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Folded echinodorus leaves




Hi guys.

I have an old echinodorus "fishstorensis" (parviflorus would be my best 
guess) that has never really thrived in my tanks.  Until recently it was 
in a long gradual decline.  It has since (following the addition of slow 
circulation in the substrate and a lighting change) resumed growth, but 
it isn't doing anything spectacular.

New leaves seem to start out normal but they only grow to a length of
about 4 inches.  Several of the leaves after reaching full size have
developed a sharp fold in the blade.  In all cases the fold is on the
right side of the leaf (seems odd) and the leaf folds back 90 degrees or
more along a sharp, slightly arcuate line that runs nearly the full length
of the blade.  The leaves also seem unusually rigid.  There's no 
chlorosis, no lesions on the leaves and the leaves seem otherwise healthy.

Does anyone have suggestions about what causes or what might cure this?

The 55 gallon tank contains an RO/tap water mix with less than 2 degrees
GH and 4 degrees KH (Tetra kits).  The temp is at 78 degrees F and the CO2
is generated by hard-working yeast.  There's a lot of water movement
provided by a circulating pump, but no filtration.  The substrate is
well-aged fine gravel and coarse sand in place for 9 or 10 years.  I
change 20% of the water weekly and fertilize after water changes with Kent
Freshwater Plant supplement XOR Tetra Florapride.  I don't regularly use
any kind of substrate amendment, though I did once try pushing some
Osmocote pellets into the substrate around the plant (to no avail, but
there were other problems at the time).  The tank is lit with 4 40-watt
flourescents - two Gro-Lux and two GE Daylight Ultra (6500 K).  The
plant's nearest neighbors are Val. asiatic (?), java fern and Crypt.
wendtii.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.


Roger Miller

In Albuquerque, where today it was finally time to rake up the leaves.