anubias dying after water change

[LacieB]

Did a 70% water change last month and my anubias has been in decline ever since. Guess I should probably start fertilizing.

[belleora]

That's a stunning plant, by the way. I'm guessing A.coffeifolia?

I'm no expert on plant nutrition, but I think it's worth trying a liquid fertiliser - can't hurt, right? Nice to see you posting, LacieB, so I thought I'd pop in to say hi! @matti3344 seems to know his stuff with plants, hopefully he can offer some advice - hope you don't mind the tag, Matt.

[matti]

That's a stunning plant, by the way. I'm guessing A.coffeifolia?

I'm no expert on plant nutrition, but I think it's worth trying a liquid fertiliser - can't hurt, right? Nice to see you posting, LacieB, so I thought I'd pop in to say hi! @matti3344 seems to know his stuff with plants, hopefully he can offer some advice - hope you don't mind the tag, Matt.

I'd also suggest giving fertiliser a go. I've stopped using fertilisers in my own tanks, but for a plant like Anubias that relies on nutrients from the water column, a large water change could have depleted its nutrient supply. Another possibility is that it's being out-competed for nutrients by a neighbouring plant. Looking at the photo, I notice most of the brown leaves are at the base of the plant, which is likely getting less light. As a result, the plant might be diverting its energy to the leaves with better access to light. There are several potential causes, so I'm not entirely confident in my assessment, but it's worth exploring.

[LacieB]

I agree with the liquid fertiliser idea. I've stopped fertilising my tanks personally, but for a plant like Anubias, which feeds from the water column, the large water change likely removed a lot of nutrients. It's also possible it's being out-competed for nutrients by another plant. Looking at the photo, I notice the brown leaves are mostly at the bottom, where light levels are lower, and the plant is likely directing its energy to the leaves with better light access. There are many potential causes, so I'm not entirely sure.

I'll try dead leaf removal and fertilising. Considering cutting it in half vertically, as it's not like any other plants can compete with this one anyway.

[belleora]

Did a 70% water change last month and my anubias has been in decline ever since. Guess I should probably start fertilizing.

I'd be inclined to let the leaves be until they're fully dead and ready to fall off on their own.

I've found that with outdoor and houseplants, it really depends on the type of plant. Cutting back can definitely promote new growth and encourage the plant to produce new shoots and leaves.

However, when a leaf is just dying or has dead tips, the plant can still be drawing nutrients from that leaf back into the main plant, using it to fuel new growth.

Considering anubias is a slow-growing, low-light plant, I think this is probably what's happening here. I'd only snip off leaves if they're fully dead or if there's already a lot of healthy new growth.

[LacieB]

That makes a lot of sense, thanks for explaining.

[belleora]

I completely agree with you on being cautious with slow growers like anubias. I've learned from a friend who's into horticulture that pruning and cutting back can be quite plant-specific. For instance, Buddlea can be cut back almost to the ground, and it'll still thrive and produce more flowers in the spring. However, try that on a succulent, and you'll likely end up with a dead plant.

My friend explained to me that when you prune a plant, you're essentially making it think it's under attack, so it responds by putting out new growth. It's like the plant is saying, "Oh no, I'm in trouble, better grow some new shoots quickly!" This explanation really clicked with me, and I realized that the aggressiveness of pruning depends on the type of plant and what you want to achieve.

Crypts, for example, can come back from just their roots, but with slow growers like anubias, I'd be more careful. Since your plant is quite large, it might be okay to trim back the fully brown leaves, but I'd leave the ones with any green on them alone. Hopefully, with some fertilization, your anubias will start looking better.

[TwinTankman]

I'm fairly certain a bare live rhizome will regrow new leaves. I fertilize all my planted tanks after a weekly water change, the frequency and type of fertiliser depending on the tank's specific needs. I tend to use Tropica Premium or Specialized liquid, and in a couple of heavily planted tanks with shrimp and snails, I'll add a bit of SeaChem Mindwave. The choice often comes down to the tank size, plant load, and fish load.

I also use fertiliser tabs, which I find convenient as they can be cut into any size pieces needed. For larger rooted plants, I'll use whole spikes cut into thirds and space them about 120° apart, pushing one piece under the pot. I typically add these every 3 months.

It's worth noting that if you're someone who regularly replants, it's best to avoid using these tabs as uprooting them can lead to algae issues.