[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Cryptocorynes (from a while back)



CLIP 
Subject: Cryptocorynes

I am a new person to keeping planted tanks. I am
confused between C. Becketii and C. Wendtii. I have
another aquarium with very low light and 2 plants (of
the same type) that I am sure are Crypts. Are they C.
Wendtii or Becketii? The plants are very large,
growing very densly and beutifully, and have dark
green leaves with a little little little bit of a red
color. These crypts are 
awesome considering they are under a single 24" cool
white bulb in a 20 gal. tank. Many plant books I look
at give no description or picture of C. Becketii and
any pictures of C. wendtii appear to small to be the
same plant I have. Does anybody know a website where I
can see a picture of C. Becketii? Will both plants do
well under low light. Which one grows bigger and more
lush?
Thanks,
Joe 
END CLIP

Joe,

You ask what seems to be a very easy question, but it
really isn't.  Identifying Crypts by leaf shape and
color is difficult at best.  Crypts are very sensitive
to tank and light conditions.  For instance, change
your bulbs (so that the color and/or intensity shifts)
and the Crypt may shed its leaves and begin to grow
new leaves of a different color, size, and shape. 
Most Crypt fanciers are reluctant to ID crypts without
first flowering the plant.  Even then, there is the
possibility that the reference that you use for ID
purposes has the ID wrong or worse yet you have a
cross (there is nothing wrong with a cross - it is the
identification of the cross).

You asked about good low light Crypts.  Affinis,
beckettii, petchii, and wendtii all come to mind for
low light, but particularly affinis.  

You also asked about a website for Crypts.  Try
http://www.noord.bart.nl/~crypts/.  You can also find
Tropica thru links on this page.  This isn't an
endorsement of either web site.  

Good luck and don't be discouraged by not knowing what
your plants are - just enjoy them.

Chris
newellcr at yahoo_com


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere!
http://mail.yahoo.com/