# crypts melted all of the sudden!



## BulletToothBoris (Jan 17, 2013)

All of my crypt undulate and wenditi have melted down to nothing in 1 week. My tank is established and nothing has been changed or moved recently. I dose flourish once a week as I have done for several months. All other plants are fine. This is a 10g no Co2 no excel low tech tank. My 4 rasboras and 2 ghost shrimp are just fine also. Substrate is dirt capped with Fluorite. What going on with my crypts? I was about to move everything over to a 45 long.


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

pics of the plants? 

This sounds odd to me because its not normal behaviour. What about what change TEMP? I have noticed with my crypts that a water change with 3-4 degree change can be enough to make some of my crypt leaves die off.


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## BulletToothBoris (Jan 17, 2013)

Temp has been a stable 78f. No need for a pic. It's just typical crypt melt just like when one is moved but this is very fast and effecting 2 different species of crypt.


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## Django (Jun 13, 2012)

I had that happen to a couple of Wendtii when I first planted them, and they went on to really flourish and reproduce. It's kind of hearbreaking when you see that. They should come back though.


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## BulletToothBoris (Jan 17, 2013)

Right but these have been planted and doing well for months. They weren't moved. I did another wc. Getting nervous.


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## FatherLandDescendant (Jul 24, 2014)

Django said:


> I had that happen to a couple of Wendtii when I first planted them, and they went on to really flourish and reproduce. It's kind of hearbreaking when you see that. They should come back though.


Heart breaking even when you know the cause. My crypts (12 plants) were doing great until I started CO2 on my 40b then every single leaf on every plant melted. My roommates freaked out, I was like yep. They are all growing back in now but my roomies thought they had all passed on to plant heaven:tongue:


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## BulletToothBoris (Jan 17, 2013)

:angryfireGreat now I gotta wait until they grow back just so I can move them to my new 45 long. Then they'll melt again.


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## Django (Jun 13, 2012)

I went looking around in Google Search and found some interesting info: the secret of growing crypts tall is that the more intense the light, the shorter they grow.

Also, about Crypt Melt:

TFK Team
Cryptocoryne wendtii "Red"

Crypt Melt: All species in the Cryptocoryne genus require stable water parameters/conditions and light, and once planted, crypts should not be moved. It generally takes up to 30 days for a crypt to become established. Within a couple of days of any significant change in temperature, pH, hardness, light intensity or duration, nutrient availability or disturbance to the roots by moving (either within the aquarium or to a different aquarium), the plant may "melt." This condition involves the leaves disintegrating into a pile of mush, sometimes within a day or two. The roots usually remain alive, and if not disturbed (siphon away the "mush" but do not disturb the roots) new leaves tend to appear within a matter of a few days or sometimes longer, even up to several weeks or (more rarely) months. Some authorities report that introducing plants to an established aquarium (3+ months) can reduce the occurrence of a melt.


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## BulletToothBoris (Jan 17, 2013)

Thanks but I knew all that. Nothing has changed though. That's the weird thing.


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## Chiumanfu (Nov 26, 2014)

Are you just dosing Flourish Comprehensive or the full line?

If you are just using Comprehensive (just micro nutrients), the crypts might be responding to a lack of macro nutes.


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## Technik (Feb 14, 2015)

do you have any pictures of the melt you speak of. Crypt melt is normal from what I have heard, and is very common when they go from semi submerged to fully submerged. My parva even melted a bit just getting moved from pot to tank.


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## BulletToothBoris (Jan 17, 2013)

Chiumanfu said:


> Are you just dosing Flourish Comprehensive or the full line?
> 
> If you are just using Comprehensive (just micro nutrients), the crypts might be responding to a lack of macro nutes.



Interesting. But wouldn't they get most nutrients from the substrate? This is sort of a Walsted tank.


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## anastasisariel (Oct 4, 2009)

Not even a water change? I believe you when you say you changed nothing but I'm skeptical that nothing changed. If truly nothing changed then could have been some kind of nutrient used up in the substrate or something broke down that was in the soil, but to affect all plants seems somewhat unlikely. Have you checked the roots of any of the plants to see if they were brown or healthy?


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## BulletToothBoris (Jan 17, 2013)

Looks like they're already starting to bounce back. Weird thing is my Amazon sword is flowering all of the sudden which tells me conditions are good. Can't really see in this pic but there is a tiny bud at the end of that.


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