Flying Fox Eating Plant Roots?

[LetsBeFriends]

I have a 30 gal planted tank that has 2 flying foxes and 8 cherry barbs in it. Floating on the surface are some water sprite plants that broke off the mother plant and are free floating around the top of the tank. I noticed that the roots of the floating water sprite have very small hairlike roots coming of the main root i am guessing to better catch floating nutrients. However after a few days i noticed the hairs missing and it occurred to me after i witnessed one of the flying foxes nibbling on the java fern roots which are similar in structure. Are the flying foxes eating the hair roots? and if so will this hinder their growth?

I should note that my java fern does seemed to have slowed down its growth.

 

[RadaR]

I doubt it to be honest. The aquatic plants we keep can uptake nutrients through their leaves just as easy as they can through their roots. Java fern is a slow grower anyway.
The Flying fox may have been nibbling at the Aufwuchs/bio-film layer instead of the root itself.

 

[Carlovel1]

My Flying Foxes always seem to nibble plant roots but I don't think they actually do

 

[Squidward]

My flying foxes also seem to nibble the roots of my water lettuce.
Does seem to be doing it any harm. It's spreading like mad!

 

[Nick16]

they dont eat plants at all. they just nibble the micro algae on the leaves/roots.