Cryptocoryne balansae x 3 - Live Fish Moss Plant Java W

You are winning 3 stalks of Crytocoryne crispatula var. balansae

Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae has crispy velvet leaves. The colour can vary from red-brown to light-green depending on the light and the substrate but the actual colour probably depends on the variety, too. The natural habitat of Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae is often calcareous though the growth is stimulated by addition of CO2. It is an quite sturdy plant and larger individuals willingly set new offshoots. In large aquaria a group of Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae creates a beautiful background.

Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae has almost linear, bullated leaves and is thereby easy to ID. The leaves can be up to 60 cm, including the petiole, the typical width ca. 2 cm but can be up to 4 cm (different type). The color of the leave is green to brownish, the lower side pale green to reddish. It grows in a calcareous environment and is therefore an easy to cultivate plant for the aquarium.

Cultivation and uses:
Some water trumpets are popular commercially cultivated aquarium plants. Submersed plants reproduce vegetatively, emersed plants may flower and reproduce sexually. Many species are cultivated only by dedicated experts and are very hard to grow, or not in a culture at all. Some species are endangered because their natural habitats are disappearing. On the other hand, some water trumpets (eg. Cryptocoryne beckettii) are very hardy aquarium plants, easy to grow to the point that they have become an invasive species after being introduced to Florida in North America.

Some of the Cryptocorynes are generally the easier ones to keep (in fact, some species (Cryptocorynes wendtii) are said to be among the most versatile of aquarium plants); they require low to moderate light (but can grow faster in more intense light), a temperature range of around 20 to 33 °C, and slightly acidic or neutral pH, though they can adapt to higher pH as well. In contrast to accepted aquarium wisdom, it thrives well in calcareous water.

Plants of the Genus Cryptocoryne, which range from India to New Guinea are found in very diverse conditions. Some are true acid loving plants such as C. grabowski, found in peat bogs in Borneo, while others such as C. balansae and C. pontiderifolia are found in streams with limestone beds - hard alkaline water. One species, C. ciliata is even found in semi brackish water in some areas. It is one of the few aquarium plants that tolerates salt concentrations that would almost certainly kill other aquarium plants.

Plants of the Genus Cryptocoryne, which range from India to New Guinea are found in very diverse conditions. Some are true acid loving plants such as C. grabowski, found in peat bogs in Borneo, while others such as C. balansae and C. pontiderifolia are found in streams with limestone beds - hard alkaline water. One species, C. ciliata is even found in semi brackish water in some areas. It is one of the few aquarium plants that tolerates salt concentrations that would almost certainly kill other aquarium plants.

There has been an extensive revision of the Genus by Jacobsen and many names aquarists are familiar with have been changed. Crypts also have an annoying (to taxonomists!) tendency to hybridize freely in nature and there are a handfull of "species" found in nature that are hybrids. Add to this the situation where some species have a multitide of natural cultivars (C. wendtii) and the fact they can only be properly identified by the flowering spathe - and they seldom flower in aquaria - it makes it difficult to identify some species solely on appearance.

Cryptocoryne plants have been in cultivation in the aquarium hobby since the late 18th century, although it was not until the 1960s that more than a handful of species were known and they could not be called common in the hobby until then.

As of this writing (2006) there are still a couple of new species found per year for the past few years as interest in these plants widens and more collections expeditions by private parties increase.

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