Pest identification
What's eating my eleocharis parvula?
Algae (green dust, filamentous algae)
Signs: Algae coats blades or mats across the carpet, starving plants of light
Control: Provide strong, consistent lighting with 8-hour photoperiod, dose CO2 or liquid carbon, use algae-eating shrimp
Bladder and ramshorn snails
Signs: Uprooted runners and eaten blade tips prevent carpet spread
Control: Dip new plants in alum solution before introduction, use assassin snails to control populations
Waterfowl (outdoor ponds)
Signs: Trampling and grazing destroys shallow marginal plantings
Control: Use pond netting or plant in mesh baskets set slightly below waterline where birds cannot reach easily
Keep eleocharis parvula pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Eleocharis parvula pests — FAQ
What is eating my eleocharis parvula?
Eleocharis parvula (Dwarf Spikerush) is a fine-leaved aquarium or brackish-water foreground plant. Its slender blades are readily smothered by algae when lighting or CO2 is unbalanced. Snails uproot runners before they can establish. In outdoor pond settings, waterfowl may graze or trample the delicate growth.
How do I get rid of algae (green dust, filamentous algae) on eleocharis parvula?
Algae coats blades or mats across the carpet, starving plants of light Provide strong, consistent lighting with 8-hour photoperiod, dose CO2 or liquid carbon, use algae-eating shrimp
How do I get rid of bladder and ramshorn snails on eleocharis parvula?
Uprooted runners and eaten blade tips prevent carpet spread Dip new plants in alum solution before introduction, use assassin snails to control populations
How do I get rid of waterfowl (outdoor ponds) on eleocharis parvula?
Trampling and grazing destroys shallow marginal plantings Use pond netting or plant in mesh baskets set slightly below waterline where birds cannot reach easily