sophlearnspatience
New Member
Hello,
Admin please let me know if this needs to go in a different forum. Its sort of plant versus snail.
I'll put some specs after the main question -
I put some very pretty frogbit in about a week ago, which arrived a little yellow but has greened up in my tank wonderfully and are pushing some new leaves up from the middle, after I expanded their plant prison (the corral/portal) they stretched their roots down and looked great. Until the night of the hungry snail; John Carpenter's new terrifying script. The roots were abundant and all unfurling into the water when the bladder snails have decided to chew them to bits, making them suddenly snapped at points, bent and weak looking.
As they're detrivores, I'm a little confused...
Are these roots rotting or do they shed them? Are the snails struggling for food? Is this normal? Of course if the frogbit is having a moment being unhappy in the tank that's fine (id just like to be in on the drama)... but when I look it up it all seems to say the same thing "the snails are just eating the dead parts, they wont be damaging the plant" but my eyes are seeing differently and the plants are looking less fine since the chomping began... coincidence? Well timed plant downfall versus snail appetite?
So far when I have seen them chewing I have just nudged them off until I know more (a losing battle)... But they've already decimated much of the beautiful root system.... and now many of those roots are just floating around the water coloum getting stuck on hardscape and plants whilst the frogbit is today starting to look a little yellow on top again.
Shall I just leave the snails to it and let the frogbit work its own problems out? I wondered if the plant is adjusting to my parameters and prepping for a melt/die off- tank is quite hard water...
See, it's still looking lush on top but those yellow areas are building again since the munching began.
Specs - feel free to look at my journal for details of the journey and advice already given (not on this topic), although.... it is even more wordy.
I have an open top planted tank cycling 30x30x30cm, 25litre cube. It is very new, 3 weeks old.
Ammonia 0, nitrites (0.5) and nitrates (20) still working themselves out - small water changes as and when needed.
The heater 25w is a little naf - sits around 18-19°c despite being set to 26 (i want it around 22, new 50w heater is on order).
HOB fluvval aq25 filter is doing fine, Media was all new. Little sock of filter floss in there too.
Hard water - 399ppm in the tank. PH 7.5.
Cheap LED light, white and blue, there are terrestrial R&B grow lights around the tank for other plants so a little of that penetrates the water. They are on about 10 hours and there is so far a healthy looking amount of algae.
No fish.
Floating plants are corralled from the filter flow. These replaced red root floaters who were re-housed.
A touch of melt to a couple of plants, but only once the water changes started.
Hitchhiked bladder snails.
healthy bunch of copepods.
I haven't added bacteria or ammonia since starting and doubt I will, playing the long game.... except when I get anxious about chewed up plant roots, apparently.
Prior to snail decimation and a larger corral.
Admin please let me know if this needs to go in a different forum. Its sort of plant versus snail.
I'll put some specs after the main question -
I put some very pretty frogbit in about a week ago, which arrived a little yellow but has greened up in my tank wonderfully and are pushing some new leaves up from the middle, after I expanded their plant prison (the corral/portal) they stretched their roots down and looked great. Until the night of the hungry snail; John Carpenter's new terrifying script. The roots were abundant and all unfurling into the water when the bladder snails have decided to chew them to bits, making them suddenly snapped at points, bent and weak looking.
As they're detrivores, I'm a little confused...
Are these roots rotting or do they shed them? Are the snails struggling for food? Is this normal? Of course if the frogbit is having a moment being unhappy in the tank that's fine (id just like to be in on the drama)... but when I look it up it all seems to say the same thing "the snails are just eating the dead parts, they wont be damaging the plant" but my eyes are seeing differently and the plants are looking less fine since the chomping began... coincidence? Well timed plant downfall versus snail appetite?
So far when I have seen them chewing I have just nudged them off until I know more (a losing battle)... But they've already decimated much of the beautiful root system.... and now many of those roots are just floating around the water coloum getting stuck on hardscape and plants whilst the frogbit is today starting to look a little yellow on top again.
Shall I just leave the snails to it and let the frogbit work its own problems out? I wondered if the plant is adjusting to my parameters and prepping for a melt/die off- tank is quite hard water...
See, it's still looking lush on top but those yellow areas are building again since the munching began.
Specs - feel free to look at my journal for details of the journey and advice already given (not on this topic), although.... it is even more wordy.
I have an open top planted tank cycling 30x30x30cm, 25litre cube. It is very new, 3 weeks old.
Ammonia 0, nitrites (0.5) and nitrates (20) still working themselves out - small water changes as and when needed.
The heater 25w is a little naf - sits around 18-19°c despite being set to 26 (i want it around 22, new 50w heater is on order).
HOB fluvval aq25 filter is doing fine, Media was all new. Little sock of filter floss in there too.
Hard water - 399ppm in the tank. PH 7.5.
Cheap LED light, white and blue, there are terrestrial R&B grow lights around the tank for other plants so a little of that penetrates the water. They are on about 10 hours and there is so far a healthy looking amount of algae.
No fish.
Floating plants are corralled from the filter flow. These replaced red root floaters who were re-housed.
A touch of melt to a couple of plants, but only once the water changes started.
Hitchhiked bladder snails.
healthy bunch of copepods.
I haven't added bacteria or ammonia since starting and doubt I will, playing the long game.... except when I get anxious about chewed up plant roots, apparently.
Prior to snail decimation and a larger corral.
