perfect holes in leaves

[zenkatydid]

my beautiful big leopard sword has previously had problems with potassium deficiency, but i have started dosing, and that seems to have gone away. i am also dosing seachem trace about twice a week (5ml in a 50gal tank). this sword has now developed holes in the new leaves. but they're not like the sore, yellowish holes of a potassium deficiency, they're perfect openings, about 1cm in diamater, without any evidence of tearing, dead leaves, anything. i can't find anything in the deficiency tables that indicates cookie-cutter holes in new leaves. i have also recently added SAEs and yoyo loaches, and also have 2 bristlenoses - could they have eaten it?

 

[Purrbox]

Could you post some pictures? That would be very helpful in determining whether a fish is the culprit or if it is another deficiency.

 

[zenkatydid]

Not an easy thing to photograph, all the way at the back of the tank in between other leaves But here you go:

 

[dapellegrini]

Looks like a love peck from a pleco or oto... My farlowella and oto's left marks like that on my sword plants (while i had them) and continue to suck holes in my crypts...

 

[Zezmo]

That looks like it was caused by some fauna

 

[zenkatydid]

grr! i love you, little bristlenoses, but don't you dare damage my plants!

 

[dapellegrini]

Ya, I felt the same way about my Oto's and Farlowella... I got rid of my swords cause they were just too much in my tank, and now it is my crypts that get sucked apart. Luckily they grow faster than the fish destroy them.

The other fish / plant mis-match that I have experienced is with SAE and R. Wallichii and Mayaca (they eat the leaves).

 

[zenkatydid]

i would never get rid of either bristlenoses or sword, they are both my favourites. so i will just have to live with the holes. such is life!