# What is wrong with my Anubias?



## airickj

I recently moved an Anubias from my low-tech tank to a more high tech tank. A week or so after the move, the Anubias developed brown spots on its leaves. Does anyone know what is the cause of these brown spots?










The tank is a 20 long with pressurized CO2 and the flourish suite of fertilizers.
Lighting is one T5HO on top of the tank.
PH:7.6
Ammonia: .25 (Just moved the tank)
Nitrate: 5
Nitrite: 0

I don't know why my Nitrate is so low. I have a fully stocked tank and I feed them regularly. Could someone help me out with these problems I'm having?


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## Fuzz

looks like algae to me...try rubbing the leaves. if it comes off, it's algae.

a single T5HO on that short of a tank is way too bright, too. You can raise it up with some blocks of wood and that'll help. bring the light to about 16"+ away from the substrate and that should help. 16" away is still in the high light range. on top of the tank, you're probably around 12.75" away and that gives you a PAR of 150ish. you want to be closer to 100 PAR or you'll just fry your plants

how long is your photoperiod? 6-10 hours is ideal, but you can get away with more/less if you compensate your fertilizer/co2 to match.


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## lohachata

looks like too much light and nutrients...put it back in a low light , low nutrient tank..


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## BettaGuy

Anubias plants are a low light species of plant. I would also put it back or get some amano shrimp. Those things love eating brown algae. The high light and nutrients aren't harming the plant but the plant just can't grow fast enough to prevent algae build up.


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## lohachata

the brown spots may or may not be algae...but .....................

anubias leaves are a darker green than those in the pic...i also see yellowing in the leaves...that usually means too much light.....and too much nutrient....
i don't have a lot of knowledge about plants and algae...i kinda like algae..if those brown spots rub off ; then it is probably algae......or maybe even diatoms ????
but what if they don't rub off ?????


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## BettaGuy

You might be right, I was just speaking from personal experience with my anubias plant. I had brown algae on it and needed to rub it of every week until i added amano shrimp. They only survived for a week or so but they sure cleaned the brown algae, prefering it to the carpet of green algae I had on the gravel. Looking at it again the leafs do look yellow and not rich green, but it might also just be the light reflecting. 

On the other hand, I had one anubias die on me (anubias nana petit) in my betta tank where the other anubias is doing fine. The anubias that died turned yellow and squishy on the rhyzome first, and then towards the leafs. As far as I can tell the rhyzome looks fine in this picture though. I would monitor this plant and remove it if it does turn yellow in any area and cut of the affected area so it wont spread.


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## airickj

Thanks guys for all the advice, I have been meaning to raise my lights so I will do that soon. If it is algae it is very hard to rub off. I tried rubbing it and I noticed a minimal difference. Is there some kind of dip I can give to the Anubias to make the brown algae come off?


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## lohachata

i think it best to just move the plant back to the low light tank..


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## BettaGuy

The algae is difficult to rub of, I had the same problem. But I think it is algae since my amano shrimp loved eating it. I wouldn't dip the plant in anything as it might hurt the plant as well. I think raising the lights is a good idea, and keep an eye on the anubias. If it does turn a yellowish tint on certain parts I would cut them of and put the anubias back in the low light set up.


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## airickj

I have no room left in my low light tank. Maybe I have to get another tank!


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## lohachata

there you go.....perfect solution....i was just looking on craigslist and saw 2 55 gallon tanks for $60.00...i am thinking about getting them..


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