Rotting Plant Material

[Johnc]

I read somewhere that decomposing or rotting plant material, left in a tank, will quickly cause healthy plants to rot. I have found this to be the case after leaving some rotting leaves to remain for too long.

But does anyone know an explanation why this happens?

Thanks

[juggler]

May I know what plants are rotting in the first place? And if all other plants are affected?

Normally I rarely see leaves rotting. Most would have been trimmed if they grow too fast.
Exceptions are my C.balansae and certain crypts which looses some leaves via rotting.

[Johnc]

Started with Crypt. Balanse and Crypt Wendti which is understandable (crypt melt) due to transplanting. But I began to have some problem with my E. Ozelot and Oriental. At first it was just old leaves, so i left them there, but this morning i discovered that a rather fresh leave from the E. Oriental was affected.

It could also be because the hobyist who sold me the Echinodorus kept the plant in a pail too long and the leaves were beginning to bent at the stem (the rot seem to begin at the bend even though they did not appear bruised or broken when I planted them in).

But when I read that rotting leaves affect otherwise healthy tissues from other plants, i was curious because I had one tiger lotus leave which was bruised during transport and so was partly rotting. I left it alone, but soon a new leave grew under it and amazingly a hole appear just where the two leave were in contact! I don't think it is snails as my snail population is near zero.

[kayser78]

got sae? they with bite sometimes though as i can see my sae muching onto the almost rotting lotus i have

[Johnc]

Yes, i've got an SAE and a couple of golden algae eaters. But that don't seem to be the problem. Especially not with the Echinodorus.

I'll be glad if the SAE eats the rotting plants (save me some work)!

[vinz]

Hmmm... never came across this before. It could be a nutrient deficency. Anyway, you should clear out dead, dying leaves if there are lots... an NH4 peak can trigger off an algae bloom.

[Johnc]

I have been removing most of the rotted material (which i think is not really a lot) so algae bloom due to NH4 may not be a problem.

But i think i may have found the problem - PO4 is released with plant rot and they cause the symptoms that I am seeing. I may have to do more regular water changes until the situation stabilises.

Does anyone know if short term Activated Carbon use can serve the same purpose as water changes?

[michael lai]

Dear John,
I believe it to be crypt rot, did your environment experience a dramatic change recently. You might also want to check your Nitrate levels(No3),excessive levels is known to cause holes similar to rotting in perfectly healthy plants.

[Simon]

hmmmm... vinz is right, I too never seen such case, especially from echinodorus. could be some deficiencies. Echinodorus are quite hardy, even tried putting them into my fridge for storage for a week before its planted

[Johnc]

Thanks for all the replies.

The situation has stabilised and the has E. Ozelot has begun to flower while the E. Oriental flowered the second time.

I think the problem was that the crypt-melt brought my PO4, NO2 etc levels to their threshold level (my theory -- as i could not get myself to spend the amount to buy testkits for these). This is why when a leaf was in contact with some rotting materials or even a drift wood that was releasing the chemicals, a hole develop at the contat points.

Moral of the story -- never introduce too many crypts at one go!

[michael lai]

Dear Johnc,
I experience a similar situation earlier last month. When I change the substrate in my tank. It stabilise when I cut all rotting leaves and change the water once a week, for about 3 weeks. It started with the cript then to my E.Ruben. Maybe just the stress period.