Plants eaten: What pl*co shall I blame for?

f3mg · Post by **f3mg** » 08 Sep 2006, 15:24

Hi there,

I have a tank, currently with:
1x Baryancistrus sp. (L018)
1x Hypancistrus sp. (L066)
1x Peckoltia sabaji (L075)
4x Peckoltia sp. (L134)
1x Ancistrus Sp. (Bristlenose)
<12 Otocinclus Vitata
<12 Cardinal (Paracheirodon Axelrodi)
<12 Caridina Japonica (Amano Shrimp)
<12 Neocaridina Denticulata Sinensis (Red Cherry Shrimp)

I am feeding this aquarium sparsly, as I currently have an algae problem, and if I do feed them very often, they will not eat any algae at all...
Simultaneaously, I added some more plants Echinodorus 'Aquartica' and Echinodorus subalatus ) to make life more difficult to algae.

All went fine for the first 3 days, and then one of the above mentioned fishes discovered that Echinodorus leaves are good food.

My Question to you - who would you bet that ate those leaves?

I currently have no idea, because I can't sit all night in front of the aquarium until I catch him right with his mouth on the ... leave.

Anyone knows of any of the above mentioned L's eating plants?

Regards,

Francisco

drpleco · Post by **drpleco** » 08 Sep 2006, 15:28

I've had problems with bristlenose eating leaves, but this is a rare occurance from what I've read here.

Post back if it turns out to be the gold nugget. I'm about to buy one but may reconsider.

Kostas · Post by **Kostas** » 08 Sep 2006, 15:31

I would think mainly of L18 doing that thing as i had one that ruined my Echinodorus plant.But i would also suspect Ancistrus and L75.

Post by **Marc van Arc** » 08 Sep 2006, 17:01

I agree with Kostas: L18 (Goldnuggets) for sure; mine demolished several Echinodorus and Java ferns.

Post by **Barbie** » 08 Sep 2006, 18:43

Yep, L18, Ancistrus, L75, any of them could be the culprit. If you feed them enough, they'll leave the leaves alone, and with enough root fertilizer, a sword can easily keep up with them chewing on them, also, IME.

Barbie

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 08 Sep 2006, 20:44

I agree with Barbie, if they are chewing on the Echinodorus leaves they sound like they aren't receiving enough fresh veggies. L018 in my planted tank eats fresh squach and zuchinni and meaty foods like frozen blood worms and live blackworms in equal proportions. I have Echinodoras amazonicus and parvaflora var. "Tropica". My first thought is that you are actually seeing the death of the emersed leaves that will soon be replaced with the submersed leaf forms. All these are mass produced in nurseries grown emersed and require adaptation to submersed life. The original leaves will die regardless and I would not be to quick to blame the plecos as long as they are receiving supplemental feeding with algae tabs and fresh veggies at lights out.

FuglyDragon · Post by **FuglyDragon** » 09 Sep 2006, 15:06

I also agree, my nugget wouldn't leave my swords alone so I had to shift him from the tank, as soon as I did the damage to the sword leaves dissapeared.

Shifted him to a rock based 'river tank' with lots of current and no plants, he seems much happier there anyways

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 09 Sep 2006, 18:57

I would be the last guy to base the habits of all other gold nuggets from the experience of keeping just one. I've never seen mine on the sword plants and the leaves are all intact. It my only pleco I have that I bought for it's color. I have mostly groups of Hypancistrus and Peckoltia I am tryiing to breed. Mine seems to lean towards blackworms, bloodworms and algae tabs and stays on the substrate and driftwood and spends quite a bit of time at feeding scrapping with 8-L066 and 6 Sturisoma nigirorostrum.

Ian M · Post by **Ian M** » 12 Sep 2006, 21:21

I would also watch out for the L66 many may dissagree but I have observed my female eating plants, dispite being well fed on a meaty diet and also cucumber or other veg availible. I have an L200 in the same tank which i think my l66 may have learned the skill required for plant eating from!

Ian

Ian M · Post by **Ian M** » 12 Sep 2006, 21:22

I would also watch out for the L66 many may dissagree but I have observed my female eating plants, dispite being well fed on a meaty diet and also cucumber or other veg availible. I have an L200 in the same tank which i think my l66 may have learned the skill required for plant eating from!

Ian

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 13 Sep 2006, 00:19

Ian,
I have had my 8-L066 in my planted tank for six months without any problems with the plants. They are all 4 to 4-3/4 inches. This tank has been running for 2-1/2 years. Ifeed the tanl about 15 algae wafers, frozen bloodworms, Tetra Color Bits, Earthworms Flakes and live Blackworms everyday. They eat mainly the carnivore foods and some of the wafers. The 6 Sturisomas eat about 1/2 wafers and half meat. The 10 Heckels eat about a half algae wafer ea/day.
I wonder if your fish are not getting enough of a balanced diet if they are bothering the plants.
The biggest problem I have is that the Sturisoma take remora rides on the sides of the Heckels when they are all trying to eat the algae wafers. No harm is being done and the discus have grown 1-1/4 inch in almost 5 months.
In fact I have plants that are not bothered by any of the following: 1-Gold Nugget, 8-L066, 6-L204, 12-L260, 6-L333, 7-P. maccus and 4 unidentified Banded Peckoltia, 1-L129, 6- Sturisomoma nigirorostrum, and 6-LDA010a Red Lizard Loricaria. have potted sword plants and a lot of Najas guadelupensis in my bare bottomed tanks. There is driftwood available to all these catfish also.
Larry