Cryptocoryne affinis

Cryptocoryne affinis is my oldest plant. I have it for more than 15 years and it survived everything it could. I like it for its variability. Sometimes it has got dark green leaves, another time it is bullated, etc…

Here is my emersed form of C. affinis (approx. 2.5 months old plant):

Cryptocoryne affinis 27.7.2012 (emersed), 2.5 months old

Update Jan 24 2013:

Cryptocoryne sp. ‘Flamingo’ – plant profile

For some people this is a beautiful cultivar with pink colour, the others say it is a bizarre Crypt. In any case it is an interesting Cryptocoryne and in fact not very demanding.

Crypt-asia - Cryptocoryne sp. 'Flamingo' 28-5-2011 — Cryptocoryne sp. ‘Flamingo’

Name: Cryptocoryne sp. ‘Flamingo’

Category: Cryptocoryne, Araceae

Height: approx. 10 cm

PH: 5.5 to 8^(*1)

Temperature: 22 ° to 28 °C (Dennerle)

Lightning: 0.3 – 0.5 watts/litre^(*2)

Water hardness: Very soft to hard^(*3)

Growth rate: Very slow ^(*4)

Difficulty: Easy

Origin: cultivar by Dennerle^(*5)

Position in tank: foreground

(*1) Experience: I had no problems in water with pH approx. 7.5.

(*2) Experience: With higher light intensity and enough nutrition colours are more vivid. Under low light intensity leaves are greenish or brownish.

(*3) Experience: I was able to grow it in a very hard water.

(*4) Experience: In my case it took 6 months of waiting and then I saw first tiny plantlets. Of course as usual, it depends on lightning, nutrition, etc. As for the growth speed I would compare it to Cryptocoryne parva but any comparison is a bit tricky.

(*5) There are speculations about its origin.

Additional info:

Nutrient rich substrate (with Fe), CO2 addition and higher light intensity makes this Crypt true beauty.

For more photos see: Cryptocoryne sp. ‘Flamingo’ – new runners

Experience with emersed growing:

– Plant requires high humidity and stable environment.

– So far I was unsuccesful. I am trying again (May 25th 2012). And again (August 9th 2012 – this time semi-emersed).

Source:

My planted tank “Metamorphoses”

(CS): Prezentaci akvária v češtině můžete najít na webu: http://rybicky.net/nadrze/10266
(EN): You can find my tank presentation on the czech website – link above.

Metamorphoses - March 2012 (tank) — Metamorphoses – March 2012 (tank)

Metamorphoses - April 2012 (tank) — Metamorphoses – April 2012 (tank)

Description: My planted tank. For past 10 years it changed a lot and still changes. I use this tank as a “storage” for various plant species.
Size(XxYxZ): 100x40x40 cm; 160 liters
Date started: January 7th 2012
Lightning: 96W (2x 30W, 2x18W, 840, 830)
Tech: home made external filter
CO2: DIY Yeast Bottle
Fertilization: PMDD
Substrate: gravel, clay
Inhabitants: Tanichthys micagemmae, Red Cherry Shrimp
Plants: Anubias barteri var. nana, Cladophora aegagrophila, Cryptocoryne beckettii, Cryptocoryne cordata var. cordata, Cryptocoryne retrospiralis, Cryptocoryne walkeri lutea, Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Green Gecko’, Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Mi Oya’, Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Green’, Echinodorus tenellus, Eleocharis parvula, Eleocharis sp. ‘Xingu’, Heteranthera zosterifolia, Hydrocotyle dissecta, Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, Lomariopsis lineata, Ludwigia palustris, Ludwigia repens, Marsilea strigosa (hirsuta?), Micranthemum micranthemoides, Microsorium pteropus ‘Philippine’, Monosolenium tenerum, Pogostemon helferi, Rotala rotundifolia, Rotala sp. ‘Enie’, Staurogyne repens, Taxiphyllum barbieri, Taxiphyllum sp. (Flame moss)

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzoCKGxxpA0

Metamorphoses - March 2012 (cropped) — Metamorphoses – March 2012 (cropped)

Metamorphoses - April 2012 (cropped - Plants center) — Metamorphoses – April 2012 (cropped – Plants center)

Old layout, photo, video

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jbpSCUsV2o

Unknown Crypt (1)

This Crypt makes my head spin. So far I was unable to identify it. I think it could be C. undulata, but my other undulata is mostly greenish and much more compact. I am waiting for a spathe.

