I'm not sure if anyone can help me here but my stepelia grandiflora seems to be going downhill since i bought it about a month ago. It had a couple of soft tips when I got it, but it has gotten worse, I am desperate to keep it alive!

I cant figure out how to show a photo!

The photo has worked fine for me. I've noticed a similar thing on mine and I'm wondering whether it is either sunburn or cold damage. Two opposite problems, however both can really impact the soft new growth.

What can you tell us about its growing conditions?

well, i only recently bought it, from a nurseryman whom I have known and trusted for years, and has supplied many of my plants. When I picked it up at the nursery to have a closer look, it keeled over! had not much of a root system at all, but they were fresh young roots, and I couldn't see any sign of disease on them. I assumed it was a cutting, as is often the case from this particular nursery. The guy propped it up with 3 bamboo stakes for me, and I bought it anyway. (he also gave me a cutting from a stapelia gigantica for free!) At that point it had a piece about 1cm on a tip (or two) that looked blackish, then dried to yellowish/brownish. I have not re potted it yet, as I have not really had time, but watching it get worse, i feel really bad, and need to do something. I have not watered it too much, as with my other succulents, and it is under my veranda, in a fish tank that has the front side missing (I thought it would give a few things some extra protection) it gets afternoon sun, but not directly, like, I don't think its sun burn, I have worried about the cold though.

i have one that was all sick and doing something similar. basically the stems got really limp and skinny but they werent rotting. some of the tips totally shrivelled off. i thought it was on its way out, as i have had quite a few staps die from too much water (wrong soil mix as well perhaps). but my partner ... watered it. is all good now! plump again.

Oddly enough, my sick-looking Stapelias have perked up now that they are planted out in the garden beds. They are great plants, however their habit of attracting swarms of bluebottle flies is a tad disconcerting.