Fish Suddenly Eating Plants

[equinom]

Due to some algae problems, I have been cutting back on the fish food.  Still feed at the same time, just not as much.
I use several foods - a little variety - and yesterday I mixed the granules with some vegie flakes.  (yum)
They ate it up quickly, as usual.

A few hours later, I noticed the dwarf gourami hanging around one of the aponogenta.  When I went over to admire him - he ripped a huge piece of the leaf out and munched it down!  It was as he waited until I was right there, as if to say,
"Yo - where's the food?  Get some more food in here, and no more plants get hurt.  Otherwise I'm taking them out!"
Within 30 minutes 2 of the larger leaves on that ap were gone!
So I caved and added a little more of the granules.  Again - everyone ate with gusto!

Until yesterday the plants had never be touched.  Is it because of the amount of food?  I didn't decrease it that much.  Perhaps feeding 2x day - small amounts - would be better?  Currently I feed around 4:30 pm

The water chems are fine -
pH around 7.6
temp  steady at 78
water  clear
ammonia and nitrites   negative
nitrates  about 15ppm, reading taken prior to water change
PO4  greater than 5, I'm workinbg on that
KH  12
GH  3

I'm just having a green algae problem.  I have recently added 2 SAE and 2 ottos - and can already see a difference.  I can see little paths on the sides of the tank where these guys have been nibbling.  Amazing.

 

[RacerFish]

Well I can't say much about the algae growth, I have'nt had a problem with it, I only had my tank for more then a month now. Maybe your fish tank is too close to the window or something. Also Yes, its better if you feed your fish twice a day or even three times. and in smaller meals, take note that when you do put the food, some stay floating, some sink slowly and some just stay in the bottom, so if you put alot of food, and alot of it sinks in the bottom, the chances are your other fishes to eat it is rare, becaue that place is only for bottom feeders, so yes smaller meals are better then a big Feast!..

RacerFish

 

[catfishmike]

you know i have just had that same problem too.i have a planted tank some aptogenta bulbs,first i had 3 panda corys then a snail outbreak.so i bought 2 yoyo loaches to eat snails,they ate the snails.now i got algae so i get 3 ottos and now my plants look real funky and i still have most my algae. i have a pleco in another tank i've tried to grow plants in and he will leave the plants alone unless i've shrank their meals.have you checked into java ferns i hear most fish won' touch the stuff,but your results may vary  

 

[Matt Nace]

Once they go to the plants..look out.  

I had the same Ruby Barbs for years(some were 5 and 6 years old) Had plants for about 2 or three. They never touched a plant.

I introduced some rosy barbs, and as they grew, They started nibbling on the plants. Well when they were all munching, the Rubys had to see what food was there, and started munching as well.

After that, I could only keep swords and thick leaved plants or they were tore to shreds. My guess is because of my feeding habits(once every 2 to 3 days), they were hungry. But they were very healthy and picture perfect and I will never feed my fish any other way.  

Just my story I thought I would share

 

[equinom]

The algae crew has done their job, everything looks great!
Sparkly clean.

The aponogenton grows these long stalks that, when they reach the surface, open to a leaf.  Not anymore - the dwarf gourami goes at it like a punching bag - I actually saw it attack the stem and push it around the tank, then let it go.  The stem bounced back, and the gourami said "round 2"

So when the aponogenton grows a stem - I try to get it before him.  But why just this one fish?  It's an "X" file just waiting for Mulder and Scully...