What's eating my bucephalandra 'brownie ghost'?

Bucephalandra 'Brownie Ghost' is a slow-growing rheophyte largely ignored by aquarium fish and snails due to its tough, compact leaves. Black beard algae is its primary pest, thriving on slow-growing tissue in low-flow zones. Green dust algae can coat its ornamental leaves in high-light tanks with poor nutrient balance.

Dark tufts on leaf edges and the rhizome; very slow growth means algae can outpace the plant Spot treat with Excel/glutaraldehyde; improve flow directly over the plant; add Siamese algae eaters

Powdery green film coating the leaf surface, obscuring the distinctive coloration Wipe leaves gently with a soft cloth; improve flow and reduce photoperiod; otocinclus will graze it

Occasional grazing on older, softening leaves; rhizome may be disturbed by burrowing snails Manual removal; assassin snails; ensure substrate is not too soft to protect the rhizome anchorage