Cryptocoryne: varieties, care and reproduction

The choice of design for a home aquarium is a crucial step that requires special knowledge. Vegetation in an aquarium is not only a source of oxygen in the water. It is also able to ensure the vital activity of important processes in the body of any species of fish and other aquarium inhabitants. When choosing plants, you should pay attention to cryptocoryne.

An unpretentious plant has a variety of species. This article will discuss the characteristics and varieties of plants, as well as methods of propagation, planting methods and conditions of detention.

The plant of the aroid family looks like a miniature bush with a large rhizome. The height of the bush depends on the type and content and can vary from 5 to 100 cm. In a home aquarium, a plant can grow up to 26 cm in height.

The colors of the plant are diverse - cryptocoryne exists in different colors from brown to green and reddish.

The name of the vegetation has two parts:

• crypto (lat.) - hidden;
• koryne (Greek) - the cob.

Inside the flower, indeed, there is a small ear. The flower itself looks like a flute. It is quite difficult to achieve flowering plants in an aquarium. Most often, aquarium enthusiasts have to admire only the leaves.

Aquarium plant develops very slowly and also multiplies. However, it is worth noting that the root rarely loses its leaves, so the plant is resistant and durable.

The roots of the vegetation are very tender, but quite hardy. If you try to pull the plant out of the soil, then the root system will not be damaged and will easily come out.

Of the characteristics of the plant is also worth noting prolonged addiction to new conditions of detention. therefore You can transplant the plant 1 time during the year.

For the healthy development and prevention of diseases, it is recommended to change the water in the aquarium once a week. In this case, it is enough to change a fifth of the volume of water to fresh.

The variety of species allows you to choose a plant that will satisfy any requirements. The plant can feel great in the background or foreground, in the center of the aquarium or in a shady place.

The variety of species is striking in its quantity. It is worth considering the most popular plant varieties.

The birthplace of vegetation is the Philippines. In its natural habitat, the plant reaches 50 cm in height. In the aquarium, the plant grows up to 30 cm. The extensive rhizome is well developed and consists of long roots. The stem is straight, small in length. Petiolate, lanceolate, rosette-shaped leaves.

The length of the leaves is 20 cm, the width is 4 cm. The color of the leaves is bright green, the plate is ribbed. The central vein of leaves is convex and noticeable. The remaining veins are less noticeable.

The island of Sri Lanka is the birthplace of this species. Unpretentious vegetation tolerates changes in living conditions. Due to its beautiful appearance, the plant is in great demand among aquarists.

The plant grows and multiplies rapidly. The breeding is vegetative, and carried out root shoots.

Beautiful vegetation that grows in the vast Sri Lanka. It can grow both under water and on land. The original coloring made this variety popular among aquarium enthusiasts.

Wendta has some of the most famous subspecies:

• Wendta Green
• Wendta Brown.

The first subspecies looks like a bush. The leaves are elongated - from light green to dark green. The stem is absent.

In the home aquarium should isolate the plant from bright lighting. The plant does not tolerate direct rays and prefers a shadow near aquarium algae and plants. Lighting does not affect the growth and color of the leaves.

Propagated by root layers. It grows rapidly, so the bush of this variety looks aesthetically pleasing in the middle of a large aquarium.

The smallest cryptocoryne species. The unpretentious look perfectly tolerates changes in living conditions. Changes in the content do not affect the development and appearance of the plant.

In addition, a certain soil composition is required for the development of rhizomes. It is best to choose sand. Reproduction occurs using root layers, which can be separated after the formation of 5 leaves.

It grows on the expanses of the island of Sumatra mainly in marshy areas. Heart-shaped leaves are collected in a bush. The length of the leaves can be up to 6 cm, the height of the bush itself is 20-30 cm.Pointed leaves of bright green color grow on petioles.

Tropical conditions are suitable for keeping in the aquarium, as the plant develops better in high humidity. Propagated by root shoots.

Plant 12 cm high in the form of a rosette of heart-shaped leaves. Each side of the leaves has a different color. The outer side is painted in a delicate olive color, the inner plate has a brownish tint. The content of the plant does not require certain conditions.

An unpretentious ornamental plant looks great along with other floral design. This species will look best in the foreground or in the central part of the aquarium.

Environmental conditions affect the appearance of the plant, making it difficult to identify the variety. The bush in the form of a rosette 40 cm high has oval leaves. The outer and inner sides of the leaves have a different color: the outer plate is painted in different shades of green, and the inner one has many shades of red.

This does not mean that the appearance of the leaves does not change. In the shade, the leaves of the plant become faded. therefore for the normal development of the plant and bright colors, artificial lighting should be used. The plant also loves a moist environment. Such conditions contribute to the rapid development and flowering.

This cryptocoryne is originally from Indonesia. In the natural environment lives in marshy areas. The root system is fibrous. The stems together with the leaves reach a height of 35 cm. The leaves are dense, egg-shaped, length and width are 8 and 5 cm. The top of the leaf is slightly pointed.

On the sheet you can see one central vein, from which side veins depart, much less noticeable.

The birthplace of vegetation is in Thailand and Indonesia. Egg-shaped leaves along with petioles grow to 35 cm in height. The length and width of one leaf are 12 and 6 cm. There are specimens with wavy edges of the leaves and a slightly pointed peak.

The central vein of the leaf is convex from below, slightly depressed from above. Visually visible up to 5 veins. Rhizome is well developed and has white and brownish hues.

The homeland is the island of Kalimantan. The height of the leaves is 50 cm. Externally, the plant is similar to cryptocoryne heart-shaped. However, large cryptocoryne is characterized by extensive rhizome and large leaves. The leaves are oval to the base slightly narrowed. Their length is 15 cm, width - 7 cm. Veins are noticeable in the amount of 5 pieces. This variety is suitable for large aquariums.

