Does my crypto need to be trimmed?

[stevenht]

This stuff took off after I planted it and it's lush and green. It's propagating everywhere.

1. Does it need to be trimmed? Or when will it?

2. How do you trim this stuff?

3. Since it's propagating a lot, can I pinch some off and keep planting it all around?

As you can see on the picture my DHG is almost gone. My loaches and pleco keep uprooting them and I got tired of having grass floating in my tank so I'm taking it all out and want to replace it with the cryptos.

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[Brookster123]

Sweet! Just uproot and carefully split, you'll know when you see

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[stevenht]

What about trimming them?

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[Brookster123]

You can.. shame to cut healthy crypt growth though..

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[stevenht]

Ok that is what I was thinking too. It looks so good and lush

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[Caliban07]

It does look nice. It may start browning eventually if the nutrient demand eventually exceeds supply due to larger tissue mass.

In that case you can just add more nutrients or cut it back.


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[Fresh2o]

I don't trim crypts because they generally grow slowly. Also, when it's time for them to shed old leaves, they do it in quick fashion; I've seen leaves basically dissolve to nothing in a matter of days. I call that self cleaning and less work for me.


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[stevenht]

It does look nice. It may start browning eventually if the nutrient demand eventually exceeds supply due to larger tissue mass.

In that case you can just add more nutrients or cut it back.


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Thanks. I've been hard at work in them. Especially since it's grown from 4 or 5 small stems to that. I can't wait to split them and have them carpet out

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[stevenht]

I don't trim crypts because they generally grow slowly. Also, when it's time for them to shed old leaves, they do it in quick fashion; I've seen leaves basically dissolve to nothing in a matter of days. I call that self cleaning and less work for me.


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Thanks for the heads up. I guess it's the ultimate independent plant. When the dead leaves dissolve, will it raise ammonia levels?

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[Fresh2o]

Thanks for the heads up. I guess it's the ultimate independent plant. When the dead leaves dissolve, will it raise ammonia levels?

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Hard to say. I tested religiously at first but less frequently as time went on. We are not talking a lot in terms of plant mass. 1 or 2 leaves in a week maybe (depends on the number of plants).
Edit: I no longer have crypts in my 20g shrimp tank. I did have quite a few. C. undulata and C. wendtii 'red'. Here are some pics when they were pulled out:

There are between 35-40 plants (on a full size bath towel):

Grew in low light with root fertilizers.
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[stevenht]

Those are good looking plants. I do have a little red in there now but I have no idea what they're called. They're by that little castle in my picture if you could look at it

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[Fresh2o]

Those are good looking plants. I do have a little red in there now but I have no idea what they're called. They're by that little castle in my picture if you could look at it

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Thanks! They were very low maintenance.
The plant you are referring to looks like a species of Ludwigia, possibly repens.


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[stevenht]

I know repens is a pretty easy plant. What about ludwigia? This is the first time I've ever seen at my LFS

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[Caliban07]

I know repens is a pretty easy plant. What about ludwigia? This is the first time I've ever seen at my LFS

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Ludwigia repens shouldn't be an issue. Nice plant too.


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