Crypts That Can Turn Reddish Purple?

[Smells Fishy]

I've seen so many pictures of crypts in people's tanks that look amazing with red to purple leafs. When I shop online for them literally of all the pictures I've seen they all seem to have green to brown leafs. It would be a nice touch if the websites would add pictures of what they can look like in different light. The only one I actually know of is crypt flamingo, never seen it for sale on the sites tho. It'll be good to know so I can finally get a final plant list sorted.

After thought here. Does anyone know if crypt sprailis can change colour?

Cheers

 

[Kezzab]

crypt usteriana, green on top, pink on underside of leaf. Really nice.

 

[Tim Harrison]

Try these, Kompakt turns deep russet, and Flamingo, pink - purple in the right conditions...

 

[zozo]

I guess they probably all have this potential, but the proper conditions to develop it likely wont be equal for each single one.. I'm growing a spiralis in low tech (var. caudigera) in my condition it has a very faint redish/brown leaf edge. I have no idea if it is light only, i doubt that.. I got this crypt from another hobbyist, he grew it high light high tech and i got it brightgreen all over.

I do no tknow what makes mine developing the redish leaf edge in low tech low light condition.. I added laterite clay and peat to the substrate where it stands.

https://crypts.home.xs4all.nl/Cryptocoryne/Gallery/spi/spi.html Also describes the potential of developing brown leave edges.

Also got some Albida brown in there.. This one is very slow and stays very small.. But more leans towards green with a red hue than brown.

The wendtii brown maybe is a crypt you like to look into. This is a nice multicolor and very easy crypt to grow..
And maybe the indonesii, it has a very dark olive green color containing browns and reds.

 

[Mick.Dk]

C. 'petchii' - low and intense, rich leather-brown.
C. 'broad leaves' - medium tall and orange-brown with dark/black strikes.
C. 'Tropica' - medium tall, hammered leaves of grey-brown with dark/black strikes.
C. undulata 'red' - medium tall, undulate leaves of orange-brown with dark/black strikes.
C. crispatula has an orange-brown variant - tall, slim, hammered leaves.

Remember that most crypt's will change appearance a little, according to environment.

 

[Zeus.]

My Cryptocoryne wendtii Compact

 

[G H Nelson]

Have a look in the Plantbase!

 

[Smells Fishy]

Have a look in the Plantbase!

Wise words.

 

[JSeymour]

C. affinis 'Metallic Red' can have great red, copper, and burgundy colors. Probably will have to get it off a hobbyist, not from a store. Its a very hardy Crypt.

Two things tend to cause red in normally green Crypts, high light and high iron. Not all will respond the same, but iron tends to cause the most dramatic effect. Clay and lateralite tend to be high in iron. Some people even use iron nails and such, but many root tablets/capsules will work too. Liquid iron supplements work too, they are just very diluted in most cases.

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[Smells Fishy]

C. affinis 'Metallic Red' can have great red, copper, and burgundy colors. Probably will have to get it off a hobbyist, not from a store. Its a very hardy Crypt.

Two things tend to cause red in normally green Crypts, high light and high iron. Not all will respond the same, but iron tends to cause the most dramatic effect. Clay and lateralite tend to be high in iron. Some people even use iron nails and such, but many root tablets/capsules will work too. Liquid iron supplements work too, they are just very diluted in most cases.

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Cheers for joining the convo. That's really interesting, iron being a cause for nice colours and as if people actually put iron screws in there tanks! Sounds like a good way tho, less wasted water and potentially a seriously powerful punch of the real deal. I fancy trying it but would obviously need to know more, has anyone tried this method before?

 

[Smells Fishy]

I'm really liking the look of C.blassii, probably one of the nicest crypts out there. Can't find it for sale tho only as a hybrid. I'm guessing because it's sold under the name Cryptocoryne cordata but it's other scientific name is C.blassii-siamensis. The site its being sold on is Extraplant which I've just stumbled across, they have very good choices for crypts.

 

[JSeymour]

I'm not sure if Richard Sexton is on these forums, but he'll definitely agree. He is a fierce advocate for nails as an iron source for Crypts. He grows most, if not all, with solid iron. In very basic terms, bacteria in anaerobic conditions will eat the rust produced, releasing soluble, bioactive iron.

