Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have my system going - The plants are a little hungry as my fish load has been quite low, 0,0 and 20 are the levels.

I just noticed that my Jalapeno chili plants are having a problem where the ends are like eaten off (at first i thought of blossom end rot, but it seems more sharp than that like a chunk has been bitten off)

Now my kids are not *that* into chili, so i doubt they are eating it, and my dirt bound chili are doing gangbusters.

See photo - this is an extreme case, most are more fully formed with just the end missing, (but I forgot to photograph em before disposing of em)


I do not feel it is predator related, and think it might be a too high GB water level? that is what my gut says.

Any ideas?

Whenever my bell peppers actually touched the gravel they would get a black spot and within a day or two it rots the pepper off the stem and looks like that. I think it's like a bacterial infection as sometimes the black spot start where stinkbugs been feeding.

Same here BRB, moisture or bacteria related.

Thanks guys - They dont touch the gravel.

Maybe water to high in gb.


Thanks for the responses.

Hrm... just went out this morning - definate bite marks - these are young plants only 8inches tall or so, and I suppose a rat on the GB surface could be doing it.

Do rats like chili?

My old dog used to think she liked chili... she's put every chili off, take one bite and spit it out. Then she'd try another in case that one was good!
I expect from your description that if it's a rat, the same is happening. liking the capsicum flavour of the outer skin, but deciding the chili on a whole should not be et.

I just suggest a rat, i dont know for sure - but yeah, my dogs do the same thing - it can be quite hilarious some times.

My Maremma loves chili eggs (i fill up eggs with chili to stop her eating the eggs, and she just decided she likes it... :-)

Can't recall details at the mo, but it looks a lot like a nutrient deficiency we get on our yellow summer squash. Is Ca, K, or P.

Then again, rats are eating things here as well.

That is why I said it reminded me of blossom end rot (usually fixed by adding lime)

until i saw the bite marks.

Besides rats and mice, have you any possums in the area?
I know I had a ringtail who thought I was her personal gardener for a while.

Holy Chili. I was expecting a chili that looked like jesus. Might be time to dunk a chili in something and see what you catch.

Possums are just cute rats the ring tails especially!
Except that THEY eat ROSES!!!

Yep, it's nickname was "Ratty"


I think they only eat the roses when there isn't anything more palatable around...Ratty never touched the roses, just my vegies...fewer thorns to worry about I guess.