Whats wrong with my Loph???

So here's the story. I rescued this lopho from a badly neglected collection a few months back. Its a bit bigger than a golf ball and is seed grown on its own roots. I was told it is roughly 6 years old and has had a hard life.
When I picked it up it had a bit of scaring which I assumed was water damage but over the past few months the damage has slowly spread. There is a black mold of some sort growing on the calluses and a strange red tinge around the edges that seems to spread very slowly. Possibly some kind of rust. The two little ones on either side came from the same collection and there are hints of the same disease on them.
So far I've treated it with wettable sulphar, once per week for 3 weeks now and nothing has changed
The roots are in excellent condition and it has plenty of fert. I've removed it from the rest of my collection and it is now inside under a grow light.

I'm pretty desperate to find out what is wrong and what I can do as this one is the only one I have that is close to flowering.
This is a pic when I got it.


This is a pic I took this morning


If you match each segment up with the shape of the calluses you can see just how much it has spread.

Ouch it looks like a type fungi. It looks like it has self seeded. May be try to repot the babies to save them.
I had a similar thing happen to a Ferocatus Latispinus. It would be interesting if any one knows more.??

Thanks jk. That looks very similar. What conditions was your Fero growing in when it started?

I've put them under a big flurescent grow lamp in a cupboard. I'm going to try to treat with copper oxycloride so I'll keep this thread updated. That way if i find a solution the information is there if something similar pops up.

So far treatment with wettable sulphur @ 2g per liter, once per week for 3 weeks hasn't done shit. Except maybe made it worse.
The hot and dry conditions in the cupboard seems to have slowed it down considerably. So most probably a fungus/mold of some kind.

I live in Townsville and we have high humiddity, I grow every thing under a solar weave to keep the rain off. But in summer it can get very humid in there. I kept the ends open to let the breeze go through. Fero Cactus is the worst, for getting this, I have not been able to grow them very big or long.

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Nice collection!! Unfortunately I ran out of time this year to get a roof on my cactus patch. They have had almost three straight days of rain with more to come and very little sunlight so I'm expecting fatalities in large numbers.

I'm hoping to have a temporary shelter up this weekend but I fear by then the damage will have already been done.

Hey jk,

Your plant has two issues and I believe you can fix both of them by treating one. It has a bad case of white scale which is a sucking insect and is damaging the skin. The damaged skin is weak and is vulnerable to disease/bacteria and other pests. If you eliminate the scale you should see much less of the bacteria.


SneakyCuttlefish,

Lophs are very susceptible to this type of bacteria but it can be treated. First stop watering it, don't allow any water to touch the skin keep it dry and allow plenty of air to pass over the skin (I.E outside, in the shade and under cover).

Dust the skin generously with copper and sulphur, rub it in to the affected areas with your finger. Blow off some of the excess. Wait and hope

Thanks Hellonasty.

Thanks HN. I'll try that right now. Its been raining for three straight days up here so i'll have to leave it inside.

SneakyCuttlefish wrote:

Nice collection!! Unfortunately I ran out of time this year to get a roof on my cactus patch. They have had almost three straight days of rain with more to come and very little sunlight so I'm expecting fatalities in large numbers.

I'm hoping to have a temporary shelter up this weekend but I fear by then the damage will have already been done.

I lost a lot of good cacti because the rain didn't stop for weeks. When I went for a trip up to the tablelands that is where I come across a lot of shade sheds in solarweave.. It is the best thing when you live in the tropics. There is a lot of cacti that can handle the wet, but not all.

What's solarweave? I was going to use plastic but am a bit worried about humidity and moisture build up when the sun finally does come out.

No problem. I hope you both get a bit of sunshine, constant rain can get you down. I saw on the news today a forecast of heavy rain for FNQ again today. Positive energy sent your way

I am got it from Nuleaf Cairns
They made it up with eye lets and all.

http://www.yellowpages.com.au/qld/cairns/nuleaf-11874436-listing.html

Hey Hellonasty, any idea how long until I can wash the copper and sulphar of off the skin?

The little fella seems to be responding really well to the light. Also I only spotted it today but I'm almost 100% convinced there is two tiny little buds starting to form in the centre.

I would leave it for at least 2 weeks, and I would dust it off with a brush rather than wash it off. If you want to give the plant a little drink just water the soil a little and try and avoid the plant.

P.S now we are getting the rain here in Sydney, pouring rain last 2 days and forecast for next few.

Excylone Ozweal is causing floods from the northern tip to the far south. I had a foal born in the midst of it all. I think I will call him Ozweal, Oz for short as it was one day off Australia day!

Haha yeah I like that. Very appropriate.

Same, a great name

Awesome I love it.

He looks like an Ozweal. Beautiful creature.