fungus or bacteria spreading fast on cattleya
 

Hey, I'm new here! I was very happy to have found this forum because I need an urgent advise. I have a sick cattleya, and I'm afraid it doesn't have much time left. I'm trying to show pics, not sure it will work.
I thought of fungus or bacteria and therated it with a cemical for that once but it spread even faster afterwards. First I tried cutting the dead parts off but now I could throw away the whole plant! :( It's a kind of brown-black rotting on the leaves, and now it's turning the bulbs as well black. I really don't know what to do with it, it's been only 2 weeks since I got it, and it looked green and healthy. I keep it in a bright, sunny place but it doesn't look like sunburn to me. Pls somebody help me! :_(

This is how it started:
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...&pictureid=132
And now it looks like this:
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...&pictureid=135
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...&pictureid=134
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...&pictureid=133

Wow, I had one that looked like that and mine was because of sunburn. Once I cut off the damaged leaves I put neosporin on where I cut and where I saw any black that I couldn't cut, and the plant is doing fine now. You say it's going into the pseudobulbs? I really don't know, but to me it looks like it's been badly burnt. Others might chime in here with their opinions. Good luck!

too cold and too wet can cause it to look like that
i suggest you dry it out some and keep it in warm light, gl with it....

Thx for the quick responses! Unfortunately i don't think the problem's solved yet :( I think it can be neither sunburn, nor cold and wet circumstances. This plant gets just as much sunlight as the 3 other catts, and only this one has the brown rotting. And it is completely dry! I haven't even watered it since i got it. Had to repot it immediately coz it had snails and spiders in the media (....) :hmm, but hasn't been watered for 10 days at least and couldn't be drier. So the question still remains :scratchhead: I fear i have to give up on it if it won't react for the chemicals i gave for fungus :_(

If I understand your last post correctly, you just got this orchid? Did you order it and have it shipped by mail? In that case it's possible that it got chilled while traveling. Just a thought.

No, i got it from a firend of mine in the same town. Though it could get a little chill while travelling to the market from the greenhouse... I just don't understand the spreading of the bacteria or fungus or i don't know what it is, coz i keep it in an average 18-24 °C and dry. And it's still getting worse. Btw, what should i spray on it, do u have a good suggestion on a kind of chemical perhaps?

it looks like a bad case of rot to me. I would just toss the plant cause it could spread to your other catts. usually if its in the pusedobulb like that its a goner.

If those black spots are soft and squishy then it's rot. Looks like cold damage turned to rot....to me. I have used Phyton (especially on phals)but it doesn't always work on rot that advanced. On Catts I cut off all the rot I can and I cauterize the wounds. I make the side of a knife hot with a flame and then hold it on the wound until the sizzling stops. Seems pretty radical but I have had this work as well or better than the chemicals. I saved my Pam Hetherington that way after my greenhouse leaked and dripped cold water all over her. I wish I would have took pictures of the process.
:goodluck:

Thank you, all of you for the good tips. I don't want to throw away the whole plant yet, it is separated from the others. I agree that it needs radical treatment and i decided to cut off the infected parts and use the hot knife method too. Only one bulb remained but maybe it will be enough to survive. Of course i continue to treat it with chemicals and i hope for the best. I had to cut off a bulb with a flower spike and opening flowers :_(, so waiting for the result can't be any harder ;) Thx once more!

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...&pictureid=194