Issues with holes in kleiner plants

[opaline]

Hey guys, so I've got a bit of a mystery on my hands with my Kleiner. I've got 2 out of 7 plants in this tank that are developing holes in their leaves - starts off brown, then the holes show up. These two plants are right next to each other, surrounded by 12 other swords that are all doing awesome. I'm wondering if maybe they just need more root tabs than the others, or if this is some kind of melting thing. They've only been in the tank for a month and a half, whereas the other 12 have been planted for seven months already.

I did have an ich issue a while back, treated it with heat, and maybe I should've moved the plants out, but I didn't wanna uproot them again. Could the heat have damaged these two since they weren't established yet? The ich has been gone for over a month, but these two plants haven't had any new growth - the established plants started sending up runners after the temp went back to normal.

I'm using a fluorescent white light and an LED plant light, Seachem tab fertilizer every 3 weeks, and Seachem comprehensive liquid fertilizer every week, following a 50% water change every Saturday. Lights are on for 7 hours to control black beard algae on the wood. I'll test my water and post the results soon.

[opaline]

So I finally tested my water - here are the results: pH 7, GH 7, temperature is 75°F, nitrates 5, nitrites 0, ammonia 0.

[Avalon]

I'm leaning towards either heat damage or a nutrient deficiency. Trimming the damaged leaves and keeping an eye on new growth might give you a better idea of what's going on. It's also worth considering that nutrient deficiencies can be tricky to identify, but keeping an eye on your plants' response to pruning could help you pinpoint any issues down the line.

A planted tank's nutrient balance can be pretty delicate - too little or too much of something like phosphate, magnesium, or potassium can cause problems. Sometimes, an excess of one nutrient can even trigger a deficiency in another.

[velvet8]

Hello @opaline

What fish do you have in your tank? Do you have any sucker fish? They're omnivores with a veggie tendency and when they're hungry, they can eat the soft leaves of your plants.

[Giggletons]

I think it's either heat damage or a nutrient issue. Trimming the damaged leaves and keeping an eye on new growth might help identify any deficiencies.

A nutrient deficiency can cause problems in a planted tank - it's often due to an excess of another nutrient.

I've heard that swords use nutrients from old leaves for new growth, so maybe trim the damaged leaves once they've wilted. Potassium could be a possibility.

[velvet8]

I'm not convinced it's a lack of potassium, as that typically causes yellow edges and dark spots on the leaves, not holes.

[Giggletons]

Hello @opaline

What fish do you have in your tank? Do you have any sucker fish? They're omnivores with a veggie tendency and when they're hungry, they can eat the soft leaves of your plants.

Yeah, some of the leaves have yellow edges and dark spots too.

[opaline]

If I'm dealing with a potassium deficiency, what's the best approach to manage it? Would adding extra root tabs or switching to a different liquid fertilizer make a difference?

I've got bladder snails in the tank, but I've never caught them munching on the leaves or causing any damage to the other plants.

[velvet8]

Snails are detritivores, so it's possible they're eating the leaves in bad state. Adding potassium might be enough after testing it.

[opaline]

I'm planning to catch those pond snails over the weekend, might be the culprit. If not, I'll try adding an extra root tab to the damaged ones, see if that helps with the yellowing. Appreciate the advice, everyone.