Freshwater AQUARIUM PLANTS - Spotting Plant Problems

Aquatic Plants - Photo: Pixabay

Even the best of us are going to have some problems with aquarium plants at some time or another. The good news is that plant disease in aquariums is a rare occurrence. But if it does occur, it's a good thing to know what to look for and what to do about it. Don't spend a lot of time worrying about it. If the plants look good and are growing new shoots or buds, they are more than likely in good shape.

Knowing what to look for and what to do if something happens will go a long way in helping you not lose all your live aquatic plants. So get smart and learn the early telltale signs of trouble and know what to do to correct the problem.

If your plants develop holes in the leaves, it might be caused by fish nibbling on them. If your fish are vegetarians then you have provided them with a good food source. Just be ready to keep replacing the plants as a food supply. Your fish will be grateful. If the plants begin to fall apart after the holes form, it may be due to rot. This is probably the result of too many nitrates in the water. Changing the water should correct this problem.

If you see your plant's leaves turning brown or black, this can indicate decay. The likely culprit of this is too much iron. Again, water changes can help reduce this problem. If the leaves are turning yellow they may be suffering from an iron deficiency. Get some aquatic plant fertilizer with iron at your pet or aquarium store and the problem should clear up.

If you find that some plants are doing fine and others are dying you could have a CO2 problem. Some plants have a harder time extracting CO2 than others. Make sure you have enough CO2 in the water. 

You can add CO2 through water changes or by adding pressurized CO2 equipment. These systems are nice but they can be expensive.

John Stoner is an author and a freshwater aquarium enthusiast. Article Directory: EzineArticles

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