Plants getting eaten?

[ippielb]

I am having problems with my leaves on my plants getting turned into a swiss cheese mess. Here's the picture, what do you all think it is?
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g79/halfsoldier/ab74676f.jpg

[Dave66]

Looks like your substrate isn't rich in chelated iron, since sword plants like that are heavy, heavy root feeders. Thus need a fine, iron-rich substrate. The leaves start to get holes in them just like that when the roots are hurting for nutrients.

Dave

[ippielb]

It's weird though because it only happens to the bottom leaves. It is also happening to my Anubis plant as well. Leaves just disappear overnight.

Could i try those fertilizer sticks?

[Dave66]

Only if they are designed for aquariums. The plant sticks for terrestrial plants have all sorts of extra fertilizers in them that are fine for house plants, but in aquariums can cause algae blooms, etc.

The bottom leaves are the ones closest to the roots.

Dave

[ridgenesss]

Could i try those fertilizer sticks?


no, but you could use seachem flourish root tabs. same principle, just made for aquariums.

[ippielb]

no, but you could use seachem flourish root tabs. same principle, just made for aquariums.
I have picked up flourish tabs, those are what I was talking about, also picked up flourish supplement as well.

[Fishkeeper]

Could be nutrient deficiency, could be some kind of pest. Idea: check the tank at night with a flashlight. Some nocturnal beastie might be chewing those leaves. Look for small live things, anything unusual. And also try extra supplements. (for the plants :P)

[ippielb]

Could be nutrient deficiency, could be some kind of pest. Idea: check the tank at night with a flashlight. Some nocturnal beastie might be chewing those leaves. Look for small live things, anything unusual. And also try extra supplements. (for the plants :P)
That'a what i was concerned about is snails. I did get moneywort plant in my aquarium and i bet i never did a good enough bath for it to kill everything on it if there was anything. I have checked a few times to see if i could find anything, and i couldn't find a single thing. No eggs anywhere, no snails on glass at night. No problems that i could find.

[Dave66]

Pond snails (Physa species), the most common snail in aquariums, consume plant debris, not live plants. Besides folks, if it was snails, and it isn't, they wouldn't stop with just the bottom leaves.

Dave

[ippielb]

I put some flourish tabs in the substrate, and have been dosing with flourish excel and flourish supplement. But i am still having problems with holes in the leaves.

[Dave66]

Patience, grasshopper. It takes time for the tabs to dissolve enough to be available to the roots. It is probable the plants, once properly fed, will discard those leaves.

Nothing ever happens fast in aquariums other than disease and death.

Dave

[ippielb]

I actually did notice a good improvement, but i re-arranged the plants and now they are back to going Swiss cheese.

[ippielb]

I am at a loss at what to do. I have used flourish tabs, and have started using flourish excel, trace elements, iron, and the plant supplement and they are still getting holes in all the leaves. I am going to try and cut back the lighting to 8 hours a day to see what that does.

[ippielb]

Still having the same problems with my leaves, seems to be getting worse now. I don't know what to do.

[Goes to 11!]

I actually did notice a good improvement, but i re-arranged the plants and now they are back to going Swiss cheese.
Did you move them away from the root tabs you had previously placed by them by any chance. . . Just a thought.

[ippielb]

They are basically in the same order, just put larger plants in the back, and smaller ones in the front.