Deficiency or getting eaten?

[wizza]

Hi there,

I've enclosed a picture of my stem plant notice the holes?

Do you think it's a deficiency? If so what?

I dose full ei

Any thoughts?

Cheers

[mjhanna21]

It looks like they could be getting eaten by snails or fish.

[wizza]

Maybe because it's the only plant that seems to effected.
I have added 3 new fish recently.

1 SAE
2 otos

I don't have snails. I goto great lengths to ensure I don't (no reason I just don't want them)

Cheers, Mark.

[el Caspar]

My ottos don't eat my plants...I've got three. Manganese deffeciency will sometimes cause holes between the veins if the leaves. Sounds like you have enough ferts if your ei dosing though... If your plant is new maybe your roots got damaged in the planting, or maybe its just not meant for your tanks water parameters/lighting

[wizza]

Thanks for that.

I'm pretty sure it's not mg or ca deficiency because I live in quite a hard water area which in my case carries plenty of both.

I've kept this plant going in different area of my tank for years. However this one is directly under 2 circulation pumps thus shading it from the light (probably the worst lit place in my tank)

Maybe I'll take a cutting and put it elsewhere.

Cheers Mark.

[el Caspar]

Ya definitely get it some more light. if it's looking bad, i'm sure you already know, but take your cutting from where you can see the newest growth happening. You sound like you know what you're doing, so good luck with the surgery or transplant

[Diana]

It did not sound like it, but if these were leaves that had been grown emersed and you just now put them under water then the plant will have to grow new leaves that are better adapted to growing under water, and it will lose the leaves that are adapted to growing above the water in the air.

That sort of all over holes looks more like something eating it. Could the leaves be weak, and even the gentle rasping from the Otos be doing this? Could the SAE be bothering this plant?
These fish are generally plant safe, but if the plant is already weakened (poor light, for example) then any action by the fish, such as eating algae, can damage the leaves.

[wizza]

I've actually just did what you said, then read this!

I have just taken a cutting and treated it to one of the premium plots in my tank. Binned the rest.

I have also just had a massive trim of my tiger lotus's. I have maybe about 8 of these (2 varieties) each with leaves the much bigger than my hand. That will definitely get some light into my tank.

*note to self* trim more often.

Appreciated.
Mark.

[wizza]

Originally Posted by Diana

It did not sound like it, but if these were leaves that had been grown emersed and you just now put them under water then the plant will have to grow new leaves that are better adapted to growing under water, and it will lose the leaves that are adapted to growing above the water in the air.

That sort of all over holes looks more like something eating it. Could the leaves be weak, and even the gentle rasping from the Otos be doing this? Could the SAE be bothering this plant?
These fish are generally plant safe, but if the plant is already weakened (poor light, for example) then any action by the fish, such as eating algae, can damage the leaves.

Thanks.

Always grown submerged (years old) but never in this shady part.

But the fish eating already weakened plants certainly addup.

Hopefully problem solved with my remedy I posted above.


Cheers.