Dragon Fruit Root Rot?

[DragonPete]

Hi everyone,

Looking for a bit of advice with my dragon fruit cacti.

The top growth has started to thin and looks a little abnormal. Also some brown markings have appeared around the edges, I’m something of an amateur so I’m just wondering if this is symptomatic of an issue I need to address? Any help/guidance gratefully appreciated.

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[Aztekium123]

It looks like being bitten by pests, red spiders. Did you recover your health later?

[Lefty]

Is the plant indoors?

[Steve Johnson]

Please see this first:

viewtopic.php?t=43819

It looks like being bitten by pests, red spiders.

Actually, those are red spider mites, although I don't know if that's what DragonPete is up against.

DragonPete -- in case you are, see this:

viewtopic.php?t=42129

Call it "everything you wanted to know about cactus pests, but were afraid to ask". My presentation covers a lot of info, so if you don't want to go through the whole thing, scroll down to Part 2 -- pest mites. Then in the Part 4 - remedies section, you'll see the short-term and long-term solutions. If you live in the US, the long-term solution for pest mites will be right up your alley.

[DragonPete]

Thanks all, in answer yes the plant is and has always been indoors.

Is it the spider mites that are causing the abnormal growth at the tops as well?

[DragonPete]

Also, any tips on remedies? @steve Johnson, I see what you mean about the price of tetrasan

[BryanT]

IMHO, I think it just a bit of sunburn on the edges, inside the window, temperatures can get quite high.
The new grow is quite normal for dragon fruit varieties, they grow in segments.
Which species of dragon-fruit did you have?

[Steve Johnson]

Also, any tips on remedies? @steve Johnson, I see what you mean about the price of tetrasan

Yeah, if it wasn't for the Flytrap Store making TetraSan and Avid available in small and affordable quantities, I'd be stuck with having to use Isopropyl alcohol spray when flat mites come by for a "visit" in my collection. While they are less aggressive than red spider mites, they're still a pain in the backside.

[DragonPete]

Thanks BryanT, I’m not sure it’s sunburn, I’m in the UK and it’s winter here so the temperature indoors is relatively low and the sun low on the horizon for most the day.

[BryanT]

Thanks BryanT, I’m not sure it’s sunburn, I’m in the UK and it’s winter here so the temperature indoors is relatively low and the sun low on the horizon for most the day.

Even in winter, it's possible for the UV radiation close to the glass window to caused sunburn, depends on what kind of glass you used. Also depends on the species of dragon fruit you have. Some can withstand more sun than others.
It will be worse during warmer months, then you might need to have a bit of shade.
Sometime the sunburn might happen quite awhile ago. With cactus, they are tough plants, most of the time you won't know the effect until 6 to 12 months later, sometime even longer.