# Anubia Rhizome Melt



## Rainbo (Nov 23, 2015)

Back story:

I cannot figure out how it got in my 5gal tank, there had been no new plants, or decor, added when it started, but one by one all but 2 of my 6 Anubia died, and at least one of the remaining 2 is not looking so good. The leaves started yellowing, then the rhizomes melted completely. At least one of them stank when I pulled it from the tank. I'm just thanking God that I do everything to that tank last and so far the rot has not spread to my other 4 tanks.

From what I've read it's anubia rhizome melt and there's no cure, it could possibly effect the crypts that I have in the tank but I'm still unsure of just how true that is or if they are getting it mixed up with crypt melt. So far the crypts seem to be doing good.

Does anyone know how long whatever causes the rot last in the water column? I must have lost $50 or $60 worth of Anubia and I do not want to add more to the tank and run the risk of them melting. Right now all that's in the tank is anacharis, crypts, octopus plant, and 2 anubia one of which I suspect of having the rot.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

I googled for information on this and every site said the exact same thing. They don't know what causes it but they do know it is fatal to the plant. It had only shown up in the past few years. 

I'm sorry this is happening to you Rainbo and I wish I had answers or where to send you for answers. I just put an Anubis Frazin in my newest tank and now I'm wondering if I should have. None of my other tanks have any Anubis So I'm safe there. But it seems as though not all Anubis plants come down with it.


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## Rainbo (Nov 23, 2015)

Old Dog 59 said:


> I googled for information on this and every site said the exact same thing. They don't know what causes it but they do know it is fatal to the plant. It had only shown up in the past few years.
> 
> I'm sorry this is happening to you Rainbo and I wish I had answers or where to send you for answers. I just put an Anubis Frazin in my newest tank and now I'm wondering if I should have. None of my other tanks have any Anubis So I'm safe there. But it seems as though not all Anubis plants come down with it.


Thanks.

I didn't know about it either till I lost my anubia one after the other. When the first one started looking rough I thought maybe the rhizome got damaged, or the light above it was too bright, then I lost the one next to it, then the two new ones I had ordered to replace the first one... Once the new ones started dying I figured whatever it was was contagious and started researching. 

I will quarantine any new anubia I get, I don't ever want to go through this again. 

I do want to replace it because my boy seems to miss having it, he used to build his bubble nest in their leaves :-(


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I have sent Tristan your questions about how long, etc. Hoping he will find out some answers for you.

Five years ago I did two bad things: Tied too tightly to a Cholla "tree" and had too much light. Lost some really nice Anubias. I wish I could remember how long before I added more Anubias. :-(


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## bluesamphire (Nov 20, 2018)

I have lost 3 anubias in the last 6 months to a kind of squashy melting at the join of the leaves to the stalky bit.
I'm assuming this is the same thing?

Interestingly, the other, bigger, anubias that I bought at the same time, and put in the same tank, have been fine, and are growing well.

the only difference I could think of between the dead and the healthy, was that I weighted the dead ones down with plant weights, and wedged the healthy ones into the wooden root decoration.

So I replaced the dead anubias with identical ones, and put them in the same places in the tank, but did not use plant weights. They have remained healthy and are putting out robust new leaves.

Of course, it could easily be a coincidence, but I am not risking any new anubias (they are amongst my favourite family of plants), by putting plant weights on them. In fact, I am now actively avoiding using plant weights at all.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

I'm going to have to keep an eye on the one I put in Bee's tank. I would say the big question here is When we bought them where did they come from? Pet store, direct from grower, or plastic tube plants. The one I got was a plastic tube plant from Tropicana. I think we all need to keep a log and this way we may find a reason or where it started.


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## Rainbo (Nov 23, 2015)

Old Dog 59 said:


> I'm going to have to keep an eye on the one I put in Bee's tank. I would say the big question here is When we bought them where did they come from? Pet store, direct from grower, or plastic tube plants. The one I got was a plastic tube plant from Tropicana. I think we all need to keep a log and this way we may find a reason or where it started.


That's what's puzzling the heck out of me. When the melt started I hadn't added anything to the tank, BUT I did have a huge anacharis melt due to my forgetting that I shouldn't put H2O2 in the tank until around 3 seconds after I dosed it. I'd used the H2O2 in the hopes that it'd kill off some stubborn algae that was growing on the glass, the algae survived the anacharis did not. The Anubia were a minimum of a year old, and I've dosed tanks, that had Anubia, with H2O2 and they've never had a problem with it, all of them are green and growing.


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## Rainbo (Nov 23, 2015)

bluesamphire said:


> I have lost 3 anubias in the last 6 months to a kind of squashy melting at the join of the leaves to the stalky bit.
> I'm assuming this is the same thing?
> 
> Interestingly, the other, bigger, anubias that I bought at the same time, and put in the same tank, have been fine, and are growing well.
> ...


It may be, but it sounds a bit different. Did you wrap the plant weight around the rhizome, or tie the anubia to the plant weight? If it's the former I wonder if it's having the rhizome partially covered that's the problem.


