Why Do My Plants 'Melt' Or Look Different?

The short answer is plants 'melt' (and look different) when there is a change of environment. It is completely normal and does not necessarily mean the plant is dying. To elaborate further, we need to understand:

-What is emersed and submersed forms?

-Why do plants look different in emersed and submersed forms?

-Why do we ship plants in emersed forms?

-Why do plants melt?

-How to avoid melting?

-What to do if plants melt?

What is Emersed and Submersed?

Aquatic plants have both emersed and submersed forms. 'Emersed' refer to emergent vegetation form where plants are grown partially in and partially out of water. Whereas 'submersed' refer to the form in which plants are being submersed in water and have adapted to aquatic conditions.

The key difference between these two forms is the availability of CO2. Plants would prefer to survive above water line as it would give them access to gaseous CO2. Gas diffusion in air is 5,000 to 10,000 times quicker and more effective than in water, therefore it is much easier for plants to 'breathe' in air with their CO2 & O2 needs easily met.

Why do plants look different in emerged and submersed forms?

How aquatic plants appear in these forms may vary drastically. Generally, plants in emersed conditions require external protective tissues to limit water loss, thus have thick, self-supporting stems with round and waxy foliage. In contrast, plants in submersed forms have highly dissected or divided leaves, which create large surface areas for absorption and photosynthesis. Surface cells of submersed plants are able to absorb water, nutrients and disabled gases from surrounding water, and their internal xylem system, which transports water from roots to other parts of the plants (an emersed characteristic), is greatly reduced.

In commercial trade, most aquatic plants are farmed and transported in emersed forms, as firstly, it negates the need for CO2 management, and secondly, emersed forms are hardier (submersed forms have water to support their weight while emersed forms grow sturdier structure to support their own weight). Plants at Living Shrimply are marketed as emersed forms due to the above reasons.

However, unlike conventional aquarium stores who sell plants in pre-packed packaging, here at Living Shrimply, plants are maintained in aquarium set-ups with proper lighting, CO2 injection and professional care. Mostly important, plants are freshly packed upon ordering.

Plants 'melt' when there is a change of environment. It is a form of adaption where leaves of plants lose colour and become transparent before disintegrating. It does not necessarily mean that the plant is dying. 

'Melting' usually occurs during conversion. To adapt and optimised survival in the new environments, plants have to channel energy into new growth and form new proteins, while sacrificing and scavenging nutrients from older leaves and eventually discarding them. Some species are more notorious for melting than others. 

'Melting' could also occur when plants suffer from damages or nutrient deficiencies. Plants that are underfed over an extended period of time may look healthy but are actually delicate. Intermittent melting in a stable tank could signal insufficient nutrients dosing. As such, do not be alarmed by sudden plants melting even when light, dosing, CO2, water parameters have not changed.

Having said that, 'melting' is not inevitable at times. While it is extremely common in new tanks or tanks with no CO2 injection, plants when grown in favourable conditions have less impetus to melt. In such ideal environment, the same emersed leaves of many species (Java Fern, Cryptocoryne, Bucephalandra) can transform directly into submersed leaves.

 

 Avoiding 'Melting' 

To prevent or avoid melting, the key solution is to reduce plant stress and provide favourable growth environment. This would entail the following:

1. Choose healthy plants to begin with. Healthy plants have sufficient stored energy and resources to adapt with environmental transitions. Long transport and poor packing also affects plant health. That is why here at Living Shrimply plants are freshly packed upon ordering and we strongly recommend 'seller own fleet' for delivery option so that we can pack and deliver the plants all in the same day.

2. Provide high levels of O2 & CO2, proper lighting and sufficient nutrients dosing in a stable tank. Read more here about the important factors of a healthy tank.

3. Trim and prune timely. Removing old and dying leaves would encourage plants to grow; rather than wasting resources attempting to fix them, trimming and pruning forces the plants to redirect their resources into growing new, healthier leaves. Also, it would create sufficient space and light path for new leaves to grow.

 

What to do if plants melt?

Remove or siphon off dead or dying waste and conduct water change (Turkey Baster is found to be most effective). Doing so would remove ammonia and other pollutants which would in turn reduce algae trigger. Clean substrate provides growing spaces and better water quality allows plant to recover.

More importantly, look for the root cause of melting. Check all aquarium equipments. In new tanks, monitor the biological maturity of the set-up.