Amazon Sword plant - turning yellow and nasty-lookin'

[clownbaby]

So far I have gotten amazing advice from many other topics, so I figured I'd ask for this (even though it is a minor thing)!

I ordered my amazon sword from the internet, and when I received it I was so amazed, it was incredibly healthy and green. I planted it in my 30 gal about a month ago, and it immediately started to turn yellow and wilt. I took this as it just adjusting, and expected it to perk up after a few days, since my other plant (ludwigia) had done this.

But... it's been a month. Hm.

It is growing new, green leaves; so this makes me want to think that those yellow leaves are dead and/or not going to recover. Should I snip them off? I am currently not using any fertilizer, but my substrate is nutrient-rich; clay beads, organic soil, peat moss, decaying leaf litter, and crushed lava rock. It's capped off with inert substrate (pea-sized pebbles).

I did not plant the crown of the amazon sword, only the roots. (the seller was very kind and included planting instructions!) My ludwigia and sedge are all doing great, which leads me to believe it is a problem with the sword plant, not the soil or parameters. 

My personal conclusion is that I should snip off the yellow leaves and toss them in the compost bin; but since I am new to aquarium plant-keeping I just wanted a second opinion. Thank you everyone!!!

[AllFishNoBrakes]

A picture would help to confirm, but my guess is those leaves that are turning yellow are the leaves that were grown emersed (out of water), and the plant had to convert to submerged (in water). 
 

You are correct that they will not recover and should be clipped off. New leaves will grow from the center of the plant, and it will continue to bush out over the coming months and years. 
 

Swords are heavy root feeders, but it sounds like you have that covered with soil and a nutrient rich substrate. 

[macdaddy36]

All of the swords I've had do something similar where they melt away but eventually grow new leaves. IME, A good way to tell whether the leaves were grown emerged is that the original leaves I get are more rounded, where as the leaves that grow later are pointed (like an actual sword). I usually just trim them once they turn yellow.

[T. Payne]

Pics definitely will help.