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Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V4 #534
>
>Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2000 16:00:44 +0000
>From: "Jenny K. Thompson" <terryth at huntel_net>
>Subject: Re: Twisting Swords
>
><<I have a bunch of amazon swords, and vals and the leaves on them are
>slightly twisted. I'm guessing that this is a nutrient deficiency. What
>is this a sign of? Any advice would be greatly appriciated.>>
>
>I am greatly interested in answers to this question as well, as I have a Red
>Sail Sword and some Jungle Val that are doing this same thing, although I
>would describe the leaves as being cupped as well as twisted. My research
>leads me to believe that such is caused by a calcium defeciency, but with a
>GH of 7, entirely due to the addition of coral sand to my Eheim, I find that
>unlikely. Also, I have two Ozelot Swords in this same tank, that are showing
>no signs of this problem, and some Corkscrew Val that is twisted (but not
>cupped), but then again it is supposed to be. ;-)
>
I'll take a stab at it, since nobody else has replied to this question.
If the leaves are slightly twisted, but are, otherwise, normal and a
healthy green, I wouldn't worry. I do not think it is a nutrient
deficiency, but instead the normal growth habit of the plant. Twisting
might only occur when the plants have a strong light source. There are
quite a few varieties of Vallisneria that have twisted leaves, and I have
seen twisting in the leaves of a variety of small sword that I no longer
have. I know that these plants were healthy.
If the twisting is not regular, but more like irregular distortions, and if
the leaf is smaller than normal leaves, then you should consider Calcium
deficiency. If having Calcium in the water doesn't help, then consider
Boron deficiency. If adding SMAll amounts of Boron doesn't help, then
consider some kind of toxicity
Paul Krombholz, in bone dry central Mississippi