[wetworks]

I have a problem with my Amazon Sword; many of the leaves have large brown spots on them. I got these from Petco, and they came in those tubes that the chain stores often carry. Right now I have 2x39w T5 bulbs (6500k) on the tank, and I am dosing Excel and Flourish Comprehensive. My first question is what can I do to keep this from happening? My second question is will the brown leaves ever return to good health, or should I trim them off the plant? Thanks!

 

[tuffgong]

Amazon Swords are root feeders that really benefit from substrate fertilization. The spotty and dead leaves are due to a lack of nutrients in your substrate. I recommend getting some root tabs asap. You will quickly see a difference in the plant and it could possibly grow into a tank buster rapidly. I love the look of a large amazon sword though! Trim the dead and holey leaves off at the base of the plant to encourage new growth.

 

[150EH]

They most likely will not repair themselves and if possible you should try and remove them. The plant should put on new growth soon after these are removed, with Swords being a big plant that often grows somewhat fast a balance of good nutrients are required and if you can add some root tabs of some sort to the substrate it will pay off with a healthy plant in most cases. It's been a while since I've had any swords in my tank but that's how I remember it going, good luck.

 

[Kathyy]

Also those sick leaves were grown in air and cannot survive underwater. Your plants will be sending out aquatic leaves now, the stems are shorter and the leaf blade is longer and not as thick.

It is fine, look in the center of the plant for new leaves coming up.

 

[wetworks]

Thanks so much for the quick replies! I actually added Flourish root tabs to the tank today, so the next step is to trim off the dead and dying leaves. Can anyone tell me how long it will take to grow new leaves on these? I will be adding CO2 in a week or so, but I am using Excel in the meantime so I do not have any problems with there not being enough carbon available for them. On a side note, I also have a bit of Argentine Sword in the same tank, and there have been no dead leaves on those so far. Any idea why that might be? Thanks again for all your help.

 

[fishykid1]

If you've had the amazon sword less than a month from those petco containers, it's because the leaves from the petco containers are grown emersed (high humidity, not underwater). For the leaves to recover they have to shed the previously above water leaves for newer thinner submersed leaves. The leaves that are above water have a thicker outer layer, making it (near) impossible for the plant to pull in nutrients from the water.

 

[wetworks]

If you've had the amazon sword less than a month from those petco containers, it's because the leaves from the petco containers are grown emersed (high humidity, not underwater). For the leaves to recover they have to shed the previously above water leaves for newer thinner submersed leaves. The leaves that are above water have a thicker outer layer, making it (near) impossible for the plant to pull in nutrients from the water.

Great explanation fishykid1! Thanks a lot.

 

[CGY_Betta_Guy]

dont simply trim/cut the leaves down by the base... instead pull the outer most leaves that you are wanting to get rid of down and away from the rest of the plant. That is more effective and doesnt leave a little stump of a leaf that eventually rots away in your tank. Eventually the inner most leaves become the outer and can be taken off in the same manner.

 

[wetworks]

As I have trimmed the dead and dying leaves off of my Amazon Sword it just seems like the next leaves toward the center of the plant start to die as well. Is this going to happen until all of my leaves are dead? If so, how long should it be before they regrow? My tank looked nice with all of the leaves on these plants, and now all but a very few are gone and the ones that are left have got dead brown splotches all over them. Should I just sit tight?

 

[fresh.salty]

It will take some time to acclimate and then quickly take over your tank. lol

 

[jjp2]

it likely was emersed. Any leaves will slowly die off and new growth will appear as it transistions.

 

[wetworks]

I found some nice Amazon Sword at my LFS that is currently growing in one of their tanks. If I get this plant, which is super nice, will the leaves from this one also have the problem as the ones I got from Petco in the tubes? I only ask this because I got some Wisteria (Hygrophila difformis) from both Petco tubes and from the LFS- in both cases some of the leaves, mostly toward the bottom, died and fell off. Should I expect this from the Amazon Sword?