# Anubias melting. Please help!



## dpod (Sep 16, 2014)

Over the last few days, I've noticed my anubias melting. The edges are turning yellow and melting away, and brown dots are spreading to the interior of the leaves. It's moving really fast on my A. nana! Any ideas what's causing it? 

A. nana


A. hastifolia


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## fordtrannyman (Jan 17, 2008)

How long has it been in your tank? Was it immersed? Lighting levels, type of lighting? Are you dosing ferts?


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## Aquatic Delight (Mar 2, 2012)

that looks like nutrient deficenies


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Can you take a clear photo of the rhizome and roots?
Is there any discoloration on the rhizome or at the base of the stem?


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## dpod (Sep 16, 2014)

*Roots and details*

I dose excel every day and NPK every other day. I don't know the exact levels, but I use the seachem liquid ferts (N,P, and K individually) and try to dose about 1.25-1.5x the recommended levels. The substrate is inert gravel with O+ root tabs. Light is a 24" fugeray right on top of the tank, on for 6 hrs a day. It may be a bit too much for the tank as I'm getting a bit of algae.

As for the plants themselves, I've had the nana for over a year and got the hastifolia about a month ago. I can't see any damage to the rhizomes (see pic of nana), and both are putting out new roots. There's also an A. coffeefolia in the same place that doesn't seem to be affected. It also hasn't done anything besides grow a new 1/2"-long root, and I got it with the hastifolia. Both were grown submersed according to the seller :confused1:


A. nana (melting) on the left and A. coffeefolia on the right.

Does that help? :help:


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

Seems like you have the macro nutrients covered (N,P,K) but you are missing the micros. Those are trace elements and iron, which plants use in less quantity than the macros, but are still a necessary part of the equation. This could also be a part of the algae issue. Seachen Flourish Comprehensive is a good product for micros, since you are already using their line of liquids.


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## dpod (Sep 16, 2014)

I just ordered some Flourish Comprehensive, so we'll see if that makes a difference. I also realized that I had been slightly under-dosing on Phosphorus, so I'll try increasing that as well. Is it possible that cabomba, which I recently added, could be sucking up too many nutrients?


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

dpod said:


> I just ordered some Flourish Comprehensive, so we'll see if that makes a difference. I also realized that I had been slightly under-dosing on Phosphorus, so I'll try increasing that as well. Is it possible that cabomba, which I recently added, could be sucking up too many nutrients?


It is possible that the tank was already running low on certain things, or had barely enough. The addition of Cabomba created a greater overall demand for nutrients (more mouths to feed, so to speak) and now the Cabomba is able to out compete the slow growing Anubias for the limited nutrients available, leaving nothing behind for them to feed on.

That would explain why, in spite of being a more demanding plant, the Cabomba still looks pretty good while the Anubias look like crap.


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## sushant (Mar 3, 2007)

by the looks of it the problem isn't as serious as you made it sound, since the rhizome looks healthy and intact this surely isn't the dreaded Anubius Melt. probably some kind of deficiency. if the water from the supply isn't very soft then a few frequent water change generally takes care of Micros.

you can remove the damaged leaves as they will not grow back and plant will have to use it resources and energy that otherwise can be used for new growth.


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## Zapins (Jan 7, 2006)

I don't think a nutrient deficiency is likely to be the issue. Anubias are usually the last plant to develop a deficiency. They also if it was a nutrient deficiency then they would not deteriorate within a few days, it would take weeks. On top of that, the location of the damage is not exactly right. Deficiency symptoms are usually isolated to either the new leaves or the old leaves - not both. If you see rapid damage, that affects the entire plant then it is usually from damage/disease/toxicity. 

How are your other plants doing? Are they showing damage as well? Can you post photos?

If the other plants are healthy then the issue with the anubias is likely anubias melt//rot which is a disease of some kind that spreads fairly quickly and is spread by contact with affected plants.

Did you buy from a commercial seller or a hobbyist? Commercial sellers often have this issue.

Alternatively there may be another process going on that damages leaves.

How much excel are you adding and have you done any algae treatments? Bleach dips, excel dips/sprays, peroxide, etc. If so, how did you do those treatments.


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