Plant With Browning Leaves

[mbpted]

My first live plant is getting browning/transparent tips on the larger leaves.
 

It's a Echinodorus bleheri (Amazon Sword). I'm attaching a couple pictures.
 
It's in a 30 Gallon tank. The only thing I know about the lights is that they are LED. I keep them on about 12 hours a day. 
 
Earlier today, I noticed my Bristle Nose Pleco "sucking" on the leaves. I'm not sure if he's cleaning or snacking.
 
Does it need pruning? Fertilizer? Is this just normal plant aging. My guess is, no.
 
I've read that it is a fast growing plant, but I'm not seeing much evidence of that. Maybe it's the wrong plant for the substrate. I've been told that maybe a floating plant might be better for the fish I have. (Tetras, and most recently Rasboras)
 
Any advice would be appreciated. 
 
Thanks.
 
 
 

Previous advice from a separate topic that was starting to stray from the original question:
 

We can look into the plant issues if you provide data on the light (type, watts, spectrum, etc), and are you using any fertilizers or plant additives, and if yes, which and how much.
 
Floating plants are the easiest to maintain because they have the aerial advantage, meaning that the floating leaves are able to take up CO2 from the air which is about four times faster than from the water, and obviously there is an abundance of CO2 in the air but may not be in the water.  Plus the closeness to the light means that is not usually an issue, though we still need to know the specs.  A comprehensive liquid fertilizer may be required, but that is easy to handle.
 
The advantages of floating plants are that being fast-growing, they use a lot of nutrients which means a lot of water filtration occurring.  They are almost ammonia sinks, they take up so much relatively speaking.  But they also provide a cover, and all of these forest fish appreciate this as it is natural.  Most forest fish occur in heavily-shaded waters, provided by overhanging terrestrial vegetation in most cases but floating plants fill this requirement nicely, and have the filtration benefit too.  Water Sprite, Water Lettuce, and Frogbit are good floaters.  I would personally avoid the smaller floating plants like duckweed and Salvinia, though the latter is a lovely little plant.  Some stem plants grow very well left floating; pennywort is ideal for this, I use it in a couple of my Amazonian tanks.
 
Just as a comparison, I have a 29g (with these tank dimensions) as one of my 7 tanks in my fish room, and currently it holds around 60 fish.  Now, they are all small, and all have identical requirements respecting water parameters, lighting, environment (aquascaping), water current, etc.  And this is the crux of the matter...have completely compatible fish.  As I mentioned previously, providing what the fish require will actually lessen their impact on the tank's biological system because they are not "fighting" issues.  "Compatibility" involves fish behaviours of course, but it goes much farther than that.
 
Byron.
 

 

 

[Munroco]

Is this a new tank? If so its possible there aren't enough nutrients in the sand/gravel. As well as light plants need these to help them grow. Healthy swords will have fairly large roots to make the most of anything in the substrate. My main tank has 4 or 5 fairly large amazon swords and half the surface is covered with floating plants. The shaded swords don't grow so quickly but they don't get algae growing on them either.

 

[simonas]

I'm having the same issue and have LED's .i suspect light is not an issue other than it is too intense for the plant and there is not enough nutrients for it to feed on due to the intensity of the light

 

[PepperjacksMama]

If it is only the older most outer leaves could be aging. But as for lights, not all LEDs are equal. That being said Amazon Swords don't need high light. But in my experience Amazons do get enormous root systems. Try adding root tabs. For best results split it and position it at thr compass points around the plant.

 

[Byron]

First on the light...as other members have mentioned, not all LED is the same, but in fact very different.  We really need to know more about this light.  Is there no data on the fixture, container, or online from the manufacturer's site?
 
Second on the nutrients, again as others have said, sword plants are heavy feeders.  The root system of one of the "common" swords ("bleherae") will easily extend for 12 inches (30 cm) in all directions from the crown if space is available.  The plant needs some nutrient supplementation, especially in fairly new tanks where the organics will not yet have built up in the substrate.  I have grown this species for many years, and it will manage with a comprehensive liquid fertilizer, but will do better with the addition of substrate fertilization as well as the liquid.  Some nutrients are taken up primarily or solely via the leaves, others by the roots.  Any fertilizer added to the water will obviously get into the plant via the roots and leaves, but a substrate tab provides additional nutrients next to the roots.
 
I assume you are using no fertilizers, so I would first suggest a comprehensive liquid.  Seachem's Flourish Comprehensive Supplement for the Planted Aquarium or Brightwell Aquatics' FlorinMulti.  These contain basically all necessary nutrients.  As for substrate supplement, I would suggest Seachem's Flourish Tabs.  The API brand is not as good, and can make a real mess if disturbed.  Brightwell does not make a substrate tab so far as I know.  Some aquarists make their own, but with just one tank and one or two plants, a package of 10 Flourish Tabs will last a couple years, as you use one next to the plant and replace every 3 months.
 
