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

"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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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