I gota pair of roseline barbs which are digging up my new plants. They are pretty much the largest pair in my 100 g. They are semi bottom dwellers and always run through the sandy substrate. They are not successful in most attempts however, the leaves keep floating on the surface. I have observed fish feeding on roots when they submerge from the substrate. Is there glucose in roots and leaves?
What to do when Fish dig-up New plants.
- Thread starter Mazain
- Start date
If the fish are eating the plants, you can try offering them more plant matter in their diet so they spend less time chewing the live plants.
Depending on how many barbs you have, they could be bored due to low numbers and becoming destructive because of insufficient stimulation from other group members. Most barbs do best in groups of 10 or more so if you only have the 2, perhaps get some more.
Depending on how many barbs you have, they could be bored due to low numbers and becoming destructive because of insufficient stimulation from other group members. Most barbs do best in groups of 10 or more so if you only have the 2, perhaps get some more.
TwoTankAmin
Fish Connoisseur
I have kept Sahyadria denisoni now for well over a dozen years. I even have imported Q's and sold them. I laways have them in planted tanks and never have problems with their eating plants. But they also need to be kept in groups of 5 or 6 or more. The pic below is from the group I bought in Oct. 2015 to mostly be sold at a weekend event the following Apr.
I also have a group of them in my planted 150 gal. with my clown loaches.
What are you feeding them? They are omnivores.
https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/sahyadria-denisonii/
I also have a group of them in my planted 150 gal. with my clown loaches.
What are you feeding them? They are omnivores.
https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/sahyadria-denisonii/
Thanks for your reply. What type of plant matter can I feed them.
These barbs are very intelligent. Usually when they see me during feeding time, they chew on any floating stem or leaf if I keep them waiting. Perhaps I should get more.
Thanks, I got them when I started the planted aquarium in January 2023. They were expensive so I got only a pair. If I was on this forum would have convinced my mind to get a school.
They are really peaceful fish and do well with other inhabitants.
I feed them Hikari Cichlid Bio-gold+, Cichlid gold both grinded and micro pellets. They fancy the micro pellets out of the 3. I don't feed any live foods however, what ever is available they feed on specially non adhesive fish eggs, crustaceans and insect larva.
I also use some flowerpots in some of my tanks. So, fish can't move those plants.
TwoTankAmin
Fish Connoisseur
My first barbs ran me about $25 each. The ones in the pic above were more like $2.75 as imports. They are sold by the box lot of 50 fish.
Since my barbs are in a tank with only clown loaches, two of which are quite large, I feed most of the food specifically for them. So that means a lot of sinking foods. I feed my flake mix for the barbs then. But my clowns are pigs and the biggest at over 10 inches, and fat, is a pig and will eat the flake as soon as it hits the water. But that fish knows the good sinking stuff comes in next.
When I feed my frozen food mix the barbs are happy to eat that as it sinks slowly. (Mysis and brine shrimp, daphnia- occasionally blood worms.) The barbs are not big on the Repashy and my choice of foods is tilted towards my clowns, corys and especially plecos. When I feed my Repashy mixes, the barbs again get flakes, But, I also have Omega One color boosting flakes I will feed now and then. My my flake mix only has about 10% color boosting flake but it includes immune boosting, veggie and algae flakes. I use basic flake mix and then add the other flakes. I may add some Black worm flakes to the mix when I can get them.
When I mix the Repashy, I do it in smallish casserole containers where it then cools. After I take out the slab, there is a thin film of food left behind. I can peel it off and that I feed to the barbs. The thickness makes something almost like a flake which doesn't sink fast, so the barbs can easily get it. Since I freeze most of the batched Repashy food cut into pieces, I only get the thin bits once every few months when I make it.
There is one more consideration in feeding that tank. Long ago I made the mistake of using large sized river gravel in the clown tank when it was a 75 gal. Sand, or even much smaller gravel. was the much better choice, but I did not do sand back when. Plus the big gravel was cheaper to do. So,the barbs cannot get at food in the crevices between the stones or below the surface. The clowns, on the other hand, figured out long ago how to dig by picking up the large gravel a piece at a time and then tossing it aside. Often the gravel hits the glass and you can hear it.
For a number of years, on a long defunct fish forum and chat site, I was friendly with a gent my age from TN. He had 50+ years in the pet and fish trade. He worked on all levels of fish from selling in pet and fish stores to working wholesale and breeding. He owned his own store once or twice. I learned a lot from him. By chance I wound up with too many clowns and a number were in the 3 -4 inch range. He qaw down one tank, a 135 gal. (and a pond). He had clowns in his tank. So I sent him 3 of my "overflow."
Not long after he got them we met in the fish chat where he complained to me that my clowns had taught his to pick up and throw big gravel and small stones. So much for those who say fish cannot learn.
Since my barbs are in a tank with only clown loaches, two of which are quite large, I feed most of the food specifically for them. So that means a lot of sinking foods. I feed my flake mix for the barbs then. But my clowns are pigs and the biggest at over 10 inches, and fat, is a pig and will eat the flake as soon as it hits the water. But that fish knows the good sinking stuff comes in next.
When I feed my frozen food mix the barbs are happy to eat that as it sinks slowly. (Mysis and brine shrimp, daphnia- occasionally blood worms.) The barbs are not big on the Repashy and my choice of foods is tilted towards my clowns, corys and especially plecos. When I feed my Repashy mixes, the barbs again get flakes, But, I also have Omega One color boosting flakes I will feed now and then. My my flake mix only has about 10% color boosting flake but it includes immune boosting, veggie and algae flakes. I use basic flake mix and then add the other flakes. I may add some Black worm flakes to the mix when I can get them.
When I mix the Repashy, I do it in smallish casserole containers where it then cools. After I take out the slab, there is a thin film of food left behind. I can peel it off and that I feed to the barbs. The thickness makes something almost like a flake which doesn't sink fast, so the barbs can easily get it. Since I freeze most of the batched Repashy food cut into pieces, I only get the thin bits once every few months when I make it.
There is one more consideration in feeding that tank. Long ago I made the mistake of using large sized river gravel in the clown tank when it was a 75 gal. Sand, or even much smaller gravel. was the much better choice, but I did not do sand back when. Plus the big gravel was cheaper to do. So,the barbs cannot get at food in the crevices between the stones or below the surface. The clowns, on the other hand, figured out long ago how to dig by picking up the large gravel a piece at a time and then tossing it aside. Often the gravel hits the glass and you can hear it.
For a number of years, on a long defunct fish forum and chat site, I was friendly with a gent my age from TN. He had 50+ years in the pet and fish trade. He worked on all levels of fish from selling in pet and fish stores to working wholesale and breeding. He owned his own store once or twice. I learned a lot from him. By chance I wound up with too many clowns and a number were in the 3 -4 inch range. He qaw down one tank, a 135 gal. (and a pond). He had clowns in his tank. So I sent him 3 of my "overflow."
Not long after he got them we met in the fish chat where he complained to me that my clowns had taught his to pick up and throw big gravel and small stones. So much for those who say fish cannot learn.
lottabubbles
Fish Fanatic
had a muscle bound pleco once that thought everything in my aquarium was an exercise machine.
lottabubbles
Fish Fanatic
long time ago, i brought home a pleco from the pet store. they said was Charlie. it was 13 inches long and when i put it in the tank with 7inch oscars, it would charge them, not swimming but bouncing forward on it's pectoral fins and grunting sound that was audible through the glass. i took old Charlie back to the store. one store employee hollered Old Charlie's back again.
lottabubbles
Fish Fanatic
yes, great big common pleco fish.
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