Which plant disease is this? How to treat?

[dysphoria]

This is pretty typical of both Anubias and Microsorum species. They are priority K and PO4 uptakers. Pinholes that enlarge are the classic symptoms for these plants, especially in mature leaves.

For future reference, here is a great deficiency/excess overview map on the subject:
http://www.finostrom.com.gr/images/aqua/fertilizers/map.htm

 

[arowfan]

give this a shot...I use it and it works great!
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=5462

 

[coach_z]

Firstly, I dont think it has been mentioned yet but you should always prune and remove all dead, dying and rotting leaves from your tank asap. So i would start there. Secondly, before you start buying stuff and dosing your tank I would get some water tests done with a good liquid test kit just to make sure that you are indeed low on certain things. A high quality non chain store should be able to run all the tests for you including po4 and k fe, etc...Once it has been thoroughly diagnosed you can start buying ferts. I feel like a lot of people may be jumping the gun with telling you to buy ferts etc....

 

[dysphoria]

First of all, I don't want this to sound uber contrary, as text has a way of sounding cold, but in any case here it goes. Hobbyist Liquid test kits have notoriously bad accuracy when testing for things like PO4, K, Iron, even Nitrate. The only way you are going to get even close to accurate results from these kits, is if you calibrate them with known good stock solutions. I seriously doubt that there are many LFS out there that do this, as most hobbyists don't bother with it. My API nitrate kt was about 10ppm off, and 2 separate API Phosphate kits were off by about 2ppm(which is significant considering the scale on which we measure PO4). Testing, and especially the false readings that these kits show can definitely lead you astray, not to mention cause some serious nutrient neurosis.
The fact of the matter is, that if the person isn't dosing any macro or micro nutrients, eventually it will lead to deficiencies like this. The yellowing of the leaves is indicative of a nitrate deficiency. The leaves melting from the inside out is indicative of potassium and phosphate deficiency(especially in Java fern and Anubias sp.)

Bottom line, plants need food, and if you aren't giving it to them, at least in the form of some flourish comprehensive or something similar, they are going to starve and exhibit symptoms such as this.

 

[coach_z]

Agreed completely. Although I have never liked telling someone to go out and buy a bunch of stuff before having any idea of what else may be wrong. Tests can be innacurate but I have never seen a test so completely innacurate that it causes major problems.

Cover all your bases before you start doing things is all I am saying.

Sent from my DROIDX using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[dundadundun]

we've got;

yellow leafs
thin leafs
see through tips on the leafs
ruffled edges
monstrous pinholes

what looks to be diatoms on and around the pinholes (looks can be deceiving) case in point...
dunno if those are roots or thread algae

i'm thinking;

start up/acclimation issues
or more likely...
insufficient/old light/bulbs
or...
maintenance issues
or most likely...
carbon deficiency

not that adding just carbon is a viable solution since then you are likely to suffer from bottoming out on ferts and suffering from algae outbreaks.

testing is an invaluable tool that let's you see a glimpse of what you're really dealing with. definitely do that if you can.

the ferts were a good suggestion. healthy growth will likely depend on them.

but don't forget your carbon (liquid should suffice for those plants) and/or light.

 

[constevens]

Most of the times I let the plants speak for themselves. They are quite easy to see and to tell what your issues are. As the post by Dundadundun mentions several things I agree with that are possible, I will list more possibilities below of my opinions as well.. But as that is said even testing isnt an absolute. You can test til your blue in the face and look to be right on, but still not have the issue. I know people Like myself that very rarely test and have beautiful plants all the time.. I have had my share of issues. But it didnt take long for me to understand when my plants were showing and telling me what was up and learn to correct those issues and it never involved a test kit. There are many in this hobby that do the same as I do. Once you learn what a plant is showing you, By looking you will be able to correct the issues even learn to prevent them.

In the case of what I see in the pics, I see deficiency or over exposure. Are your Anubias and Java fern planted into your substrate? Or do you have them attached to something? If planted into a substrate both these types of plants can be grown that way BUT they dont prefer it. They would like to be on a piece of drift wood. IF you have them planted into the substrate make sure the Rhizome is above the substrate and not buried. This can cause these types of plants some serious issues. Also High exposure to light or being to close to the light can cause the same effects here. Both these plants are low light plants and would do better further away from the light and not direct exposure.

STILL I would look at dosing fert program ( I chose dry because easy to measure, cheap to buy and easy to keep for longer periods.) The look at getting some Excel Carbon base fluid or equivalent. Get yourself on a good dosing schedule and water change schedule. The Carbon is nothing more then another Fertilizer.

How often do you do water changes? Do you vacuum and disturb the substrate? What is the substrate? ever use any root tabs? I ask these because if your substrate is void of any amounts of food for the plants be it compacted fish waste, Excess food, Root tabs, or specialized substrate you could also be starving your plants.

Energy (light) -> Basic food (carbon) -> Proteins (NPK) -> Essential minerals (traces/micros) -> environment

Brake one of the links in the chain and the rest of the chain becomes irrelevant. your plants can show you these issues.