Melting of Aquarium Plants-All You Need to Know

Have you ever wondered why the leaves of your aquarium plants are turning brown and translucent? This is the sign of melting of aquarium plant. Melting is one of the most common issues that aquarists face; therefore, we have come up with everything that you need to know about it.

There could be multiple reasons for aquarium plants’ melting, and knowing the right causal issue takes you one step closer to its prevention. This article will explain why aquarium plants melt and whether they will grow back or not. Also, by the end of the article, you will know how to prevent plants from melting in the first place.

Reasons Behind Melting of Aquariums Plants

There could be varying reasons behind the melting of aquarium plants, and sometimes, two or more reasons combine to cause the issue. Keep reading to find out.

Melting due to transition

Whenever a plant is established in a new location or area, it experiences a little physiological stress. It happens due to change of environment. No matter how hard you try to maintain the same temperature, hardness and pH of water, transitioning phase still gets stressful for the plant.

It happens more among emersed plants that are now planted into the aquariums and are fully submerged.

Melting during establishment

Once the plant is removed from one location and planted in other, its establishment takes time. Usually, the people at plant stores grow aquarium plants in an emersed condition; as a result, the plants are free of algae, grow rapidly and suitable for transportation.

However, once they are grown submerged in an aquarium, the leaves that were above the surface of the water and had access to a lot of oxygen and carbon dioxide change drastically. Those old leaves have trouble growing fully submerged as they aren’t used to the lack of O2 and CO2.

For surviving in such situation, the plant puts all its energy in promoting the new growth in the new environment. The old leaves find it hard to adapt and begin turning brown and eventually melt. This melting also supports new growth.

The good news is, such plants usually survive, barring any extenuating circumstances. It will happen only when the water conditions of the water are in alignment with the new plant.

Melting due to physical damage

Physical damage is another common reason behind melting of aquarium plants. Such damage usually occurs due to carelessness during transport. At the same time, handling plants roughly and bumping or chewing by the fish could also lead to physical damage to aquarium plants.

Once any part of the plant damages, it begins to die. As a result, the surrounding leaves start turning brown and melting. It is because the damaged part can no longer receive the nutrients that are needed for survival.

Here, it is important to mention that only the damage part will melt and the rest of the plant grows as usual.

Melting due to deficiency of nutrients

Irrespective of aquarium plant you buy, it is important to know what are its nutritional requirements. Just like the plants anchor nutrients from the soil, aquatic ones get them from the water. Specific plants have specific requirements when it comes to nutrients and a complete knowhow of it helps plants thrive.

Beside nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium, some aquatic plants also require macronutrients like zinc, iron etc. Since aquarium plants are not planted in nutrient rich soil, it’s hard for them to get their nutrients. Therefore, occasionally supplementing the water with some nutrients and fertilizers help plants flourish.

In the absence of nutrients, your aquarium plants may show signs of stress, resulting in melting.

Melting due to poor water conditions

If your aquarium plants seem melting even after establishing properly and in spite of no physical damage and proper supplementation of fertilizers and nutrients, you need to check the water conditions.

Every aquarium plant should be aligned within its range of temperature, pH, general hardness, etc. of water. If any of these are beyond or above the range, the plant will come under stress and show signs of melting. Therefore, it is recommended to ensure that the plants are growing in conditions that are ideal for them, as prevention is generally the best method.

Preventing Aquarium Plants from Melting

Once you are familiar with the reason of your plant’s melting, it becomes easy to take preventive measures to stop it. below are some preventive tips that will help your plant stay healthy throughout.

1. Always take extra care of the aquarium plants during transportation. If you are bringing it from a plant store, ensure that it is properly packed and carefully placed in the vehicle. It will avoid any physical damage and help plant stay in the perfect position.
2. Be very gentle with your little plants in every step- right from their transportation till their placement in the tank.
3. Always buy only those plants that are suitable for your tank’s condition. For instance, plants that are ideal for growing in tropical environment will find it hard to survive in temperate conditions. So, choose wisely and only after a thorough investigation.
4. Many fish love munching on aquarium plants. You have to ensure that the plants you are choosing are suitable for the fish in the tank. While some fish love chewing certain plants, others prefer staying away from them. So, before buying, know how your fish will respond to a particular plant species.
5. The tank should be equipped with all the essential nutrients and fertilizers that are generally required by aquarium plants. Later, you can study the specific requirements of each plant and supply the nutrients accordingly. Here, it is important to mention that too many nutrients may damage the plant. So, always know the right dosage.
6. Besides nutrients, you must also learn about the carbon dioxide requirement of each plant. While most of the aquarium plants do not require additional carbon dioxide, some perform well only when you have injected it superficially. So, plan carbon dioxide supplementation according to the plants you have in your tank.
7. Always maintain ideal water conditions in your tank. This means that you should provide your plans with ideal levels of pH, temperature, carbon dioxide and light. It is the practice every aquarist must be equipped with for the best results.

If your plants are showing the signs of melting in spite of taking all the preventing measures, it is better to prune the melted part instead of trying it to recover. Pinch off the dead leaves so that plant’s energy can go towards new growth.

Will Melting Aquarium Plants Grow Back?

If your favorite or precious aquarium plant has started melting and you wonder if it will ever grow back or not, you must know why it melted firsthand. If there is the possibility of reversing the causal reason, the plant will have the chance of survival.

For instance, if the plant is showing the signs of melting while transitioning to the new location, it will grow back as long as that growth conditions are kept ideal. Also, the new growth will start and the entire plant will revive. If the plant has just been submerged, it will take some time to adjust to the new water conditions (provided they are ideal) and eventually bounce back.

Likewise, if the reason of melting is deficiency of nutrients, supplementing and providing the plants with enough of them will reverse the damage. If you don’t see the signs of reversal, the new growth will be healthy as now there is enough nutrient supply.

Melting due to physical damage is also very common and its reversal depends upon the severity of damage. If the damage is too severe, the chances of revival may become very less. However, if only a few leaves or a little shoot is damaged, keeping the roots intact, the plant may bounce back under suitable water conditions. Usually, in cases of physical damage, only time can tell the outcome.

Therefore, preventing the plants from melting it is the first step to deal with any issue coming through its way of growth and development.

Conclusion

It is not difficult to cope with aquarium plants’ melting only when you know the reason behind it. Now that you are accustomed to why aquarium plants melt, it is always a good idea to prepare beforehand and prevent it.

Make proper arrangements for plants’ transportation, avoid physical damage as much as possible, give ideal water conditions for the plant to establish in the new tank and supplement all the essentialities such as macro and micronutrients, fertilizers and carbon dioxide.

Remember, even if some of your aquarium plants start to melt, in most cases they should grow back, given that the underlying cause is taken care of. Always pick the right aquatic plant for the tank and enjoy the lush green water with the colorful fish and other invertebrates.