My Anacharis/Elodea plants are dying,...What do I do???

Papa Red · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 42

I don't have them planted, but instead I have them floating in long
strands on the surface of my Betta tank. They seem to be dying at one
end, with the disease or whatever, slowly working itself to the other
end. Does anyone have any suggestions on just what I should do, because
once they are dead, I will no longer have any live aquatic plants at
all,... And neither of the two local pet stores sell any aquatic
plants.~Dean.

Archived from group: rec>aquaria>freshwater>plants

Köi-Lö · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 23

"Papa Red" wrote in message @storefull-3255.bay.webtv.net...
>I don't have them planted, but instead I have them floating in long
> strands on the surface of my Betta tank. They seem to be dying at one
> end, with the disease or whatever, slowly working itself to the other
> end. Does anyone have any suggestions on just what I should do, because
> once they are dead, I will no longer have any live aquatic plants at
> all,... And neither of the two local pet stores sell any aquatic
> plants.~Dean.
=====================
This plant only thrives in my brightly lit tanks and in hard alkaline water.
The more nutrient rich the better. YMMV - this is my experience only. Have
you tried adding Aquarium plant fertilizer? How bright is the tank?
--
KL....
Aquariums since 1952.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~~ } ~~~ } ~~~~ }

Gail Futoran · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 50

"Papa Red" wrote in message @storefull-3255.bay.webtv.net...
>I don't have them planted, but instead I have them floating in long
> strands on the surface of my Betta tank. They seem to be dying at one
> end, with the disease or whatever, slowly working itself to the other
> end. Does anyone have any suggestions on just what I should do, because
> once they are dead, I will no longer have any live aquatic plants at
> all,... And neither of the two local pet stores sell any aquatic
> plants.~Dean.

I use anacharis mostly in my outdoor ponds. I
let them float, also. They will sometimes die back
from one end. I will break that off if the rest of
the plant looks healthy.

Have you tried pruning off the bad parts and
seeing what happens with any good parts that
remain?

BTW I've found packaged dry bulb type
aquarium plants in Wal-Mart and Petsmart.
Sometimes they actually grow into a plant!
You might check on those plants.

Gail
near San Antonio TX

Papa Red · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 42

That tank is about three feet from an east facing window, with both
morning sunlight, and reflected sunlight in the afternoon. And none of
the stores that I have access to carry aquatic fertilizers.~Dean.

Papa Red · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 42

I have just now trimmed off the dying parts of the plant, as you have
suggested. And as far as purchasing some aquatic plants, all of my
glass aquariums, and all but one of my plastic storage containers that I
am keep fish in are bare-bottomed, which is why the Anacharis that I
have, is free-floating. As of yet I have no real experience with any
other aquatic plants.~Dean, on "South Beach", on the very southern end
of Miami Beach, Florida, U.S. of A.

Marco Schwarz · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 115

Hi Dean..

> I don't have them planted, but instead I have them
> floating in long strands on the surface of my Betta tank.

Okay. Hmm.., what kind of "Elodea" (species) is it..?

> They seem to be dying at one end, with the disease or
> whatever, slowly working itself to the other
> end.

Possibly a lack of nutrients and lightening. Or too high
temperature. Or a mix of all of it..?

Please give us a short survey resp. answers to the following
questions:

How often and how much do you change water..?

How big is this tank? How is it filtered? Do you use air
stones? Is your tap water softer or harder..? How it is
stocked..? Water temperature..?

When did you get the Elodea..? Since when it started to
become "weak"..?

> Does anyone have any suggestions on just what I
> should do,

Well.., a great chance to familiarize yourself with living
plants..

Did you ever think about distributing them to the brightest
tanks you have..?

> because once they are dead, I will no longer
> have any live aquatic plants at all,...

Don't worry. You got the Elodea and I'm sure you'll get
other plants, too..! Smile

> And neither of the
> two local pet stores sell any aquatic plants.

Well.., as far as I remember do some very popular and easy
to manage aquaria plants originally come from the
South-East (USA).

BTW: Google says Miami/Florida has several aquarium
societies:

http://freshaquarium.about.com/library/clubs/blclubfl.htm

HTH..
--
cu
Marco