Pest identification
What's eating my echinodorus 'ozelot'?
Pond/bladder snails
Signs: Holes and notched edges on broad spotted leaves; eggs laid on undersides
Control: Add assassin snails; remove snails during weekly maintenance; reduce excess fish food in the tank
Green spot algae
Signs: Hard green patches on slow-growing mature leaves; hard to remove without scraping
Control: Nerite snails are very effective; maintain phosphate 0.1-0.5 ppm and a consistent 8-hour photoperiod
Black beard algae (BBA)
Signs: Dark grey-black tufts on leaf margins and older blades; spreads if CO2 fluctuates
Control: Spot-treat with dilute H2O2 out of water; introduce Siamese algae eaters; stabilise CO2 injection
Keep echinodorus 'ozelot' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Echinodorus 'Ozelot' pests — FAQ
What is eating my echinodorus 'ozelot'?
Echinodorus 'Ozelot' is a popular hybrid sword plant grown in aquariums. Its large, spotted leaves attract snails and accumulate algae on older blades. Crypt-style melt is rare in Echinodorus but root disturbance and poor substrate nutrition cause yellowing and leaf loss that can be confused with pest damage.
How do I get rid of pond/bladder snails on echinodorus 'ozelot'?
Holes and notched edges on broad spotted leaves; eggs laid on undersides Add assassin snails; remove snails during weekly maintenance; reduce excess fish food in the tank
How do I get rid of green spot algae on echinodorus 'ozelot'?
Hard green patches on slow-growing mature leaves; hard to remove without scraping Nerite snails are very effective; maintain phosphate 0.1-0.5 ppm and a consistent 8-hour photoperiod
How do I get rid of black beard algae (bba) on echinodorus 'ozelot'?
Dark grey-black tufts on leaf margins and older blades; spreads if CO2 fluctuates Spot-treat with dilute H2O2 out of water; introduce Siamese algae eaters; stabilise CO2 injection