After a small piece of hornwort added June 30, 2026 was grazed down quickly by the Slough Crayfish, Josue introduced a substantially larger amount from a multi-gallon culture on July 4, 2026, betting the larger standing biomass could outpace crayfish grazing. The crayfish are still actively eating it, cutting it into fragments in places, but growth is outpacing consumption and the water is showing early, modest signs of clearing. Unlike the floating plants added to the surface, hornwort works by pulling nutrients directly from the water column rather than blocking light from above. Josue's underlying motivation is shelter: baby shrimp born in the lake in April 2026 disappeared within days, and he believes the adults ate their own young because the water offered no cover; he's hoping a denser hornwort stand eventually changes that outcome.