When I got it, the leaves weren´t so broad as you can see on the following picture.

Unknown Crypt (1) - narrow leaves when I got it (submersed)

And also some photos of this Crypt in emersed form.

Unknown Crypt (1) - a few month old... light brown (emersed) — Unknown Crypt (1) - a few months old... light brown (emersed)

Unknown Crypt (1) - recently... brownish leaves (emersed)

Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Green Gecko’ finally arrived!

My new Green Gecko Crypt arrived yesterday. It took 8 days from Hong Kong. Crypt seems to be fine… of course, some leaves melted, but overall it looks great.

Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Green Gecko’ 7.5.2012 (just arrived)

Edit 12.5.2012: Already planted some Green Gecko(s)… I am going to give it a try in emersed form next week.

Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Green Gecko’ - just planted 12.5.2012 — Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Green Gecko’ – just planted 12.5.2012

Update 29.7.2012: Green Gecko has got nice colours, new leaves are a bit reddish.

Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Green Gecko’ 29-7-2012 (submersed), 2.5 months old

For more photos of submersed Green Gecko see: ‘Green Gecko‘ gone wild! Gone red!

Edit 27.5.2012: Recently I have planted it also in a pot to try emersed form. Since 15.5.2012 (planted) it has got 2 new emersed leaves.

Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Green Gecko’ - planted 15.5.2012 (emersed) — Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Green Gecko’ – planted 15.5.2012 (emersed)

Update 27.7.2012:

Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Green Gecko’ 27-7-2012 (emersed), 2.5 months old

Cryptocoryne sp. ‘Flamingo’ – new runners

(EN): Finally! After many months it started to produce runners. Today I found 9 tiny plants (submersed). I added this Crypt to my “Swap/trade” list.
(CS): Konečně! Našel jsem 9 malých rostlinek C. sp. ‘Flamingo’. Trvalo jí to několik měsíců… Přidal jsem ji do mého seznamu k výměně (Swap/trade).

For plant profile see: Cryptocoryne sp. ‘Flamingo’ – plant profile

Tiny Cryptocoryne sp. ‘Flamingo’ 1.5.2012

Crypts don´t have vivid colors because they were in a shadow for a while (Flamingo likes more light than the other crypts). Under lower light the leaves are a bit brownish (or sometimes greenish) and looses its pink color.

Update 21.7.2012:

You can compare the same Crypt – more vivid colors due to a bit higher light intensity (well…I also used better camera).

Cryptocoryne sp. ‘Flamingo’ 28.5.2011 - more vivid colors — Cryptocoryne sp. ‘Flamingo’ 28.5.2011 – more vivid colors

My cryptocoryne tank “Crypt-Asia”

(CS): Prezentaci akvária v češtině můžete najít na webu: http://rybicky.net/nadrze/10876
(EN): You can find my tank presentation on the czech website – link above.

Current layout of "Crypt-asia" 9.9.2011 (Cryptocoryne tank) — Current layout of “Crypt-asia” 9.9.2011 (Cryptocoryne tank)

Description: A cheap low-tech tank with Cryptocoryne species
Size (XxYxZ): 93x30x38 cm; approx. 100 liters
Lightning: 36W (2x18W, 840)
Tech: filter “head” Atman At-201 + bio-foam
CO2: none
Substrate: gravel, clay

Old layout, pictures

Older layout of "Crypt-asia" 28.5.2011 — Older layout of “Crypt-asia” 28.5.2011

Crypt-asia (28.5.2011) - C. affinis, C. balansae, C. tropica, C. Flamingo, C. ciliata — Crypt-asia 28.5.2011 – left side

Crypt-asia - Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia 28-5-2011 — Crypt-asia – Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia 28.5.2011

Crypt-asia - Cryptocoryne wendtii (?) 28.5.2011 — Crypt-asia – Cryptocoryne wendtii (?) 28.5.2011

Awaiting new Crypt

Recently I’ve bought Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Green Gecko’ on eBay, now I am waiting for delivery. I am really looking forward to this bright green Crypt.

A month or two ago, I’ve tried C. lingua, but its condition on the arrival wasn’t that good and I was unable to grow it. Anyway, I think I’ll give it a try one more time.

Some of my emersed Crypts

I have decided to lower the humidity… mainly because these crypts are “overgrowing” with too soft and thin leaves. I am looking forward to see the results (humidity lowered 14 days ago). So far no change, but lets wait for young leaves.