Thank You Skygee: Here is a great link by the way, explains a lot esp why meds don't work... now I used only non ama medicine on myself going way back - concept of balance, intestional floura, diet so on, and this site posts research that basically states the same. IE, the store bought betta with flex has been battling it for months now... Rule number one, I will never buy from this store again, (although I see the same stuff at other stores) as they are already infected and in spite of my thinking I could heal them, it is a losing battle. (there is much at this amazing site, after reading much on it, esp the types of bacteria and how it balances itself and different cycles - even the colonies at the surface of the water. http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/bactin.shtml (and why not to put infected fish although 'cured' back into community) Therefore won't put my gourami (parasites, treated and now several months later, same spot erupting again) will go by himself in tank that used to house albinos. (This site also had information on gourami cysts - described it exactly as mine had, never really are cured, parasite lives in liver and other organs, and crops up again (as mine has) ( due to their breeding in filth) (with guppy mom and three baby guppies) The breeders call them ticking time bombs. Not a nice way to treat fish, I'll say. Now with re to cories. No more losses. I put them in ten gallon with rocks (guarantine tank)(Rocks safe, I've had for decades solid granite) (filter and water from main safe tank and slowly over a few days added fresh. Checked all paramentors aok. No more scratching flashing...hmmmm. (reason why they had been put back in 20 long in first place) So something in that tank that is causing this??? In tank they came from: I noticed when there was only a few snails (pond) there was a lot of 'castings' - ie snail pooh. I think, looked like castings. A lot of mulm on floor. Can 2 -3 snails pooh that much? Could this have been causing nitrite/nitrate spike in gravel (which was reduced in amount, gravel that is) because I didn't cycle right? Ie bacteria would take care of snail pooh? Even before I put in fresh gravel and it was bare, I noticed a lot of these. Before the guppies, which I know pooh a lot, lol. Or since I had part sand, part small rounded gravel, could this have caused irritations. I had noticed it in their gills once in a while. That said they were recovering from septesemia (SP) (which due to this site I found I now better understand) My salt is very little. Per old fashion Dr. Innes... About 1/2 teasoon in 10 gallons. Up to 1 over a few days.... That's it (have done it before and they can handle a very low dose esp if done gradually)... Since I didn't want the gouramis/bettas spread out in extra tanks, I now have more tanks then intended and will not be buying any more fish, esp since the tanks at my local stores have dead and dying fish - all the time. Also at new one I went to for Annubias they had in stock, fish with the same columinaris, or water mold. Seems to be in a lot of stores, and guy at second store said they come in with it on them, yikes! (New World Aquarium, had some not for sale, beautiful white as white female bettas given to them by a local breeder. What a difference it makes. Like cream. There fish all healthy but mostly marine) What is sad but interesting, is that on another forum (vivarium) someone had posted an article where due to this species and it's variations, there is a mass die off of amphibians world wide. Within two weeks they are all dead. It is virulent. Due to logging and other inbalances in environment. This article also states that like in a hospital due to over treatment of antibiotics, esp in the fishing industry, these bacteria have become highly mutated and resistant. I knew this had occured in people but didn't realize it was so much used in fish. When younger all I used was salt. Fish rarely got sick even, just the one that jumped out occasionally. So, to conclude, not sure what is/did cause them to scratch in that tank. I have used same source of wood in 4 other tanks, with no problems... for over one year? (all wood from red wood forest, guy had it out in 'yard' for decades, solid root parts then I aged it for months but really didn't need it) They will stay in bare bottom tank, with rocks and annubias since they seem happy and well there. They are swimming wonderfully! I guess the cold snap started things off... but relieved all seems settled, and can stop fussing, lol. Best and thanks again, Sherry

This looks like frost damage to me. If it is in a cold exposure situation I would withold water, they can go a very long time without a drink, especially in winter. The damaged leaves will continue to dry up and could be removed without hurting the plants health. Can you move it to a warmer area or cover it when the temps dip below 40F? This is not a cold hardy Agave. It is a zone 9 to 11 plant. This could help it from happening again. These guys are generally hard to kill but sometimes easy to beat up. Hope this helps, Gil

Joel, up until Friday there was absulutely nothing (apparently) wrong with any of my agaves. I have many of all varieties and every single one is now afflicted with this problem, as are others in our village. Wherever they are, they have this same problem and it has happened over three days. Mine were very healthy and looked that way until Friday. They were all nice and dark green and thriving in different soils. This one pictured is in very rocky un-conditioned soil. Others are in beautiful organic soil, and some in a sandy mix. I just put them anywhere and they thrive. Other people have them in pots and still have the problem. It's just happened suddenly all at the same time and no one knows why.

farmerdill, I think I may well give those a go next year! They look delicious and I've become a bit of a squash addict it seems. I just added a full-view photo of the plant -- my apologies for the apparent dirtiness of the plant, the tree above it sheds at a ridiculous rate. Aside from some leaves with powdery mildew (my own fault for watering from above, duh) and some dried milk marks from attempting to get rid of the powdery mildew (didn't work), I don't see much else wrong with the foliage. No mosaics or mottling what-so-ever. I have been reading a bit since you suggested ZYMV, and it seems that some seeds can be tolerant to severe strains of ZYMV and only show weak symptoms of infection. Perhaps that's it. In any event, a green female blossomed today, and 2 more will tomorrow, and a yellow female is close to blossoming. I intend on growing all of them out to see if any of them are misshapen and what color they ultimately take. The four that I've harvested thus far were all nicely-shaped and green. I'm still not *totally* convinced it's pathogenic, but the next couple weeks should be telling. Can you notice anything in the foliage that might be suggestive?