Anubias disease?

[The_SH]

Any idea what is causing this?  The leaves are thinning, melting, turning white.  Very pale in color.   No new growth.  Plants are about three years old and have never had problems. When I first noticed this about two months ago, I started dosing flourish with no noticeable change. Rhizomes seem to be firm and solid with no rot. 

[Zenzo]

This article on our website should help you: https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/plant-nutrient-deficiencies

[Jungle Fan]

Don't want to be the bearer of bad news but this doesn't look like just a simple nutrient deficiency to me but more like Anubias rot that has been around for a few years now. Over the last few years I've read several articles on it now and they all seemed to point in the direction of growers from somewhere in Asia who experimented around with trying to create new hybrids like Anubias Golden Coin, Anubias Golden Leaf,  Anubias Jalapeno, a.s.o. and apparently some did not utilize legitimate mutations but actually plants that were infected with some kind of bacteria or virus which caused Anubias which is generally a nearly indestructible plant to melt away in a way that turns even the rhizome to mush. Christel Kasselmann also mentioned this in her latest book on aquarium plants in her chapter on the different varieties of Anubias. If it is just a nutrient deficiency then by providing sufficient nutrients and light your plant will recover, I have literally cut all leaves of some of my Anubias rhizomes which I had cut into small pieces to create new plants and a healthy rhizome will grow new leaves. If the rhizome is turning to mush however I would get rid of it and probably not plant Anubias in that tank again because Anubias rot spreads. A friend of mine lost all his Anubias in a heavily planted Discus tank of his that had Anubias attached to all the driftwood in his 200 gallon tank which had no other plants besides some Java fern, and a few clumps of Bucephalandras about a year ago right after he had introduced some Anubias golden coin to the tank. So like I said I'd cut off the damaged leaves, and make sure to supply enough nutrients first and would wait to see if the plants recover but if the rhizomes turn to mush I'd get rid of the Anubias and I'd not plant Anubias in the tank ever again unless I would ever break down the tank and thoroughly disinfect it before using it again.

[Jennifer V]

On 12/23/2022 at 2:14 AM, Jungle Fan said:

Don't want to be the bearer of bad news but this doesn't look like just a simple nutrient deficiency to me but more like Anubias rot that has been around for a few years now. Over the last few years I've read several articles on it now and they all seemed to point in the direction of growers from somewhere in Asia who experimented around with trying to create new hybrids like Anubias Golden Coin, Anubias Golden Leaf,  Anubias Jalapeno, a.s.o. and apparently some did not utilize legitimate mutations but actually plants that were infected with some kind of bacteria or virus which caused Anubias which is generally a nearly indestructible plant to melt away in a way that turns even the rhizome to mush. Christel Kasselmann also mentioned this in her latest book on aquarium plants in her chapter on the different varieties of Anubias. If it is just a nutrient deficiency then by providing sufficient nutrients and light your plant will recover, I have literally cut all leaves of some of my Anubias rhizomes which I had cut into small pieces to create new plants and a healthy rhizome will grow new leaves. If the rhizome is turning to mush however I would get rid of it and probably not plant Anubias in that tank again because Anubias rot spreads. A friend of mine lost all his Anubias in a heavily planted Discus tank of his that had Anubias attached to all the driftwood in his 200 gallon tank which had no other plants besides some Java fern, and a few clumps of Bucephalandras about a year ago right after he had introduced some Anubias golden coin to the tank. So like I said I'd cut off the damaged leaves, and make sure to supply enough nutrients first and would wait to see if the plants recover but if the rhizomes turn to mush I'd get rid of the Anubias and I'd not plant Anubias in the tank ever again unless I would ever break down the tank and thoroughly disinfect it before using it again.

Very interesting! I did have an odd experience with rot. I added several kinds of anubias to my newest tank at the same time. Two ended up with rot and the rest that were right next to them are growing well and seem fine nearly two years later. It's such a strange form of plant disease. 

[nabokovfan87]

I would have to see the rhizome to really see what's going on.

A few questions would be what are your water parameters, lighting parameters, dosing schedule, etc.?

The anubias is basically unhappy, there's a few things to do to correct this (part of that being to remove dead parts).

If you can, please try to attach more photos and let's take a look at what's going on.  Any leaves that are not fully formed, please try to delicately remove as they are not helping the plant at all.

[Bev C]

that must been my problem I bout 4 that i lost at one shop i think it must have been the rot  lost all 4  and then i bought 2 from another  place and so far it is they are still around still mine was a  anubias NANA and a anubias petite NANA