Strange Leaf Damage

[Phyrex]

Does anyone know what this kind of damage/disease is? It's freaking me out a little. I didn't see it before but that doesn't mean it wasn't there. What can I do, if anything? It's still sprouting a new guy but I'm worried the whole plant might die....

[smartie2000]

I think it had cellular collapse of some sort which then turned black.

[wetfeet101b]

How much are you watering the plant? and how often?
It looks like you are "popping" the cell walls when the plant takes in too much water.

[Phyrex]

I've been watering it about once in 2 weeks. Before that though, when I just got it, I misted it heavily every day because I thought it had suffered during shipping. Apparently I've made it suffer more by over-watering it. Here are some updated pictures. The crown is starting to yellow and the leaves are folding together.
Can I do anything to stop this?
Is this contagious to other plants? (do I need to separate it)

[smartie2000]

Watering once every two weeks... I wouldn't consider that over watering. Perhaps even underwatering. I couldn't go two weeks.

No it is not contageous to other plants. I don't think there is a pathogen. Sunburn is on my mind for the second plant. Rarely do catts get sunburn though (so someone correct me if I am wrong). I think it was a combo of the plant not taking up enough water and direct sunlight amplifying stress.

once a cattleya leaf starts yellowing. its will fall off there is nothing you can do. What we can do is correct the situation and let it grow new pseudobulbs.

You mention that they were newly bought plants. Is it possible they were in poor condition when you got it?
Everytime I buy new plants, I usually always lift the plant up by the leaves. If the pot falls off its is not a good plant and to the embarassment of the vendor potting media is everywhere (just kidding I'm not that cruel). The pot should stay on, even with my paphs, I test my own plants occasionally.

[Phyrex]

These new guys were pretty small and didn't have too many roots. Especially when potted in medium sized fir bark it won't take much for the pot to drop off when they're picked up.

I inspected them carefully when they arrived, I'm sure I would have seen the brown leaves... I think it's because I overwatered at first (spraying every day) and underwatered later on. I had some of the 9 new catts on coarser medium than others so some got a good deal on the coarser medium but a raw deal on not getting watered on time.... Bad me...

Now they are under crisis control. What's the average time you keep new plants separate from your collection to see if they are sick or have any nasty bugs on them??

PS The 4 pictures here are all for the same plant.

[smartie2000]

I will admit I don't separate my newly bought plants. Thats because it is incredibly hard to do with so many plants and little space. I just have to make sure they are healthy to begin with or come from reputable growers. Stuff from big box stores (which are for sale next to disposable plants) or cheap imported orchids I would probably try to isolate b/c of pest control.

I think you can water more often because they are in such a coarse medium. It looks coarser than that I normally have. I usually mist into the air, and not directly at the crown.

I think we should cut off those nasty leaves now. Something is wrong. They are yellowing so the plant is disposing them anyway. Possibly something fungal now that I think of it. I would do a fugicide spray. Physan 20 is something nice to have around. I bought some but just haven't had the chance to use it. I hope it isn't erwinia rot, it doesn't look mushy enough to be it.
I had a paph that got rot oddly but I just covered it in cinnamin powder everywhere and the rot stopped (plus it smelled good )

[Phyrex]

Do I cut just above or below the p-bulb (and then sprinkle)?

[smartie2000]

I would save the pesudobulb b/c it should have stored energy. Just cut to the base of the leaf. If any p-bulbs look bad too, I would cut them
my first diagnosis was quite wrong... oops

[Gin]

After you cut the leaf off pour a little peroxcide on the cut the over the counter stuff then coat with the cinnamon . It will help dry the cuts and maybe keep what is ailing the leaf from entering the P bulb . I would add some finer bark to the course, without unpotting it . Gin