Why do my platies keep eating my anacharis?

jaydoubledub · 09-22-2011, 06:09 PM

I was wondering why my anacharis have been getting more and more thinned out as of late. I recently found one of my younger platies munching on one of the plants. After that I specifically would check to see if it was still happening. It was!
So now, my anacharis stocks are dwindling and I really like them! They don't seem to bother with the sword, crypt, anubias, or fantwort. Just the anacharis.
I feed them 2-3 times a day in very small increments. I normally give a low combination of flakes and/or dried blood worms. My levels are all "perfect". I do my weekly PWCs.
Does anyone know if these fish just simply love anacharis?

oh, btw, I HAD a couple stems of anacharis in my 10g nurse tank as well. The fry that was in there seemed to have eaten them as well!

JenlovesFish · 09-22-2011, 06:20 PM

I know platy like algae... my platy will pick at my plant but they don't eat it..

susankat · 09-22-2011, 07:05 PM

Platies are vegetarians so will eat delicate plants.

jrman83 · 09-22-2011, 07:27 PM

Mine never touched my Anacharis. Do you see them do it, or are leaves just missing?

jaydoubledub · 09-22-2011, 07:36 PM

Well thank you all for the replies. I suppose the algae may be why. However, I've actually seen the smaller ones munching them. I'm not sure if it's the current maker or them or a combination thereof that keeps pulling them up as well.

jrman83 · 09-22-2011, 07:49 PM

Anacharis always comes up because it really doesnt have any roots. Try ordering some plant anchors, they will stay. Even with plant anchors mine would occasionally come up. IMO, the plant has one purpose....to help establish a tank and after that get rid of it and find suitable substitutes. If you go to just about any planted tank forum, you will not see much anacharis in their tanks. It will keep you working more than just about any other plant out there. I removed from all of mine.

jaydoubledub · 09-22-2011, 07:56 PM

Thanks jrman83. I would remove them, but, when they're lush and full they look really great! I really do like the aesthetics they bring to the tank. I just did a PWC and re-anchored them. I already had some anchors I bought at my LFS during my last PWC. This time I just made them a bit tighter. Also, I made sure to keep them in an area of low current. Hopefully it works this time.

09-22-2011, 06:09 PM	#1 (permalink)
jaydoubledub Sir Jaydoubledub jaydoubledub's Photo Gallery Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 157 Name: James Location: Imperial Beach/San Diego, CA My location Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 3 Times Said "Thanks" 53 Times Was Thanked 9 Times in 6 Posts	Why do my platies keep eating my anacharis? I was wondering why my anacharis have been getting more and more thinned out as of late. I recently found one of my younger platies munching on one of the plants. After that I specifically would check to see if it was still happening. It was! So now, my anacharis stocks are dwindling and I really like them! They don't seem to bother with the sword, crypt, anubias, or fantwort. Just the anacharis. I feed them 2-3 times a day in very small increments. I normally give a low combination of flakes and/or dried blood worms. My levels are all "perfect". I do my weekly PWCs. Does anyone know if these fish just simply love anacharis? oh, btw, I HAD a couple stems of anacharis in my 10g nurse tank as well. The fry that was in there seemed to have eaten them as well! __________________ "May I never wake from the American Dream." -Carrie Latet 60 gallon 5 Orange/Sunburst Platy 1 Angelfish 1 Silver Tip Tetra 2 Glass Catfish 4 Zebra Long Fin Danios 2 Siamese Algae Eaters (SAE) 2 Amano Shrimp 2 Fancy? Tetras 1 Green/Ghost pleco Hygrophila angustifolia Anacharis Swords: 1 Melon, 1 Amazon, 1 Rose Micro Sword Moneywort Rotala nanjenshan Anubias barteri/Broad Leaf Brazillian Pennywort and some I forgot the species of...

