My plants are dying!!!

When you get new aquarium plants, you may notice something called “plant melt.” This can happen for a few different reasons, but the most common one is how the plant was grown before you bought it.

Many aquarium plants are grown emersed, meaning they’re cultivated above water with only their roots submerged. This method allows plants to grow faster because they have access to much more CO₂ in the air. Once these plants are fully submerged in your aquarium, the leaves that formed in open air often begin to die back. This is completely normal. As the old growth fades, new submerged (immersed) growth will start to appear.

Submerged growth often looks different than the plant did when you first purchased it—and that’s okay. Plants grow differently underwater than they do in open air, so don’t be alarmed if the plant’s shape, leaf size, or texture changes during this transition.

One thing we focus on is converting plants to fully submerged growth before offering them. This process takes time and care, which can make these plants a bit more expensive. Even so, submerged-grown plants can still experience some melt, but it’s usually far less severe and much less likely to result in the plant failing to adapt.

To help plants transition faster and stay healthy, make sure they have:

• Good water quality

• Available nutrients (fertilization)

• The right substrate for rooted plants

• Proper light intensity and duration

• CO₂ injection, when applicable

Most importantly, be patient. Avoid moving the plant around too much. Give it time to root, settle in, and adapt to its new environment. Before long, you’ll start to see healthy new growth emerging.

Got a question? Feel free to share any topics you’d like to learn more about.

Have a great day—and get your arms wet.

Bill “Aqualust” Marino