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Old 20-04-2003, 07:13 AM
Ross Vandegrift
 
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Default Establishing plants with voracious herbivores

Well,

I'm getting increasingly frustrated at my plants' inability to
keep up with my fishs' appetite for plants. I'm not sure what to do.

The plants don't have time to establish much growth since
they're eaten so quickly. Even trimming of water sprite I float in the
tank to suck up any spare nutrients end up as stripped stems in a few
days.

I was told previously that my large tetras - Buenos Aires and
Columbian - were the likely culprits. Didn't know they liked salad so
much when I bought them ::-(.

I've even tried transplanting some established plants from
another tank. They're soon devoured. It's getting very frustrating.
Any suggestions? I've considered increasing to two or three feedings a
day, but am afraid of violating the "do not overfeed maxim". This tank
grows algae very readily.

The critical info:

29G tank, 72W AH-Supply CF, 10 hours a day.
Occasional fertiling via Seachem Flourish (but rarely - poorly
established plants means that most of the nutrients end up in a fresh
coat of algae).
I've got bacopa, hygo, water sprite, some small java fern, a
bunch of vals, and a hunk of dragon's breath (not sure if this is a
common name...).
The tank isn't too heavily planted - I'd say moderately light
planting job. The substrate is ~3 inches of Seachem Onyx.
The fish a 3 Buenos Aires, 2 Columbian, 2 Serpae tetras, 2
swordtails, one bristlenose pleco, 3 coryodas, 3 dwarf ottos, and a pair
of kribs.

--
Ross Vandegrift


A Pope has a Water Cannon. It is a Water Cannon.
He fires Holy-Water from it. It is a Holy-Water Cannon.
He Blesses it. It is a Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He Blesses the Hell out of it. It is a Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He has it pierced. It is a Holey Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
Batman and Robin arrive. He shoots them.
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Old 20-04-2003, 07:13 AM
kush
 
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Default Establishing plants with voracious herbivores

More tanks; you need more tanks. That's what happened to me. Mmm hmm.

I'll give you some advice: go straight for the 180-gallon. Don't kid
yourself that you're going to be content with five or six small tanks.
Besides, you can kill LOTS of plants in a 180. Oh, and you'll need the small
tanks, too.

(Seriously though [like I wasn't], do you have any snails you haven't told
us about? Tetras are nibblers and shouldn't be able to actually *devastate*
a tank, although the pl*co may account for it's share. Most snails are good
snails and highly desirable in the tank, but every so often I get some bad
'uns. In my experience it's a rare snail that can resist water sprite.)

kush

"You can't have everything - where would you put it?"

Ross Vandegrift wrote in message
...
Well,

I'm getting increasingly frustrated at my plants' inability to
keep up with my fishs' appetite for plants. I'm not sure what to do.

The plants don't have time to establish much growth since
they're eaten so quickly. Even trimming of water sprite I float in the
tank to suck up any spare nutrients end up as stripped stems in a few
days.

I was told previously that my large tetras - Buenos Aires and
Columbian - were the likely culprits. Didn't know they liked salad so
much when I bought them ::-(.

I've even tried transplanting some established plants from
another tank. They're soon devoured. It's getting very frustrating.
Any suggestions? I've considered increasing to two or three feedings a
day, but am afraid of violating the "do not overfeed maxim". This tank
grows algae very readily.

The critical info:

29G tank, 72W AH-Supply CF, 10 hours a day.
Occasional fertiling via Seachem Flourish (but rarely - poorly
established plants means that most of the nutrients end up in a fresh
coat of algae).
I've got bacopa, hygo, water sprite, some small java fern, a
bunch of vals, and a hunk of dragon's breath (not sure if this is a
common name...).
The tank isn't too heavily planted - I'd say moderately light
planting job. The substrate is ~3 inches of Seachem Onyx.
The fish a 3 Buenos Aires, 2 Columbian, 2 Serpae tetras, 2
swordtails, one bristlenose pleco, 3 coryodas, 3 dwarf ottos, and a pair
of kribs.

--
Ross Vandegrift


A Pope has a Water Cannon. It is a Water Cannon.
He fires Holy-Water from it. It is a Holy-Water Cannon.
He Blesses it. It is a Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He Blesses the Hell out of it. It is a Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He has it pierced. It is a Holey Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
Batman and Robin arrive. He shoots them.



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Old 20-04-2003, 07:13 AM
Ross Vandegrift
 
Posts: n/a
Default Establishing plants with voracious herbivores

In article , kush wrote:
More tanks; you need more tanks. That's what happened to me. Mmm hmm.


This is always the Right Solution. Unfortunately, I think I'd have to
steal my next tank. Or perhaps not get books/clothes/food next
semester.

::-)

(Seriously though [like I wasn't], do you have any snails you haven't told
us about?


Indeed I do - I have a bunch of P. Bridgesi in this tank from Eileen.
And one tiny snail that must've bummed in on a plant at some point.
He's very small and has a conical shell. I saw him burrowing in the
substrate this afternoon.

I've got some Bridgesi in another planted tank though that's doing
beautifully. In my experience these guys wouldn't hard a leaf that
wasn't already dead and decaying on the bottom of the tank.

Tetras are nibblers and shouldn't be able to actually *devastate*
a tank, although the pl*co may account for it's share.


Yes, I've always suspected it was the pleco going for the amazon swords.
But the finer plants seem unlikely...

--
Ross Vandegrift


A Pope has a Water Cannon. It is a Water Cannon.
He fires Holy-Water from it. It is a Holy-Water Cannon.
He Blesses it. It is a Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He Blesses the Hell out of it. It is a Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He has it pierced. It is a Holey Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
Batman and Robin arrive. He shoots them.
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