Newly Purchased Cactus Root Rot, Trying To Save?

[sharvs]

Hi all,

I just purchased my first indoor cactus (2 separate cacti plants in one pot) and suddenly noticed just 3 weeks after purchasing, a very dark color starting to spread up only one of the cacti from the bottom. The other looked completely fine (and still is). I thought this was strange since I had not watered it even once after purchasing, but it looked like this:

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The next day, the cactus had tipped over (because I realized that bottom section was very mushy), so I pulled the cactus and noticed the roots were completely rotten with a gooey dark substance. After searching, I believe this is root rot. Photo here:

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I read that I could cut the cactus above the rotted part (of discoloration), so I did about 2 inches above this. I let it sit out so that the bottom could callous. After about a week of letting it sit out, there is now more discoloration spreading up the cactus. I'm not unsure as to what is going on and if this cactus is still even able to be saved?? Here are some photos:

Not sure if this has calloused? -

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Here there is now more discoloration spreading (the healthy cactus that came with it still looks fine):

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Any advice to help me save this guy??


One last note, the store that I bought this plant from told me that this happened because I repotted the cacti when I bought them. I purchased the cacti (they both came in 1 plastic black pot). I took them home, cut the plastic pot off and simply put it in a different (prettier) pot that I already had in my apartment. I'm not sure if this is true, as it seems silly that I couldn't put it in a nice pot that looks better in my apartment, and also since one cactus has survived and is completely fine (at least it looks like it).

[tumamoc]

I would make two cuts, as shown, to increase your chance of saving the plant. The new growth on top looks very healthy, and should have an easy time producing roots. Harder to tell with the larger area of the stem that is showing rot. It may not make it. If it roots, then it will send up one or more new stems like the one at the top of the picture. I'm guessing the two plants you purchased are off the same mother plant anyway. What is that soil composed of? If it's all organic, they may be prone to rot no matter what you end up doing. Good luck.

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[sharvs]

Ok thank you. I will go ahead and make those 2 cuts and see what happens.

In terms of letting it callous/root after making the cuts, I've read that this typically takes about 2-4 weeks, correct? Does the photo above (after root rot) look like the cactus properly calloused? When it does callous, should I be waiting to see little roots sprout before re-planting?

Last 2 questions:

1) My comment at the end of my post about repotting when purchasing a cactus, is this accurate what the store told me?
2) I have removed both cacti from the pot, and I left the healthy cactus with roots sitting out along with the "root rot cactus" that I am trying to let callous and save. Is the healthy cactus OK sitting out without any soil while I wait for the other one to callous?

Thank you very much, I appreciate the help/advice!

[brixtertabun]

Deleted

[sharvs]

1.) As long as you didn't water it after repotting it, I don't think you could've caused the root rot. Or maybe the soil you used was wet?
2.) It's fine for a few weeks. When I repot my cacti, I leave it bare root for 2 to 3 weeks in a shaded part of my house. After I repot it, I also wait another 2 weeks before I water it.

Yeah, very strange. Maybe when I go pick up a new one from them (they are giving me a replacement), when I go to re-pot it, I should take off all of the soil that they give it to me in, leaving just the cactus + roots, and use a new, fresh bag of soil to repot it?