, but I will put some in if the rainbowfish will eat it.

I will try to post a photo soon.

Thanks,
Mark