Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fish Tank Plant Advice => Topic started by: Ltlbkofjim on October 14, 2014, 10:35:25 PM

Title: Black patches on plants
Post by: Ltlbkofjim on October 14, 2014, 10:35:25 PM

Hi everyone

Hope someone is able to help me. This is my first tank and a couple of weeks ago decided to add some plants. Since then I have had black patches on one of my plants which is now getting worse.
I was originally told that this was probably a type of algae, but now I'm not too sure.
Since this has started I have reduced the amount of time I have the lights on for (a mix of white and blue LEDs) to just 8 hours a day. I currently do not use any fertiliser or co2.
If you have any ideas on what it is or how I can improve the situation as I really am very new to this

Thanks

Title: Re: Black patches on plants
Post by: ColinB on October 15, 2014, 08:31:49 AM

If it's just on your Java Fern then don't worry. They do that for a while - mine did it for quite a few months - and then it goes of its own accord. I haven't a clue what it is, though.

Title: Re: Black patches on plants
Post by: dbaggie on October 15, 2014, 10:34:12 AM

I had the same with Java Fern - it could be a nutrient deficiency of some description perhaps linked to the tank being fairly new? I left them unless the black patches got quite bad in which case I cut off the affected leaf. I found the new growth was much less susceptible to the black patches.

Title: Re: Black patches on plants
Post by: chris213 on October 15, 2014, 05:02:12 PM

i have the same with mine but it is fading now

Title: Re: Black patches on plants
Post by: Fiona on October 15, 2014, 06:37:26 PM

I had exactly the same with my java ferns but they're growing back green now and I just cut the damaged leaves off apart from one because interestingly a new baby java fern started growing from the tip of one of the damaged leaves  ???

Title: Re: Black patches on plants
Post by: dbaggie on October 15, 2014, 06:53:47 PM

Quote from: Fiona O'Mahoney on October 15, 2014, 06:37:26 PM

interestingly a new baby java fern started growing from the tip of one of the damaged leaves  ???

This is actually one of the common ways in which Java Fern propagates - it grows new leaves both from the rhizome and from existing leaves. The ones that grow off the existing leaves are basically ready made plants with their own rhizome and roots  :)

Title: Re: Black patches on plants
Post by: Fiona on October 15, 2014, 06:56:31 PM

Yup that exactly it, I'm going to wait until its a wee bit bigger before I detach it. The endlers dived on it when I first added them and chowed down on the brown algae growing on its root system, it was great fun to watch!

Title: Re: Black patches on plants
Post by: Ltlbkofjim on October 15, 2014, 10:36:37 PM

Thanks for your quick responses guys, good to know it's not just me.
So what do we think, worth cutting the leaves off or just leaving for nature to take its course? Nearly all affected in some way and a couple it looks like there's no chance for recovery. Also do you think it's worth adding any fertiliser to the mix as I've had mixed advice on this, and if so any recommendations on brands?

Thanks

Title: Re: Black patches on plants
Post by: ColinB on October 16, 2014, 08:17:23 AM

I always think it's best not to add anything to the water if you can avoid it.

There's a list of plant symptoms, causes and cures here (http://badmanstropicalfish.com/plant_problems.html) that you might find helpful, plus a table of nutrient difficiency problems here (http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Fertilizer/nutrient-deficiency.html).