Help for my nana plant that's struggling.

[StripeSly]

Hi all,
I'm having some trouble with my largest nana plant - it's been going on for months now. The leaves are getting torn or eaten, and a lot of them have turned yellow and fallen off. I'm stumped! I'm wondering if my nerites might be the culprits - they've already cleared out all the algae, so maybe they're looking for a new snack?

[Snout]

To better understand the situation with your nana plant, could you tell me how many nerites you have and what size tank they're in? What's their diet like?

Also, is the plant's rhizome exposed above the water's surface? Do you use any fertilizers specifically for plants? What are the specs of your lighting setup, and how many hours a day is it on?

[StripeSly]

To better understand the situation with your nana plant, could you tell me how many nerites you have and what size tank they're in? What's their diet like?

Also, is the plant's rhizome exposed above the water's surface? Do you use any fertilizers specifically for plants? What are the specs of your lighting setup, and how many hours a day is it on?

I have 3 nerites in a 40-litre tank. They just eat the algae, but it seems like there's none left now. The rhizome is submerged, and I don't use any plant fertilizer. To be honest, I'm not sure about the light specs, but I do know it's on for a pretty long time - 11-14 hours a day, since I switch it on manually.

[Snout]

To clarify, I was asking if the rhizome is above the substrate level, not the water surface. You might consider supplementing your nerites' diet with an algae wafer, maybe twice a week or so.

[StripeSly]

To better understand the situation with your nana plant, could you tell me how many nerites you have and what size tank they're in? What's their diet like?

Also, is the plant's rhizome exposed above the water's surface? Do you use any fertilizers specifically for plants? What are the specs of your lighting setup, and how many hours a day is it on?

An algae wafer for the nerites - that's an interesting idea. I'll have to give it a shot since they're not getting any algae to munch on.

[sSjey]

With such lengthy lighting periods, I wouldn't be surprised if algae has taken over the anubias leaves. The nerites would then rasp this algae off, potentially causing damage to the leaf surface in the process.

Try reducing the lighting duration to 8 hours and see how your plants respond. If anubias is the only plant in your tank, this should be more than sufficient.

If you have fish in the tank, consider investing in a timer to ensure the lights turn on and off at the same time daily. This consistency is beneficial for fish. Additionally, provide your fish with some ambient light, either from the room or daylight, for at least half an hour before and after the tank lights switch on and off. This gradual transition helps reduce stress on the fish, allowing their eyes to adjust.

[Lexat]

Appears to be some nibbling going on, but aside from that issue, the anubias is looking quite healthy.

[StripeSly]

With such lengthy lighting periods, I wouldn't be surprised if algae has taken over the anubias leaves. The nerites would then rasp this algae off, potentially causing damage to the leaf surface in the process.

Try reducing the lighting duration to 8 hours and see how your plants respond. If anubias is the only plant in your tank, this should be more than sufficient.

If you have fish in the tank, consider investing in a timer to ensure the lights turn on and off at the same time daily. This consistency is beneficial for fish. Additionally, provide your fish with some ambient light, either from the room or daylight, for at least half an hour before and after the tank lights switch on and off. This gradual transition helps reduce stress on the fish, allowing their eyes to adjust.

I'll check the timer, might be time to replace it if it's not working.

[StripeSly]

To better understand the situation with your nana plant, could you tell me how many nerites you have and what size tank they're in? What's their diet like?

Also, is the plant's rhizome exposed above the water's surface? Do you use any fertilizers specifically for plants? What are the specs of your lighting setup, and how many hours a day is it on?

I just threw 2 algae wafers into the tank. The nerite swam right by, didn't even give it a second glance. But my barbs are a different story - they're eyeing it up, trying to figure out how to tackle the thing, it's like watching a football match.

[barbie]

You really should get a good plant fertilizer, it would make a big difference.