Neptun
Cryptocoryne Beckettii is from the genus Cryptocoryne, family Aroidaceae. It is a relatively easy to maintain plant with a very decorative appearance. Its leaves, which have differently colored sides, are collected in a small rosette. Height, which rarely exceeds 12 centimeters, which makes it a suitable plant for decorating the front or middle plan of the aquarium, where it can form not very dense thickets. The plant is beautiful by itself, so it will fit perfectly into any composition that your imagination can draw you.
| biological domain | Eukaryotes |
| biological kingdom | Plants |
| Biological Division | Flowering |
| biological class | Annuals |
| biological order | PassionflowersPassionflowers |
| biological Family | Aroids |
| biological genus | Cryptocoryne |
| biological species | Cryptocoryne Beckettii |
Latin: Cryptocoryne Beckettii.
Habitat.: The natural habitats of this species are waterlogged water bodies located in wet lowlands. First discovered on the island of Sri Lanka. This island is still considered to be its only habitat.
Cryptocoryne Beckettii description
Cryptocoryne beckettii is an herbaceous shrub. The stem of the bush is not pronounced. Leaves collected in a rosette are planted on short petioles coming directly from the root. The leaves are heart-shaped. The front side of the leaf is olive-colored, which has different intensity in different areas. The lower surface of the leaf is red-brown in color.
The height of the grass in aquarium conditions usually does not exceed 10 – 12 centimeters. The flower can form underwater, but its covering remains on the surface. The flower has a white-yellow coloration. Cryptocoryne Beckett can exist both underwater and represent a terrestrial form with sufficient humidity, the soil should be almost swampy. It grows uniformly throughout the year.
Cryptocoryne Beckettii Aquarium maintenance
The maintenance can be characterized as moderately difficult. Like other species of the genus Cryptocoryne Beckett is suitable for tropical aquariums. It can also be grown in humid greenhouses or paludariums. In the aquarium is better to plant in the foreground or middle ground. You can decorate water bodies with a volume of forty liters and more.
Soil
The soil should be nutritious. The substrate can be coarse river sand, small pebbles or their mixture. At the bottom of the hole before planting, be sure to add a mixture of clay, boiled peat and charcoal. Sometimes you can use garden soil for this purpose. The layer of soil should be at least five centimeters. Optimally about eight centimeters. You can plant the bush in pottery pots with a nutrient mixture. These pots are then placed on the bottom in a suitable place and then masked.
Water parameters
The optimum temperature for aquarium keeping of this herb is 24-28 °C. Cryptocoryne Beckettii can also survive at a temperature of 20-22 °C. But if it is reduced to these values, the growth of the green mass will slow down considerably. The water hardness should be average 8-16°dH. The reaction should be neutral or slightly alkaline pH 7,0-7,5. If the water is very soft, then with a decrease in pH can develop the so-called “cryptocorinovoy disease” manifested by oslizheniya leaf lamina with its subsequent dissolution.
Sometimes, if there is a sudden change in hardness or acidity, Cryptocoryne beckettii can lose all of its green mass literally overnight. Usually such fluctuations in hardness and acidity occur when changing or refilling water. Therefore, it is advisable to monitor these parameters before refilling and correct them if necessary. A decrease in pH is more dangerous against a background of decreased hardness. Increasing the values of these parameters does not usually have a negative effect.
Lighting
Likes medium illumination, poorly tolerates direct sunlight. Therefore, it should be located under the shade of taller species, especially if the general lighting of the reservoir is too bright. It is better to illuminate with daylight lamps. If you find it necessary to increase the red component of the spectrum, it is better to use Flora Fillips lamps. Use incandescent lamps for this purpose, in my opinion, is not worth it. The duration of the light day is about 10 – 12 hours.
Nutrition
В регулярных подкормках не нуждается, Но если решите подкормить, это можно сдIt does not need regular feeding, but if you decide to feed it, it can be done in the same way as for other species. I would only remind you that you can feed plants that grow evenly.елать так же, как для других видов. Напомню только, что подкармливать можно растения, которые равномерно растут.
Cryptocoryne Beckettii Breeding
Both in the paludarium and in the aquarium, Cryptocoryne beckettii is relatively easy to propagate by rootstock. Young plants can be separated from the parent rosette after they have three to four leaves.
Additional information
Cryptocoryne Beckett is a bog plant, like other members of the Cryptocoryne genus, so it can be cultivated in a paludarium or a humid greenhouse. In this case, it is necessary to ensure a temperature of 28-30 °C, the substrate should consist of a mixture of small pebbles and sand with the addition of garden soil, peat and charcoal. In terrestrial forms, leaves and petioles are shortened compared to underwater specimens. In a humid greenhouse or paludarium representatives of the genus Cryptocoryne grow much faster than underwater. In summer, color can be produced in a humid greenhouse or paludarium, but no seeds are formed.
Cryptocoryne Beckett is very decorative and relatively easy to care for. If you have a tropical aquarium, it makes sense to get this plant for it. Underwater landscapes that can be obtained with the help of this grass are limited only by your imagination. A little patience, imagination and care and your underwater world will compete in beauty with the best creations of aqua designers of the world.
