# Peperomia with mold



## kitcolebay (Apr 7, 2012)

I've had my tank setup since April/May and never had visible mold. Recently I decided to pull my devil's backbone(which was doing fine, but too tall) and replace it with a peperomia that I really liked. It did well in my grow out tank, but now the leaves are getting mold on them and rotting. I'm assuming it is possibly too wet since it is near the waterfall, but wanted to check for other possibilities before going further. Any suggestions?


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## therizman2 (Jul 20, 2008)

I would bet on too wet/not enough air flow. Some Peperomias for whatever reason also just seem to hate to be moved once they have established themselves... Ive moved them from what I thought was one condition to another that was near exactly the same and within days it was a pile of mush.


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## kitcolebay (Apr 7, 2012)

Bummer. I do have it near a fan, so I believe it is getting a fair amount of air circulation. The soil stays pretty moist where it is from the water feature, but drains well to the false bottom. I'd assume too wet would be the issue then.

Thanks for the help Mike! I'll get it pulled in the morning.

Is it fair to assume that if a couple leaves have molded, the rest will follow suit? As of now 80% or so of the leaves still look fine. If I didn't mention, it's been there about a week. Noticed the mold a day or two ago.


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## Rusty_Shackleford (Sep 2, 2010)

Mike, can Chris take some of the leaves and start propagating a new plant in the viv or in like conditions so it will adapt? Just trying to think of a way to save the plant and make it all work for him.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Leaves fall and new ones grow, sometimes better adapted to the vivs conditions. I wouldn't give up on it until it was obviously fully dead.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Rusty_Shackleford said:


> Mike, can Chris take some of the leaves and start propagating a new plant in the viv or in like conditions so it will adapt? Just trying to think of a way to save the plant and make it all work for him.


Pepperomia leaves have rooted well and started new plants for me. Max had one of his tincs knock a pepperomia leaf off and it fell to the bottom of the viv, upside down. We didn't pull it and it started growing new leafs from what was the bottom of the leaf.


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## kitcolebay (Apr 7, 2012)

Thank you for your help gentlemen! 

I'll leave it in and see how it fairs. The base and other leaves are still looking good for now. Should I pull off the moldy leaves and remove? Or just leave it in there for isopods and springtails?


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Unless I am doing some major trimming, I usually just drop the odd leaf or three to the bottom for the microfauna.


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## Rusty_Shackleford (Sep 2, 2010)

Pumilo said:


> Pepperomia leaves have rooted well and started new plants for me. Max had one of his tincs knock a pepperomia leaf off and it fell to the bottom of the viv, upside down. We didn't pull it and it started growing new leafs from what was the bottom of the leaf.


I discovered that quite by accident myself, I had a leaf get knocked off and fall down into the leaf litter and start to grow.....and that's how pepperomia became the firs plant I ever propagated!


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