Pest identification
What's eating my rotala macrandra?
Algae (black beard algae, green spot algae)
Signs: Dark tufts attach to leaf edges and stems, eventually causing die-back of affected tissue
Control: Maintain CO2 at 25-30 ppm, ensure high light (PAR 80+), spot-treat BBA with diluted Excel; introduce Siamese algae eaters
Pest snails (bladder snails, Malaysian trumpet snails)
Signs: Ragged holes in large leaves; Malaysian trumpet snails uproot stems when burrowing
Control: Use assassin snails, loaches, or manual trapping; reduce overfeeding to lower snail food supply
Herbivorous fish (goldfish, silver dollars, large cichlids)
Signs: Entire stems eaten; R. macrandra is particularly palatable due to its thin leaf tissue
Control: Stock only plant-safe nano fish; R. macrandra is unsuitable for any setup with herbivorous fish
Spider mites (emersed/paludarium growth)
Signs: Webbing on stems, stippled yellowing leaves on emersed portions
Control: Raise humidity above 70%, apply neem oil to emersed growth, rinse thoroughly before submerging
Keep rotala macrandra pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Rotala macrandra pests — FAQ
What is eating my rotala macrandra?
Rotala macrandra is one of the most demanding aquarium plants; its large, thin leaves are easily smothered by algae when CO2 or iron is insufficient. Pest snails target soft tissue and herbivorous fish will strip it quickly. Emersed stems may attract spider mites. Strong CO2 injection and stable nutrients are the primary defence.
How do I get rid of algae (black beard algae, green spot algae) on rotala macrandra?
Dark tufts attach to leaf edges and stems, eventually causing die-back of affected tissue Maintain CO2 at 25-30 ppm, ensure high light (PAR 80+), spot-treat BBA with diluted Excel; introduce Siamese algae eaters
How do I get rid of pest snails (bladder snails, malaysian trumpet snails) on rotala macrandra?
Ragged holes in large leaves; Malaysian trumpet snails uproot stems when burrowing Use assassin snails, loaches, or manual trapping; reduce overfeeding to lower snail food supply
How do I get rid of herbivorous fish (goldfish, silver dollars, large cichlids) on rotala macrandra?
Entire stems eaten; R. macrandra is particularly palatable due to its thin leaf tissue Stock only plant-safe nano fish; R. macrandra is unsuitable for any setup with herbivorous fish
How do I get rid of spider mites (emersed/paludarium growth) on rotala macrandra?
Webbing on stems, stippled yellowing leaves on emersed portions Raise humidity above 70%, apply neem oil to emersed growth, rinse thoroughly before submerging