tnfishlady
New Member
I have recently begun having a problem with my Cryptocorne plants melting. I had yet to have much of an issue of initial Crypt melt when newly put in until rather recently, but with only one tank. The only difference was it had T5 high output lighting versus non-HO T5 lighting (only discovered when I moved that light to another tank, replacing it with a cheaper T5 lighting and discovered I had much less light).
Another aquarium, set up in September I believe, with mostly Cryptocorne wendii plants, has done well until recently. Plants were thriving under T5 (NOT high output). Fairly recently I started having hair algae problems. I purchased some red cherry shrimp and some amano shrimp in an effort to try to help the problem.
Last weekend I did 50% water changes on all my aquariums, onlly lightly cleaning the gravel around the plants. I think the Crypt melt started before then, but this last week there's been a fairly major meltdown. The leaves start disintegrating at the ends.
Both tanks with the meltdowns have shrimp, the first one mentioned has Amano shrimp and I have noticed they will eat a bit of the hairgrass that is in there and I just wonder if part of this is caused by the shrimps? Although I just set up a little shrimp tank with red cherry shrimp, taking one nice green Crypto wendii out of one of my other aquariums and dividing it into two clumps in the new tank, plus Java moss (now covered with BBA or hair algae), plus a couple other little plants -- the Crypto wendii plants in there are fine.
I usually do about 25 - 30% water changes but it's more on a monthly basis but I'm trying to do more water changes on a more frequent basis. I always try to temperature match and dechlorinate the entire tank volume before adding tap water via a siphon.
I dose with Flourish about 1/2 dosage every week but do not have any CO2 dosage. I was thinking of trying to start dosing with Flourish Excel but will not be dosing with CO2 equipment.
Any help on why my Cryptocorne plants are dying would be greatly appreciated. All other plants seem to be doing fine, I have Anubias, Java moss, and now starting to venture out into some stem plants like Wisteria. I'd like to get some more shrimps for my other aquariums but am a bit afraid they are causing some plants to die. The only other thing I can think of is the bigger water change that may have caused the big meltdown.
Another aquarium, set up in September I believe, with mostly Cryptocorne wendii plants, has done well until recently. Plants were thriving under T5 (NOT high output). Fairly recently I started having hair algae problems. I purchased some red cherry shrimp and some amano shrimp in an effort to try to help the problem.
Last weekend I did 50% water changes on all my aquariums, onlly lightly cleaning the gravel around the plants. I think the Crypt melt started before then, but this last week there's been a fairly major meltdown. The leaves start disintegrating at the ends.
Both tanks with the meltdowns have shrimp, the first one mentioned has Amano shrimp and I have noticed they will eat a bit of the hairgrass that is in there and I just wonder if part of this is caused by the shrimps? Although I just set up a little shrimp tank with red cherry shrimp, taking one nice green Crypto wendii out of one of my other aquariums and dividing it into two clumps in the new tank, plus Java moss (now covered with BBA or hair algae), plus a couple other little plants -- the Crypto wendii plants in there are fine.
I usually do about 25 - 30% water changes but it's more on a monthly basis but I'm trying to do more water changes on a more frequent basis. I always try to temperature match and dechlorinate the entire tank volume before adding tap water via a siphon.
I dose with Flourish about 1/2 dosage every week but do not have any CO2 dosage. I was thinking of trying to start dosing with Flourish Excel but will not be dosing with CO2 equipment.
Any help on why my Cryptocorne plants are dying would be greatly appreciated. All other plants seem to be doing fine, I have Anubias, Java moss, and now starting to venture out into some stem plants like Wisteria. I'd like to get some more shrimps for my other aquariums but am a bit afraid they are causing some plants to die. The only other thing I can think of is the bigger water change that may have caused the big meltdown.
