Sudden die off trigger?

[JoshP12]

Hi everyone,

My tank has gone through a rollercoaster of deficiencies leading to lots of die off - now we are in a better place!

However, during that time, I had some s. repens look VERY bad, spawning BBA/staghorn/GSA you name it - but no new leaves have been affected. In a perfect world, I would snip each of those leaves off (but I was unable to due to my scissors/fingers) -- the other day when I looked at the tank in the AM, I found close to 10 of these leaves on the surface (promptly removed before photoperiod).

What would cause a sudden release like this?

Some notes and thoughts: when I pulled out a couple s.repens doing some gardening, I noticed these MASSIVE root systems .. for their size, they are comparable to Crypts ... do you think that the plant decided it was time to cut its ties with those leaves? (but it was a mass exodus ... normal?)

No flow change so I didn't dislodge them? Snails + otto cats haven't dislodged them yet so...

Cheers,
Josh

 

[JoshP12]

Just to wrap the thread up, I think that it was exactly that - overshadow/flow block/unhealthy leaves and healthier plant - it decided to shed its leaves and several did at the same time.

I tried to yank on one leaf which is covered in BBA at its tip --> it won't come off. I am going to monitor plant health to see if it sheds it soon.

Cheers,
Josh

 

[Ray]

It seems to be very sensitive to changes. I had a thicket of S. Repens going crazy along the front of my 25cm. I decided to turn my light up from 25% to 50% and 3 days later all the leaves melted. Complete disaster. I went to remove, but as in your case the stalks have put down impressive roots so I’m waiting to see if it will regrow from them - but it really is a mess.

 

[G H Nelson]

https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/please-read-the-guidelines-for-plant-help.60671/

 

[JoshP12]

https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/please-read-the-guidelines-for-plant-help.60671/

Sorry about that -
Size: 65 gallon
Lights: 2x AI prime at 35%
Flow: Spray bar
Filter: 365 GPH <-- bit slow about 5-6x my volume (purigen + foam + scrubby pads + fluval biomax)
Tropica + sand substrate + flourite below the higher portions
EI micro and macro daily
WC 60%'ers at least once a week at most twice.
DC = lime green
pH drop about 1.2 ish +/-
20 Neons, 3 ottos, 1 rubber lip pleco
Anubias, buce, ludwigia repens, rotala rotundifolia, s repents, crypt undulata, pogostemon erectus

I think I am more interested in general things that would cause a sudden release of leaves - not necessarily a melt - without any drastic changes triggering it.

Josh

 

[JoshP12]

It seems to be very sensitive to changes. I had a thicket of S. Repens going crazy along the front of my 25cm. I decided to turn my light up from 25% to 50% and 3 days later all the leaves melted. Complete disaster. I went to remove, but as in your case the stalks have put down impressive roots so I’m waiting to see if it will regrow from them - but it really is a mess.

Did the leaves melt away or just lift off into the water column and separate from the plant?

Hopefully yours do grow back; I can say that I trimmed mine down to no leaves, just a stem after I underwent a serious die off and they did grow back (they had the root system before though).
Now (a few days ago I think):

The two buds you see there were not there when I topped it.

All of these were before.

Josh

 

[Ray]

Did the leaves melt away or just lift off into the water column and separate from the plant?

First they melted then they came off (or some were helped off with a siphon and tweezers at the last water change) - previously this was a mass of green:

 

[Sammy Islam]

I have also found s.repens to be very sensitive. Every time i trim mine they just melt/disintegrate, really don't know why seeing as my tank is 6 months old and stable. The s.repens is the only plant i have trouble with.

 

[Nick72]

I have also found s.repens to be very sensitive. Every time i trim mine they just melt/disintegrate, really don't know why seeing as my tank is 6 months old and stable. The s.repens is the only plant i have trouble with.

Hi Sammy, are you saying the cuttings melt away or is it the rooted original plant melting?

 

[Sammy Islam]

Hi Sammy, are you saying the cuttings melt away or is it the rooted original plant melting?

Mainly the trimmings, if i trim and replant some of them will disintegrate and i have no idea why. The only reasons i can think of is:
1) they are like crypts and don't like to be moved once they are established.
2) i may be damaging the stems when i trim and replant
3) the change in light intensity and co2 depending on where they are re-planted

 

[Nick72]

Mainly the trimmings, if i trim and replant some of them will disintegrate and i have no idea why. The only reasons i can think of is:
1) they are like crypts and don't like to be moved once they are established.
2) i may be damaging the stems when i trim and replant
3) the change in light intensity and co2 depending on where they are re-planted

That's interesting. I'm a couple of weeks away from my first trimming of mine.

I had heard this was a common way to propagate S.Repens,

I'll keep following. Hope you both have better luck.