To the Bristlenose plec, I see no evidence of damage from this fish, though that can occur.  But this is a fairly strong plant, and algae-eating fish are unlikely to cause damage.  Here we are dealing with light/nutrients.  The decline of the older outer leaves, especially after the plant is transplanted to differing water, is common, but I also see evidence of nutrient deficiency in the newer inner leaves which are yellowish rather than brighter/darker green.  Iron is often suggested for this, but there are other equally-essential nutrients involved and the comprehensive fertilizer is a better addition at this point.  I sometimes add iron but only in connection with the other trace elements.
 
I recommend floating plants too.  The fish pictured are forest fish that appreciate a "roof" over them.  This shouldn't cause issues with the sword plant, once we have sorted out the light.
 
Byron.

 

[mbpted]

Here is some information I was able to get on the light. 
 
It's from an "Aqueon LED Echohood." (it came with the tank) I called the manufacturer this morning and they said that it is a "cool white" light, 8000 Kelvin.
 
As for the tank, I've had it for maybe half a year. The plant has been in it for maybe 2, 2.5 months. I don't really remember how long exactly.
 
I have not used any fertilizers, but can pass by the fish store on my way home today to see if they have any of the products mentioned above.
 
Any chance of them hurting the fish?
 
Thanks for the help.

 

[Byron]

Here is some information I was able to get on the light. 
 
It's from an "Aqueon LED Echohood." (it came with the tank) I called the manufacturer this morning and they said that it is a "cool white" light, 8000 Kelvin.
 
As for the tank, I've had it for maybe half a year. The plant has been in it for maybe 2, 2.5 months. I don't really remember how long exactly.
 
I have not used any fertilizers, but can pass by the fish store on my way home today to see if they have any of the products mentioned above.
 
Any chance of them hurting the fish?
 
Thanks for the help.

 
First on the light, this is going to be a struggle as 8000K means high blue and very weak red, and red (along with blue) is essential to drive photosynthesis.  This info doesn't tell us the intensity, but I would suggest that unless this fixture says it is intended for a planted tank, it probably (though not necessarily) will be on the weaker side.
 
On the fertilizers, if not over-dosed, these will not harm fish or invertebrates.
 
It takes time for issues to be obvious with some aquatic plants, especially the slow and moderate growing species.  Faster-growing plants such as the stem plants tend to be quicker at showing the effects, whether good or bad.  So a couple months and seeing the signs here is not unusual.  The past history of the plant factors into this too, and of course we have no way of knowing that.  If the plant was in good growing conditions, it can store up some nutrients and then use them later in less favourable conditions.
 
Byron.

 

[Gruntle]

Your BN Pleco is almost certainly snacking on the leaves. Mine turned a beautiful Amazon Sword into lace within a fortnight of me adding it to the tank. Although surprisingly, she seems to ignore it now, and it's coming back to life.

 

[mbpted]

I've added some Seachem Suplimental Fertilizer to the water and a Seachem Tab to the gravel next to the plant.
 
I can also try to open the curtains in the room to let some sunlight in. I curtained the room before the Pleco had at the algae. I think I can let some natural light in to see if that helps.
 

Your BN Pleco is almost certainly snacking on the leaves. Mine turned a beautiful Amazon Sword into lace within a fortnight of me adding it to the tank. Although surprisingly, she seems to ignore it now, and it's coming back to life.

 
I wondered about that, I usually leave him a slice of cucumber or zuccini to snack on and I think that keeps him pretty satisfied. The day I saw him on the leaf, was when he had devoured one slice and I hadn't added a new one.
 
While I wait to see if the Fertilizer does anything, should I prune the browner leaves?

 

[Byron]

I wouldn't be quick to blame the pleco here.  The issue in the photos is a light/nutrient one, I'd be pretty certain.  I have Farlowella and I know what leaf damage from algae-eating fish looks like, and I'm not seeing it here.
 
It is normal for these fish to graze leaves, grazing off the algae that grows in the biofilm.  This does not mean they are eating the leaves themselves.  Snails (the small ones like pond, bladder, Malaysian) do the same.  The leaf damage is caused by the rasping, and generally it is the softer leaved plants that take the brunt of this.
 
It will take a few weeks to notice changes from the fertilizers, and they will likely be gradual.  Also, this will be evident with new growth only; existing leaves do not "improve" from any changes.  And new growth is from the centre of the crown, with the older leaves on the outside of the plant.  I tend to remove dying or dead leaves; if the stem at the crown is brown, and the leaf easily breaks off when lightly pulled straight up, the leaf is dead or close to dead.  But as long as the leaf stalk is still white and firm, the plant can transport nutrients from the leaf to new growth.  These are termed mobile nutrients, and it is the plant's way of making use of nutrients in older leaves when these nutrients are inadequate.
 
Byron.