What's eating my vallisneria americana?

Vallisneria americana faces the same aquatic threats as other Vallisneria: grazing snails, plant-eating fish, and algae smothering its broad ribbon leaves. Waterfowl such as Canada geese also uproot it in outdoor ponds. Managing tank mates and snail populations is the primary line of defense.

Pinhole and ragged-edge feeding damage on leaf blades; heavy infestations strip plants to stumps Nightly hand-picking; introduce assassin snails; lettuce-trap method draws snails for mass removal

Uprooted crowns, chewed leaf tips, runners severed at the substrate Keep only with peaceful, non-herbivorous species; weight substrate anchors to prevent uprooting

Entire plants ripped out; runners pulled across pond bed; large bare patches Install floating plant-protection cages or netting over planting zones; low perimeter fencing deters geese from wading areas