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Sword deficiency?

Sacha

Member
Joined
3 Jan 2014
Messages
992
Location
London
Hi all,

I'm having some trouble growing swords in my low-tech. See attached photo - the leaves get lots of little holes in them and eventually die and wither away. This is in contrast to the other plants e.g. crypts which seem to be fairly healthy (see photo).

I added some root tabs over the weekend as it looks like a nutrient deficiency. However from my duckweed index (see attached photo), the floating plants don't appear to have any deficiencies (though I stand to be corrected as I am no expert).

I am also suspicious this may be a rare case of 'too little light'. The floaters have multiplied like crazy and I've had to remove around 50% just so the tank gets a reasonable amount of light. The photoperiod is 8 hours, I dose a half-dose of EI weekly.

Grateful for any advice on the swords.

Many thanks in advance,

Sacha
 

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Hi
tps://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/please-read-the-guidelines-for-plant-help.60671/

Fish inhabitant?

Floaters will suck a lot of Nitrate out of your tapwater!
Definitely not Duckweed in the attached photograph..... looks like salvinia natans
Remove 75% of the salvinia natans…. up your fertilizer dosing!
Do larger water changes;)
 
Thanks for the reply. I do have Amano Shrimp and ottos, who have probably been having a nibble. But still the leaves shouldn't be withering and dying.

I use the term "duckweed index" loosely as I know any floating plants can be used to diagnose the deficiency...

So you think the issue is probably not enough light?
 
Some of the damage to theSword is “Plec” damage.

Hi @Sacha

I agree with @dw1305. Somewhere here on UKAPS, I posted a very similar photo of E. bleherae. The damage to my plant was being caused by a Clown Plec. As soon as I moved this fish to another tank, the damaged leaf problem was history.

JPC
 
Hi all,
The floaters have multiplied like crazy and I've had to remove around 50% just so the tank gets a reasonable amount of light.
Yes just keep thinning them out. The Salvinia looks pretty healthy.
I don't have plecs. So is it the otos?
Must be, they are little plecs. You could try feeding them with cucumber, courgette, green bean, bell pepper etc.

I had a juvenile Ancistrus L100 about ten years ago and it caused <"similar damage"> to Echinodorus "bleherae", until I gave it more vegetables.

If you get damage that looks like below, it is definitely a Loricariid.

davey018-jpg.jpg


cheers Darrel
 
Thanks Darrel, really helpful. The damage does look just like that photo. I do feed them Courgette but the Amano shrimp make quick work of it before the otos can get a look in... I think I'll add two pieces next time!
 
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