Sword plants doing poorly

[DaleWebb]

Have several varieties of sword plants. Leaves seem to dissolve or have spots.
75 gallon, lots of water movement, 10 hours of light per day. Discus, Panda cats, otocinclus, neon's, cardinals, 4 plecos.
SOMETHING in there eats plants as some new plants have been stripped of leaves.

 

[MaloK]

Most of the time when the plants start to decay, they become food real fast and will be used.

Mmmm.... From the picture, I think you borrowed them a little too deep, The crown of the plant must be exposed or the stems will rot at the base then the leaves will start to melt because they have lost connection to the root system.

Plants that have rhizome should not be planted but installed with their roots laying in the water layer.

You don't mention, your lightning period, strength and fertilizers you are using.

I'm not really an expert but, with today's lights and fertilizers and a little research on how to install them individually. I'm able to have plants that grows and does not die off all the time like before...

They are munched upon by a horde of shrimps and look like they when trough hell. That's another problem. But they are not dying and grow new leafs all the time.

If you have the names of the stock you have. You can check out the best way to install them so they'll be happy.

 

[anewbie]

The first plant is in emersed form and those leaves will decay to feed the submersed leaves which should soon form. Given this I presume these are new plants; if that is the case the 2nd plant existing leaves will decay as the plant adjust to new growing conditions.

Remember plants work on the order of months not days. Having said that there are other conditions that can impact or cause plants to die such as putting soft water plants in sufficiently hard water or as suggested by @MaloK the plant might be too deep.

I will note that depending on the species of pleco you have if they are primarily veggie eaters and you are not giving them enough alternative source of foods they will eat plants. Plants are not their first choice but it is better than nothing.

 

[Fishfunn]

SOMETHING in there eats plants as some new plants have been stripped of leaves.

Yes, your sword looks like the damage from a pleco sucking algae off the leaves.

I found that plecos will eat your swords. They will suck on the leaves for algae, but they will damage the leaves in the process. I am sure some pleco species are more damaging than others, but lack of food is a big reason for eating swords, java ferns, and anubis.

I moved my plecos out of my display tanks because of the eating of the broad-leaf plants. As a result, my plants live and look a lot better.

 

[MaloK]

Even shrimps wears plants in the long run, I guess it's what makes it natural looking...

I agree that plecos can be rough on the decor. Wood lose a layer at each pass and plants will look munched bad if they are not well fed... The color of the poop tell a lot on what a pleco eats

 

[Naughts]

Swords are heavy root feeders so I recommend adding a Flourish root tab under each sword plant every 12 weeks.

 

[Archerfish]

Have several varieties of sword plants. Leaves seem to dissolve or have spots.
75 gallon, lots of water movement, 10 hours of light per day. Discus, Panda cats, otocinclus, neon's, cardinals, 4 plecos.
SOMETHING in there eats plants as some new plants have been stripped of leaves. View attachment 347369View attachment 347368

Are these newly acquired plants? How long has the tank been established?

 

[DaleWebb]

Thanks for your wisdom.
I feed a block ~2" X 2" X 0.5" of Repashy Super Green daily. All the algae eaters and the Pandas eat at it and it is gone in a few hours.
Have drift wood in the tank that the plecos suck on.
Lots of plants to graze on besides swords.
Bought some Anachris that is growing kinda stringy (front left). Insufficient light?
Have two aquarium lights on the tank that run 10 hours a day.
Most other plants seem to be OK.
Here's the tank

 

[MuddyWaters]

Is your water temperature in the 80s? Plants to better below 80 degrees, and I think discus need 82 or so, yes?

 

[anewbie]

Is your water temperature in the 80s? Plants to better below 80 degrees,

Depends on species of plants.