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## bluesamphire (Nov 20, 2018)

Rainbo said:


> It may be, but it sounds a bit different. Did you wrap the plant weight around the rhizome, or tie the anubia to the plant weight? If it's the former I wonder if it's having the rhizome partially covered that's the problem.


I tend to curl the plant weight around into a C shape and just hook it over the rhizome to hold the plant down.
Don’t like tying them, or wrapping the weight into a circle, because i think that could pinch the plant and damage it in future.

So yes, the plant was partially covered, but it was a light touch, not a tight wrap, and I can only speculate what actually happened.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Here's the answer I received from Tristan of Aquarium Plants Factory:

1) If one Anubias rotted if may make another Anubias species rotted as well. This doesn't affect another plant. Only affect Anubias species. 
2) A lot of customers don't know how to handle Anubias. Anubias can float in water in a year without a problem. But once attached to object the wrong way. It will be rotted. 
3) She doesn't have to wait. Simply discard the bad anubias, change the water and they can get more Anubias. It's better to ask them float the Anubias for a while so they can adapt to the new environment before they tie the Anubias to their favorite object. 

**Here is some common reason that can make Anubias species rotten.

1. Attached to driftwood/rock by using string/thread or glue the wrong way. Read more*

2. Overshadow by a larger object or put the plant into a very tight spot in the aquarium. Resolve by put Anubias in bigger space where Anubias’s rhizome can grow freely.

3. Algae - Green / Slime algae can make Anubias rotted because of poor water quality. Resolve by doing water change regularly.

4. One rotten Anubias can make another Anubias species rotted as well. Make sure to remove all rotten Anubias from your aquarium and do some water changes. This only affects Anubias species, not affect other aquatic plants species. Also, don’t put Anubias near your water heater.

5. *The first reason is the most common reason. When using string/thread or glue to attached Anubias species to driftwood/rock. Make sure to do it carefully and always do research on Google / Youtube if you don’t know how to do it yet. Using glue is the most common way to kill the Anubias. When using glue, make sure to use a very tiny amount (less than a drop would be good) and only apply the glue to only the root part, trim the root shorter before apply glue for best result. Never apply glue to the rhizome because it will make them rotted.

*TIPS:* When you first introduce the Anubias to the new aquarium. Always let them float or sink in your aquarium for at least 48 hours to one week to let them adapt to your new aquarium environment before attaching them to your favorite objects (driftwood, rock, stone, decoration, etc).


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## Rainbo (Nov 23, 2015)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Here's the answer I received from Tristan of Aquarium Plants Factory:
> 
> 1) If one Anubias rotted if may make another Anubias species rotted as well. This doesn't affect another plant. Only affect Anubias species.
> 2) A lot of customers don't know how to handle Anubias. Anubias can float in water in a year without a problem. But once attached to object the wrong way. It will be rotted.
> ...


Thanks for asking him.


I'm just not sure that's what went on. The two anubia nana petite, that are hanging on, are tied to the cave and have been there for well over a year, one of them is looking iffy, those two are on the far side of the aquarium from where the other 4 were. 

The one that started it all was over a year old, and I had left it floating, it's roots were long enough to touch the substrate. The next one that went was around the same age and was floated next to the first. The two that followed were brand new, I got them on June 21st and tied them to the driftwood the same way I always tie down anubia, I tie the string loosely around the rhizome, then tie it to the driftwood. I've never had a problem doing it like that since the rhizome does not get damaged, but maybe tying them right away could have caused it.

Whatever caused it I hope I never have anything like it happen again! On a happier note, I'm really liking the pogostemon octopus plant, I got it a month ago and may have to trim it soon.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

have always planted mine. Always planting roots not rhizome. The rhizome always stayed about 1/8 inch above the substrate. The only one I had a rhizome melt was one I bought from a pet shop attached to a rock. It lasted a couple of months and rotted. I think the difference here is, The ones attached may be either too tight or too much glue. Planted with the rhizome above the substrate,or floating don't seem to suffer.


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## jijicat (May 9, 2019)

what's the temperature?


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## Rainbo (Nov 23, 2015)

jijicat said:


> what's the temperature?


80f


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## jijicat (May 9, 2019)

Rainbo said:


> 80f


My experience, the temperature is too high, lower it to 77-78 if you can.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

This is interesting. I never thought to check suggested temperature range for Anubias. Looked up species profiles and general consensus was 72-82 but middle range is best.

I keep my tanks 77-78 and some @ 76 because I have community tanks with fish that don't do well in anything much higher. So far, knock wood, only rhizome problems were from my own carelessness.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

I have always kept my tanks between 77 - 78 degrees. The only time I ever raise the Temp to 80 is for breeding of cichlids ( but then those tanks don't have plants period. In the two tanks I just started I have planted Anubis Both Nana and Frazen'. These were bought as Tube plants instead of the regular live plants out of a tank from a supplier. I want to see if there is a difference in the health between growers. They were planted with rhizomes above the substrate. I purchased one small that was glued to a rock. So I want to see if this could be a factor. 

Will keep you up to date.


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