# Who (what) is eating my plants?



## Gumby (Aug 1, 2005)

Lately I've noticed that something in my tank has been nipping at the new groth of H. zosterfolia, Ranunculus inundatus, E. tenellus, and B. japonica. On the H. zosterfolia it's so bad that the plant is as good as dead.

I can't figure out which fish is doing it because I've never seen them go after the plants. 

In the tank (125 gal) I have:
12 various rainbowfish (boesemani, bleheri, praecox, parkinsoni, lacustris, herbertaxelrodi)
6 Cardinal Tetras
6 Gold tetras
5-15 Ottocinclus 
5-15 Amano Shrimp
3 Sparkling gourami
3 Pseudomugil furcatus
2 Puntius denisonii
2 Black mollies
1 SAE (I have a bad feeling he's the culprit)
1 Bristle nose pleco
1 Dwarf Puffer

Any ideas who is doing this?


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

The SAE is the most likely followed by the denisonii.


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

Your gouramies aren't nesting are they? They'll shred everything in sight if they get the urge.


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## Gumby (Aug 1, 2005)

I figured as much Cavan =\

I've been trying to catch that SAE for a week. I might try building a trap. If the denisonii are the real problem... I'll deal with it. I enjoy those guys too much to get rid of them... not to mention their price tag!

Guaiac boy: I hardly ever see the Sparkling Gouramis, they're always looking around in the plants for food. I don't think they're spawning.


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

Ahhh... catching an SAE in a planted tank! That's the reason I don't have SAEs anymore.

The way I finally caught mine was just before the lights came on when they're "drowsing".


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

guaiac_boy said:


> Your gouramies aren't nesting are they? They'll shred everything in sight if they get the urge.


Sparkling gouramis aren't bubble nest builders like other Gourami's; they tend to build their nests under the underside of leaves. Not to mention they only use fine-leaved plants for thier bubble nests.


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

Raul-7 said:


> Sparkling gouramis aren't bubble nest builders like other Gourami's; they tend to build their nests under the underside of leaves. Not to mention they only use fine-leaved plants for thier bubble nests.


Ah - finally some gouramies that I might like.........


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## standoyo (Aug 25, 2005)

Laith said:


> Ahhh... catching an SAE in a planted tank! That's the reason I don't have SAEs anymore.
> 
> The way I finally caught mine was just before the lights came on when they're "drowsing".


hahaha!


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

I have seen my gold and black mollies make a hole in the leaves of the plants as well as the SAEs.


Cheers,
Pedro


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## Gumby (Aug 1, 2005)

This was my attempt to catch the SAE with a trap:









I caught all kinds of fish, but no SAE =\


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

They are hard to catch...i would drop some pellets in the front of the tank. Turn the tank's light off and turn on some other light nearby that you can see the fish...watch them and catch them...they are pigs and will come out for the food.

Cheers,
Pedro


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

For some reason your trap made me laugh. Stupid fish. The smart ones are outside the bottle laughing too.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

LOL! When I try the trap, I too get everything but what I want to catch. Then when I move the offensive fish to another tank, they go right into the trap I have set for other fish.
Do they somehow know??? :shock:


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## standoyo (Aug 25, 2005)

we know it can fly out of a tank [almost] so now you know why it's called a fox...:badgrin:

i caught mine at lights off period...


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## Gumby (Aug 1, 2005)

Ah HA! I finally caught the fool today during trimming/waterchange. I used 2 nets and moved very slowly untill the last second. Guess those 7 years of working at a fish store paid off


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