Is my aquarium ecosystem out of balance, or are my fish eating my plants?
Is my aquarium ecosystem out of balance, or are my fish eating my plants?
I recently picked up a couple of bronze wendtii crypts and a pair of undulata crypts. Came back from a week-long trip and found one of the undulata crypts had lost all its leaves, while the other three were left with about half. My community tank is pretty diverse, housing odessa barbs, rhombus barbs, panda barbs, a clown barb, harlequin rasboras, emperor tetras, purple tetras, and some valentine catfish. Water parameters seem to be in order, with a temperature of 80 degrees.
Re: Is my aquarium ecosystem out of balance, or are my fish eating my plants?
Hi and welcome to the forum. Can you post a picture of the plants? I'm curious to see the damage.
Barbs will indeed chew up plants, so I'm wondering if the leaves have little bite marks along the edge? It's possible that the barbs are nipping at them.
I'm also aware that crypts grown out of water at the nursery will drop their leaves when submerged and grow new ones over time. However, if they have root rot, that could be causing the issue as well. To check for root rot, the rhizome should be clean and firm, with no black or soft squishy parts. If there are any soft squishy bits, those are likely rotting and should be removed from the plant to prevent further damage.
Barbs will indeed chew up plants, so I'm wondering if the leaves have little bite marks along the edge? It's possible that the barbs are nipping at them.
I'm also aware that crypts grown out of water at the nursery will drop their leaves when submerged and grow new ones over time. However, if they have root rot, that could be causing the issue as well. To check for root rot, the rhizome should be clean and firm, with no black or soft squishy parts. If there are any soft squishy bits, those are likely rotting and should be removed from the plant to prevent further damage.
Re: Is my aquarium ecosystem out of balance, or are my fish eating my plants?
The transplanting is indeed the most probable culprit. Crypts are notorious for their sensitivity to environmental changes, which can trigger a "melting" process. This can be caused by a variety of factors such as transplanting, changes in water parameters, temperature fluctuations, or lighting adjustments.
Once you've secured the plants in their desired location, remove the mush that accumulates as the leaves dissolve. With time, they should develop new leaves.
Regarding another matter, I think the temperature in your tank is a bit too high for most of the fish species you're keeping. A temperature range of 75-76 degrees would be more suitable. As ectotherms, these fish rely on the surrounding water temperature to regulate their metabolism. When the water is warmer than their natural environment, it forces them to work harder to maintain basic bodily functions, which can weaken them over time and lead to other issues.
Once you've secured the plants in their desired location, remove the mush that accumulates as the leaves dissolve. With time, they should develop new leaves.
Regarding another matter, I think the temperature in your tank is a bit too high for most of the fish species you're keeping. A temperature range of 75-76 degrees would be more suitable. As ectotherms, these fish rely on the surrounding water temperature to regulate their metabolism. When the water is warmer than their natural environment, it forces them to work harder to maintain basic bodily functions, which can weaken them over time and lead to other issues.