09-22-2011, 06:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
JenlovesFish JenlovesFish's Photo Gallery Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 108 Location: MI Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 4 Times Said "Thanks" 3 Times Was Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	Re: Why do my platies keep eating my anacharis? I know platy like algae... my platy will pick at my plant but they don't eat it.. __________________ I have been keeping fish for 10 year's

09-22-2011, 07:05 PM	#3 (permalink)
susankat Pleco n bn breeder n BOSS susankat's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 5,419 Name: Susan Location: Tulsa, Ok Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 4,150 Times Said "Thanks" 1,611 Times Was Thanked 1,808 Times in 1,549 Posts	Re: Why do my platies keep eating my anacharis? Platies are vegetarians so will eat delicate plants. __________________ SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY YEARS, NOT MONTHS!!! 220 Tank build http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/sta...late-3253.html

09-22-2011, 07:27 PM	#4 (permalink)
jrman83 ....has no life.... jrman83's Photo Gallery Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 9,468 Name: Ben Location: White Plains, MD My location Feedback: 16 / 100% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 3,396 Times Said "Thanks" 478 Times Was Thanked 2,431 Times in 2,286 Posts	Re: Why do my platies keep eating my anacharis? Mine never touched my Anacharis. Do you see them do it, or are leaves just missing?

09-22-2011, 07:36 PM	#5 (permalink)
jaydoubledub Sir Jaydoubledub jaydoubledub's Photo Gallery Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 157 Name: James Location: Imperial Beach/San Diego, CA My location Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 3 Times Said "Thanks" 53 Times Was Thanked 9 Times in 6 Posts	Re: Why do my platies keep eating my anacharis? Well thank you all for the replies. I suppose the algae may be why. However, I've actually seen the smaller ones munching them. I'm not sure if it's the current maker or them or a combination thereof that keeps pulling them up as well. __________________ "May I never wake from the American Dream." -Carrie Latet 60 gallon 5 Orange/Sunburst Platy 1 Angelfish 1 Silver Tip Tetra 2 Glass Catfish 4 Zebra Long Fin Danios 2 Siamese Algae Eaters (SAE) 2 Amano Shrimp 2 Fancy? Tetras 1 Green/Ghost pleco Hygrophila angustifolia Anacharis Swords: 1 Melon, 1 Amazon, 1 Rose Micro Sword Moneywort Rotala nanjenshan Anubias barteri/Broad Leaf Brazillian Pennywort and some I forgot the species of...

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09-22-2011, 07:49 PM	#6 (permalink)
jrman83 ....has no life.... jrman83's Photo Gallery Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 9,468 Name: Ben Location: White Plains, MD My location Feedback: 16 / 100% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 3,396 Times Said "Thanks" 478 Times Was Thanked 2,431 Times in 2,286 Posts	Re: Why do my platies keep eating my anacharis? Anacharis always comes up because it really doesnt have any roots. Try ordering some plant anchors, they will stay. Even with plant anchors mine would occasionally come up. IMO, the plant has one purpose....to help establish a tank and after that get rid of it and find suitable substitutes. If you go to just about any planted tank forum, you will not see much anacharis in their tanks. It will keep you working more than just about any other plant out there. I removed from all of mine.

09-22-2011, 07:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
jaydoubledub Sir Jaydoubledub jaydoubledub's Photo Gallery Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 157 Name: James Location: Imperial Beach/San Diego, CA My location Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 3 Times Said "Thanks" 53 Times Was Thanked 9 Times in 6 Posts	Re: Why do my platies keep eating my anacharis? Thanks jrman83. I would remove them, but, when they're lush and full they look really great! I really do like the aesthetics they bring to the tank. I just did a PWC and re-anchored them. I already had some anchors I bought at my LFS during my last PWC. This time I just made them a bit tighter. Also, I made sure to keep them in an area of low current. Hopefully it works this time. __________________ "May I never wake from the American Dream." -Carrie Latet 60 gallon 5 Orange/Sunburst Platy 1 Angelfish 1 Silver Tip Tetra 2 Glass Catfish 4 Zebra Long Fin Danios 2 Siamese Algae Eaters (SAE) 2 Amano Shrimp 2 Fancy? Tetras 1 Green/Ghost pleco Hygrophila angustifolia Anacharis Swords: 1 Melon, 1 Amazon, 1 Rose Micro Sword Moneywort Rotala nanjenshan Anubias barteri/Broad Leaf Brazillian Pennywort and some I forgot the species of...

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