Lilly Pads Being Eaten

[JokerBebop]

I have a 500 gal pond. We have about 20 koys 5 Guramis, about 15 snails, And 6 Plecos. Recently I added 1 Lilly Plant. I just placed them into the pond inside there containers. The next day I noticed a few of the stems of the lilly pad's where floating around. It appears they had been severed at the stem. Any advice on how to prevent this from happening ???

 

[zacdl]

Get rid of the snails.

I have had snails eat the lilies exactly as you describe them.

 

[electrikat]

20 koi?

 

[zacdl]

Its not the koi, they koi if anything would just eat the roots of the plant, they dont like the green stuff (Mine have never eaten the plants though at all, even the roots)

 

[Hara]

my koi ate the greenery and killed my water lilies. I have no snails so it was definitely the koi

 

[electrikat]

I meant OMG that many messy fish in a 500 gallon pond. What a filter that would take.

 

[zacdl]

20 koi does seem like alot....

Anyways, like I said the snails did the EXACT same thing you described. I got rid of the snails, I got rid of the problem.

 

[JokerBebop]

I have often noticed the snails hang around the plant. I wouldnt think it was the koy because they are all very very small. Maybe 1 or 2 inches at most. Thanks for the advice im going to remove the snails and see what happens

 

[JokerBebop]

I removed the snails to the outdoor pond, and the plants are still being severed I just found another one floating around this morning

 

[Guest]

I have a 500 gal pond. We have about 20 koys 5 Guramis, about 15 snails, And 6 Plecos.

How big are the Plecos?

Are ALL of the Koi only 1-2 inches? I don't keep Koi, so I'm not sure how big they have to be before they could do that kind of damage.

What kind of snails and how big are they?

Trying to narrow this down to the most likely culprit.
Zac, some snails eat plants, others don't. I have a pond full of Ramshorn and common pond snails, I never have any plant damage.
JokerBebop, do you have time to hang out and observe your pond? If you have time to just watch, tou might catch the lily muncher in action!

 

[zacdl]

Dont know what is going on.

I was just assuming this, but, are the pads green? I mean if they are yellow they will break off easy anyway.

 

[piranha]

I also introduced a lilypad into a pond but with commons and comets. First they ate the white flower, then the pad. Goldfish and Koi always munch on vegetation.If they don't eat it, they will tear it up.What works for me is small surface cover plants.Spreads quickly,fish can't kill it. Great for keeping algae away. Water Hyacinths are geat as well.Strong root system,nice flowers.

 

[zacdl]

Well I personally have never seen goldies or koi eat lilies. Anacharis and such, yes, thats more edible, but lilies I have never seen that happen.

Keep eliminating some items and you will eventaully find what it is.

 

[piranha]

I recently went to the lps to get some lillypads.They weren't looking too good. The salesperson told me they were eaten by the Koi before they removed them.

 

[ReefNooB]

Yes koi do eat the greens on plants....all plants. However i dont think they eat the roots, or at least i just havent seen that yet. They do dig in the dirt in search for blood worms though. That could be mistaken as eating roots....