Crypt not doing well

[An t-iasg]

I got two cryptocoryne walkeriis and put one in each of my 5 gallon betta tanks. (I didn't get any fertilizers yet. ) The place where I got them will call me when they get the Seachem roottabs in. I read that the crypts feed thru the roots mostly.

One crypt is doing very well. I've had it for about 2 weeks, and it has a new leaf already. The other one was very small when I got it, only 3 leaves. All these leaves suffered from leaf melt. A new leaf is also coming up, but it's very small, while the other crypt's new leaf is about 1/2 inch long already.

The tank where the sick crypt is has newspaper over the side of the tank nearest the crypt. This is so my two bettas don't see each other and constantly flare. I don't think I'll be able to take this paper off. I'm wondering if the paper is preventing some of the light from reaching the crypt, and that's why it isn't doing well. It doesn't look any dimmer in that tank, but maybe the paper is preventing some of the wavelengths from reaching the plant? I'm wondering if I should move the crypt to the other tank, with the good crypt, or just wait to add some of the root tab and see if the sick crypt recovers. Should I cut off the bad leaves now or wait until some new leaves grow?

 

[Mr Burns]

crypt melt it very normal...my wendtii is going through it right now, although not nearly as bad as i thought it would be. i've been changing a bit of the water almost every day...this is actually the first day i haven't changed out some of the water b/c i was working on my car. i'll change about 25% tomorrow...

crypt melt isn't anything to worry about, although the initial reaction of most is "what am i doing wrong??"

 

[malkore]

even if you do everything right, a crypt can melt it's leaves away.

just give it some time, and if possible stick a root tab underneath it (push it in diagonally from the side of teh plant so you don't disturb it)
If its putting out a new leaf already, it will bounce back.

 

[An t-iasg]

Thanks, guys! I'm glad that the crypt melt is probably not my fault. So you don't think that the newspaper covering the side of that tank is to blame either?

I have not gotten the Seachem root tabs yet, but I have seen a picture of them and they are big! How much of one tab should I put under each crypt? The good crypt looks like it's 5 1/2 inches across, with 6 big leaves and one new leaf, and the sick crypt is only about 2 1/2 inches across with 3 bad leaves, and one very tiny new leaf. Sorry to ask if the directions are on the box, but I have a feeling that the dosage will be per gallons of water, and not for one individual plant.

 

[TankGirl]

Go ahead and stick the whole root tab in - then you can forget about it for several months.

Crypts will melt just from being put in a box and shipped to you, then getting planted in your tank that is different from where they came from - as long as there are roots remaining the plant will come back. I have some walkerii in extremely low light tanks and they do just fine - wonderful choice for your betta tanks!

 

[medge00]

my crypts are melting right now too. pretty annoying, no? at least yours are small. I have 3 very large crypts metling. i use jobes tabs for a little extra ferts, they're way cheaper than the seachem ones. just a thought!

 

[malkore]

the root tabs aren't per gallon...they're a surface area thing. each one is good for something like 6-8 inch radius. I think 1 box will completely cover a 20gallon tank...but you only need to use them around plants.

they last 2-3 months, and by that time you probably won't need the added substrate fertilization as the fish mulm will have built up enough to feed them.