Pest identification
What's eating my echinodorus tenellus?
Pond/bladder snails
Signs: Small notches along thin leaf blades; snails uproot delicate runners while burrowing
Control: Use assassin snails; avoid trumpet snails in carpeted tanks; hand-remove snails during maintenance
Green dust / thread algae
Signs: Algae mats engulf the tiny grass-like blades, shading and uprooting the carpet
Control: Add a large colony of Amano shrimp; increase flow across the carpet; shorten photoperiod to 7-8 hours
Otocinclus / pleco grazing damage (fish, not pest)
Signs: Larger plecos uproot runners or rasp through small leaves while cleaning algae
Control: Use only dwarf otocinclus (O. affinis) or nano-fish; avoid common plecos in tanks with pygmy swords
Keep echinodorus tenellus pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Echinodorus tenellus pests — FAQ
What is eating my echinodorus tenellus?
Echinodorus tenellus (pygmy chain sword) is a tiny carpeting plant used in aquariums. Its small, grass-like leaves are grazed by snails and quickly smothered by algae in high-nutrient, low-flow setups. Dwarf shrimp and small otocinclus are excellent companions that control algae without uprooting the delicate runners.
How do I get rid of pond/bladder snails on echinodorus tenellus?
Small notches along thin leaf blades; snails uproot delicate runners while burrowing Use assassin snails; avoid trumpet snails in carpeted tanks; hand-remove snails during maintenance
How do I get rid of green dust / thread algae on echinodorus tenellus?
Algae mats engulf the tiny grass-like blades, shading and uprooting the carpet Add a large colony of Amano shrimp; increase flow across the carpet; shorten photoperiod to 7-8 hours
How do I get rid of otocinclus / pleco grazing damage (fish, not pest) on echinodorus tenellus?
Larger plecos uproot runners or rasp through small leaves while cleaning algae Use only dwarf otocinclus (O. affinis) or nano-fish; avoid common plecos in tanks with pygmy swords