sick java fern

[Lady Hobbs]

I've been told numerous times that snails don't eat plants but snails in my tank flock to the java fern and anubias more than anywhere else and cover the plant. These are the only two plants that are always full of holes, as well, and frankly, I think the snails are eating on them.

In the first pic, this is a tiny piece of java fern that was laying loose in the tank. LOOK at the snails attached to it. And look at the holes everywhere.

I just can't understand that if snails eat lettuce they won't eat plants. Nothing else gets swarmed with snails but these two plants so it puzzles me.

[Rue]

Good grief...when you said you had snails...you meant you had snails...:sconfused:

Hopefully your assasins will start to help...and the plants will recover...or at least the new leaves will stand a better chance...

[SunSchein89]

I was getting the same problems in my 10 and 5.5 tanks. The snails do appear to eat on the leaves from time to time, but the second a piece of algae wafer drops in there, they flock to it. Maybe it's just out of starvation? I ended up ditching the fern in my 10 since it started to look pretty bad. If the plant is already dying, maybe the snails pick up on that and chow down on it. Certain plants in my 20 gallon, they never touch, but others have a few holes here and there.

[Lady Hobbs]

They flock from everywhere to get on the ferns. Something else. This was not a dying piece but new plant growth not large enough yet to attach to anything. It's pulverized now.

[SunSchein89]

Apparently java ferns must be pretty tasty. I really can't think of a good reason why they would be attracted to it :shrug:. Maybe try out some different ferns if they're available and see if you get the same results.

[Brhino]

it's possible that the plants with holes are not doing well for some other reason, and the snails are eating them because they have decaying matter on them which the snails prefer to healthy plants - the snails may be the symptom rather than the underlying cause.

[Lady Hobbs]

Anything is possible for sure. Don't know why they don't love my dead leaves on my sword plant, tho. What else would cause all the holes, do you know?

[Brhino]

not sure. My ferns don't get holy, but my anubias do... the old leaves on the end of the rhizome. The anubias never seemed to be that popular with my snails, either.

[Alasse]

Some snails eat plants is what you should have been told.

Pond snails will eat your plants, especially in the numbers you have. Some apple snails are also plant eaters.

The plants are now weakened and the decaying matter on them will be attracting the snails to them en masse. I would be thinning out the snail population.

[CassieLEO]

LOL!!! You have a nice snail trap there LMAO!!!

[kingkarter]

You should cut back on how much you feed your fish and throw a cucumber slice in there befor you got to bed and take it out when you get up, It will have a tone of snails on it in the morning. If you do that for afew days the snail pop will be greatly reduced if not gone.

[toddnbecka]

I've also read that snails and fish won't eat java fern. Somebody needs to teach the snails and fish how to read... :hmm3grin2orange:

[Lady Hobbs]

I've also read that snails and fish won't eat java fern. Somebody needs to teach the snails and fish how to read... :hmm3grin2orange:
:help: Ya think! I had brand new baby leaves on that fern, finally, and it's chewed right up.


You should cut back on how much you feed your fish and throw a cucumber slice in there befor you got to bed and take it out when you get up, It will have a tone of snails on it in the morning. If you do that for afew days the snail pop will be greatly reduced if not gone.

I did cut back and why the snails are now eating what they aren't supposed to be eating. Everytimes I try to feed my corys some shrimp, the stupid snails pop up like snowflakes in a blizzard.

I drop in algae pellets and by morning I have a pile of snails and suck them out with my vac. Lots easier than messing with cucumber. But I have assassin snails in there and have to be careful they don't get sucked up, too.