A favorable environment for development and growth is closed soil, semi-open and open ground.

It grows in the northwestern regions of the island of Kalimantan. The plant got its name due to compaction on the outside of the plate. Refers to perennial vegetation with a long rhizome.

The leaves have an elongated appearance and a bright green color. The length of the leaves reaches 11 cm, the width is 5 cm. On the sides, the leaves are wavy, closer to the top - slightly pointed. The base of the leaves is rounded. The central vein is convex and noticeable. Side veins are noticeable in the amount of 7 pieces.

When buying an aquarium cryptocoryne, you should choose plants with well-developed rhizomes. Leaves should be healthy without damage. The presence of deformed leaves will lead to poor growth and development of the bush.

When choosing a plant for aquariums with a constant change in lighting, you should pay attention to species such as wendt, parva, cryptocoryne of Willis, lucens.

To create an aquarium with high vegetation, varieties such as aponohetonolate, affinis, heart-shaped.

And also the main criterion when choosing any type of plant is lack of "cryptocorin disease". This nuisance occurs due to changes in the composition of water during maintenance. The main signs of such an ailment of plants are considered yellowed softened leaves. Such a plant will not grow and will die immediately upon relocation from one reservoir to another.

Planting occurs at a certain distance from other vegetation.

When planting a plant, the following instructions must be followed:

• using the right hand, they take the stem in such a way as to capture the central part of the rhizome with the fingers, while the roots should be in the hand;
• then, using the fingers of the same hand, a small depression is made in the ground;
• then instill the rest of the rhizome with shoots, if any;
• after this, you need to carefully pull out your hand and level the soil near the plant.

With proper planting, the root system of the plant remains in the ground.

Under the right conditions for keeping cryptocorynes in the aquarium, the plant is able to please its appearance for a long time.

Unpretentious vegetation does not require special lighting. Cryptocoryne can grow in the shade or in natural light, can grow both in freshly changed water and in not very fresh water. In addition, the supply of carbon dioxide does not affect the plant in any way.

Planting a plant is better on muddy ground. Cryptocorin will not refuse additional nutrition in the form of clay and peat balls and insoluble fertilizers. Can be applied liquid fertilizers.

Minerals have a beneficial effect on the external, decorative look.

Abrupt change of lighting is not recommended. For example, moving an aquarium from a sunny place to a shadow. Changes in water composition and temperature can also lead to a disease called cryptocorin disease. The diseased vegetation has yellowed rotten leaves that dissolve in water.

Although cryptocoryne belongs to unpretentious plants, it also needs certain conditions for maintenance:

1. soil thickness should be at least 5 cm;
2. comfortable water temperature - from +25 to +29 degrees Celsius;
3. acidic medium - 6.5-7.4 pH;
4. water hardness - 6-10 gH;
5. water in the aquarium should be changed once a week;
6. the plant requires an annual transplant;
7. power of diffused lighting - 0.4-0.5 W / l.

Under certain conditions, flowering can also be achieved. To do this, you must perform several actions.

• An ordinary flower pot is filled with soil without lime admixture and humus with the addition of peat.
• The bush is planted in the soil, sprinkled with decorative pebbles and transferred to the aquarium. Water should be poured so that it is 4 cm above the ground. The soil should also be heated with a bottom heater.

With this content, the plant is able to bloom within one year.

Plant propagation occurs after a year of growth and is carried out without the intervention of an aquarist. Cryptocoryne propagates in a vegetative way using root shoots.

In the presence of adult vegetation in the aquarium, it is sometimes worth breeding. In this case, you should pay attention to the number of leaves on young plants. If the shoot has at least 3 leaves, then young vegetation can be safely separated from the mother's shoot. Thus, young cryptocoryne is better rooted and rapidly developing. Some varieties of the plant have an extensive root system that can be used for vegetative breeding.

Plant propagation should be approached very carefully. For safe reproduction, you should choose a transplant time.

When pruning the rhizome, it should be carefully examined for the presence of kidneys. After that, they put the markup and cut it so that on each part there are kidneys. This technique will provide nutrients to every part of the plant. Next, the trimmed parts are immersed in water, where the maternal shoot grows.

The growth and development of young plants depends on the quality of pruning and the conditions of detention. After root sprouting and leaf emergence from the kidney, cryptocoryne should be moved to a jar. But for further growth, you can leave the plants in the aquarium.

At the initial stage of growth, young vegetation needs to be protected from snails and algae.

There is also a way propagation by seeds.

So, German experts forced insects to crawl into the inner part of the flower tube, where the reproductive system of the plant is located. After that, the hole was closed with a tampon. As a result of the experiment, seeds of some species were obtained. Plants intended for flowering, grew under special conditions. Vegetation was grown under natural light for a couple of months. In such plants, rhizome and leaves were well developed.

To obtain seeds artificially, certain conditions must be created for insects that will pollinate the plant. To do this, put a bag of polyethylene on the flower and place insects in it. The constant presence of insects inside the flower during the entire pollination period can be ensured by a constant change in lighting. After pollination, the pouch is removed.

The plant grows in familiar conditions until the fruit ripens. After the fruit is immersed in water. Seeds are separated from the shell and begin to grow. The time of seed germination lasts up to six months. First, the seeds float, then settle on the ground. After that, they are collected and sown in glass containers.

The composition of the soil should include sand with the addition of peat and clay. You should wait until the young plants reach a height of 3 cm. After this, you need to move them to the aquarium. Other conditions for seed dilution may also be used. The plant is moved from closed soil to semi-closed soil with high humidity.

After the transfer from the closed ground to the usual growing conditions, the plants begin to grow, develop and bloom rapidly.

About the features of the content of cryptocoryne, see below.