Well, I guess I am just assuming that it was a deer, but I do know that they are in the area, so that question is still valid. I've got rabbits around as well, so it might have been one of 'em. The strange thing was that none of the rocks around the edge looked to be disturbed (CD-sized rocks covering the edges, with pebbles surrounding), but 3 or 4 leaves were totally missing, not just broken off and hidden in the mud. And the bog was the only real source that could cloud the water that much (I do have a lily planted in plain dirt as well, but that's covered with 3/4"+ pebbles and the biggest fish is a 6 or 7" goldfish, no koi. Everything else is in gravel or kitty litter). I guess I could see some birds causing it since the pond has been the source of some turfwars between rival Robins, but that wouldn't account for the missing leaves. They also prefer to use the stream as a bird bath, but the pigeons like to drink from the bog. I've never grown bog bean before either (never grown lotus before but that's beside the point), but I was thinking that it would make a good cover for the rocks/pebbles/transitions that are going on. Some things that I was reading say that it can be invasive (then again, what water plants couldn't be considered invasive), but I don't think it'd be any more invasive than the watercress has been. And the lotus can invade that container as much as it wants - though I'm still wondering how I'm gonna divide it when the time comes in a year or two (It's an Angel Wing lotus - so one of the mid-sized varieties). Trying to remove the container out of it's hole is not something I'd relish tackling, I bet. I'm still in the learning phase though, having mainly book-smarts at the moment - aside from what I've learned trial-by-fire (mostly what *not* to do, thanks to the previous owners). This was definitely a "hmm, WTF?" moment that still has some unsolved mysteries about it.

I have a Chawan Basu that I purchased three years ago. It bloomed the first year, just a couple of blooms, but has done better each year thereafter. Mine is not planted deep, it only has about three inches of water over the tuber. In fact, it's right at the edge of the pond in a bog pocket just large enough to accommodate the pot. I'm a little uncertain what the problem could be with your plant, but I'm wondering if Catherinet may be on to something with the water splashing on the leaves. Mine is in calm water in a corner. They are heavy feeders, but it is still possible to overfeed. I overfertilized my lilies one year, and the leaves turned brown. Here's a picture of it with a blossom on it. It put up three blossoms this year, but none of my leaves have turned brown yet. Usually they do this at the end of the season.

I use fertilizer tablets, lots bigger than stakes. I get them with no packaging from my pond club; they get them in bulk at the farm supply. They're slow release, so great for ponds, but all kinds of other plants like them, too.

Thanks tropicbreezent. I know that's true of smaller lotus in a container, but I was hoping it didn't happen to this much larger stock tank. I'm thinking there must be a lot of tubers lower down that are okay. But......when you plant a single tuber, you're supposed to have it very close to the top of the soil. We'll see. I sure hope we didn't kill it, but I'm not sure there was any better way of thinning it. I'm sure the entire stock tank is filled with mostly lotus tubers and roots. Maybe that part is still too crowded. Sure don't want to have to dig all that out and replace it with new soil. It was such a beautiful area when it was blooming. Thanks again.