Crypt melt or nutrient deficiency or something else?
A few weeks ago after changing my yeast CO2 system to a new, far more productive batch, I started to notice problems with my crypts. Around the same time, I also changed my dosing regimen (Flourish and Flourish Iron) to include Flourish Potasium. The crypts also have Florish plant tabs near their root balls. After this, I noticed the crypts started having leaves disintegrate. It started with a small lession that bubbles oxygen (I assume) as shown in the following (somewhat poor quality) photograph: http://www.shwaine.com/image/fishtank/crypt_leaf.jpg Then the whole leaf disintegrates outward from that. Also, new java fern leaves have a distorted appearance, almost like certain portions of it are being pinched inwards, creating a jagged edge instead of the normal leaf appearance. I've looked at the following nutrient deficiency chart, but there really doesn't seem to be a description that adequately covers all the symptoms: http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Fertil...eficiency.html Potassium sounds kinda close for the crypt, but doesn't seem logical since I was just starting to add more potasium. The stats of the tank are available at http://www.shwaine.com/fish_40g.html |
Crypt melt or nutrient deficiency or something else?
"Cichlidiot" wrote in message
... Then the whole leaf disintegrates outward from that. Also, new java fern leaves About the crypts, the new higher levels of co2 would be a pretty powerful change for the plant. Crypts are generally a pretty pannicky plant; that is to say if anything changes (such as a water property change, co2 levels, or a new fertilizer) they have a tendency to disintegrate i.e. "somethings changed, drop the leaves, drop the leaves!" (note I wasn't the first to say this, a friend saw it on some forum a while back). It is possible that nothing is wrong, especially in the case of your crypts. However, you should still continue to research possible problems. -Cesium --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.443 / Virus Database: 248 - Release Date: 1/10/2003 |
Crypt melt or nutrient deficiency or something else?
Cesium wrote:
snip a new fertilizer) they have a tendency to disintegrate i.e. "somethings changed, drop the leaves, drop the leaves!" (note I wasn't the first to say this, a friend saw it on some forum a while back). I said something similar to this on this newsgroup right after I first noticed the crypts having problems (but before the java fern deformities), but I never got a reply to that post. I was willing to discount the whole thing as typical crypts freaking out until the deformed new java fern leaves started appearing. I also just gave a good look at the aponogeton bulbs and noticed a couple of brown spots and tiny holes on nearly all the leaves of one bulb. Could this be snail damage? I had pond snails get in on one of the plants and go crazy. |
Crypt melt or nutrient deficiency or something else?
If you're very patient, in most cases they will make a come back.
"Cichlidiot" wrote in message ... Cesium wrote: snip a new fertilizer) they have a tendency to disintegrate i.e. "somethings changed, drop the leaves, drop the leaves!" (note I wasn't the first to say this, a friend saw it on some forum a while back). I said something similar to this on this newsgroup right after I first noticed the crypts having problems (but before the java fern deformities), but I never got a reply to that post. I was willing to discount the whole thing as typical crypts freaking out until the deformed new java fern leaves started appearing. I also just gave a good look at the aponogeton bulbs and noticed a couple of brown spots and tiny holes on nearly all the leaves of one bulb. Could this be snail damage? I had pond snails get in on one of the plants and go crazy. |
Crypt melt or nutrient deficiency or something else?
LeighMo wrote:
snip Since, as you note, crypts are prone to melting, could you post photos of the other plants that are affected? I'll try to get my roommate to lend me her digital camera when she gets back from vacation tomorrow and get pictures of the other plants and also the snails. If I used my SLR, it would take several days to get the pictures back from the developer. |
Crypt melt or nutrient deficiency or something else?
LeighMo wrote:
Since, as you note, crypts are prone to melting, could you post photos of the other plants that are affected? And what other plants do you have in your tank? I have photos of the other plants experiencing problems on my tank website now in the Updates section. The website also has all the info about the tank, including plants and inhabitants. The URL is: http://www.shwaine.com/fish_40g.html For the time being, I have just gone ahead with adding Flourish, Flourish Iron and Flourish Potassium, in case this is some other wierdness not related to nutrients. |
Crypt melt or nutrient deficiency or something else?
When crypts melt they do tend to take out whatever else is
in the tank. When this happens to me I make a massive (70%) water change, then change 25% every day for three days and add fertilizer at the normal rate. That seems to minimize the damage and they come back reasonably cquickly. Crypts melt because of an enviromnetal change. L~t the nitrates get too high and they'll do it. Shut off circulation in the tank and leave a heater on and that'll do it. Cut a lot of crypt leaves and that'll do it. These are what I've seen. I've heard that sudden cessation of CO2 injection can do it too. Crypt meltdowns can be utterly spectacular. They can go from a lush full tank to NOTHING but stumps in two days flat. The good news is you cant kill the rhizomes unless you utterly dehyrate them. I had a handfull of crypts in a bucker with news paper on top of them go unattended, forgotten for 18 months. When I finally found them there was a handfull of slightly moiet rhizomes. Three months later I took a picture of them: http://images.aquaria.net/users/r/rs...k/sjotnk28.jpg -- Richard Sexton | Mercedes Parts: http://parts.mbz.org http://www.mbz.org Mailing lists: http://lists.mbz.org W108, W126 Mercedes Classifieds: http://ads.mbz.org ** new -- Watch list: http://watches.list.mbz.org |
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