Personally, I grow Crypts emersed and use clay and iron EDDHA. You can buy it as powder, but it's not appropriate for an aquarium. It is red, my water looks like koolaid when fresh. In two weeks, it looks like normal wood stained water. They suck it up. Crypt pics coming...

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[JSeymour]

I'm really liking the look of C.blassii, probably one of the nicest crypts out there. Can't find it for sale tho only as a hybrid. I'm guessing because it's sold under the name Cryptocoryne cordata but it's other scientific name is C.blassii-siamensis. The site its being sold on is Extraplant which I've just stumbled across, they have very good choices for crypts.

Cryptocoryne blassii, its a synonym of Cryptocoryne cordata var siamensis, https://crypts.home.xs4all.nl/Cryptocoryne/Gallery/sia/sia.html . It should be fairly easy to locate in Europe. I'm not sure the rules here on pointing people to sources, so I can pm you for further details of you'd like.

Gorgeous plant that can get large. Some strains have extremely vibrant red undersides.

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[JSeymour]

All grown in the manner described above, keei 'Bau' has less clay though.

Pic order: keei 'Bau', usteriana 'Bogner', sp 'Silver Queen', wendtii 'Mi Oya', pontederiifolia, nurii var raubensis 'Rosen Maiden', xwillisii var lucens.

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[dw1305]

Hi all,

keei 'Bau', usteriana 'Bogner', sp 'Silver Queen', wendtii 'Mi Oya', pontederiifolia, nurii var raubensis 'Rosen Maiden', xwillisii var lucens.

They are lovely.

That's really interesting, iron being a cause for nice colours and as if people actually put iron screws in there tanks! Sounds like a good way tho, less wasted water and potentially a seriously powerful punch of the real deal. I fancy trying it but would obviously need to know more, has anyone tried this method before?

He is a fierce advocate for nails as an iron source for Crypts. He grows most, if not all, with solid iron. In very basic terms, bacteria in anaerobic conditions will eat the rust produced, releasing soluble, bioactive iron.

Yes, metallic iron can be used as a nutrient source in the substrate in zones with varying REDOX value. The reason you need fluctuating REDOX is that nitrate is the usual electron acceptor. They use this a bit in waste water work. It is discussed briefly in <"Clay balls">.

Iron filings, or staples, are actually better than a nail, because they have a much larger surface area to volume ratio.

cheers Darrel

 

[roadmaster]

I have a couple of the Crypt blassii growing submerged in low tech, and are pushing 20 cm tall with crimson underside of leaves.
Have only been in my tank but three month's and throwing out runner's to area's I did not particularly want ,but I am loathe to disturb the plant's for they were slow to adapt to my tank.
With the addition of a bit more light, and liquid carbon supplement (Metricide 14), Crypt Balansae has deep dark red/purple vein on top side of leaves that I never saw before.

 

[Smells Fishy]

Hi all,They are lovely.Yes, metallic iron can be used as a nutrient source in the substrate in zones with varying REDOX value. The reason you need fluctuating REDOX is that nitrate is the usual electron acceptor. They use this a bit in waste water work. It is discussed briefly in <"Clay balls">.

Iron filings, or staples, are actually better than a nail, because they have a much larger surface area to volume ratio.

cheers Darrel

What about iron powder (cold cast atomized metal), would that do the same job as filings or staples?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

What about iron powder (cold cast atomized metal)

Yes it would, but what you need to remember is that the Fe++(+) ions contained would only become available in reducing conditions, and that iron is a micro-element, and large amounts of it (as ions) are toxic to plants.

I'm not sure if Richard Sexton is on these forums, but he'll definitely agree. He is a fierce advocate for nails as an iron source for Crypts.

After I wrote the earlier post a thought occurred that this might be why a nail was recommended, it will supply a dribble of iron ions under conditions of fluctuating REDOX, and that might actually be an advantage, because it takes iron toxicity out of the equation.

Any tank with soil in the substrate is likely to provide enough iron ions for rooted plant growth if there are reducing conditions in, at least some of, the substrate. This is because iron is a very abundant element in the Earth's crust (it is back to the "why bricks are red" reason).

The water column is slightly different (because it is entirely aerobic), and if you have epiphytic, or floating plants, you would still need to dose a chelated iron source.

cheers Darrel