Parrot's Feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum) turning yellow

[Jaap]

Hello,

after I purchased this plant, I kept it in the pot and placed it in a small aquarium with a small filter, a typical CFL 6500k 9w lamp, CO2 and I dose EI. I just want to keep it alive for a couple of weeks until all my staff I ordered arrive. However, leaves are turning yellow now.

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[Jaap]

Anyone?

 

[nickmcmechan]

Not sure, guessing its to do with pots, I would put in a more suitable temporary substrate

 

[Jaap]

Just moved it in the substrate...all of the plants were melting!

 

[parotet]

Hi Jaap

Not sure what happens to your Myriophyllum. My experience is with M. spicatum I collect from local rivers. This species is great for having a lot of biomass in the tank for free, so in my nano low tech it planted what I wanted and then I filled all the remaining space with it. In nature M. spicatum forms dense structures in places with high flow and just a few cm below the surface. This probably means a lot of light and CO2. The distance between the leaves (verticilles in English?) is very short.
Now in my tank they are planted vertically with low light, no co2 and probably 100 times less flow. The distance between the group of leaves is longer and the stems grow quickly to the surface... It seems that they prefer to get there and then to remain horizontally, with plenty of light and Co2 available. The leaves in the bottom sometimes turn yellow (not always but some of them)

So IMO and for the species I have, I think it is just a matter of growing habits/needs. Try to leave some stems floating like if it was Ceratophyllum demersum and see how it works.

Jordi

 

[Jaap]

maybe having them in pots with the rockwool was a bad idea?

 

[parotet]

maybe having them in pots with the rockwool was a bad idea?

Not sure, in this aquatic plant genus (as in most of the stem aquatic plants) roots are mainly used to get attached to the substrate, not for nutrient uptake. Rockwool is just a way to prevent your plant from floating and having all the stems together in a bunch. Nothing to do IMO with plant health.