Addicted to Bucephalandras

[azmodan]

I am a bucephalandra addict. It started with a couple of buces I received in a plant package about 2 years ago and now in 2015 alone I've spent about $500 on buces so far. I do not have collectoritis (I don't even keep very good IDs on most of them) but I do love many things about them, specifically:


1. Their colors -- Whites, pinks, every shade of green, blues (!!), greyish tones, browns, and so forth.

2. Their flowers -- Many flower regularly and in my main buce tank I have usually around 2-3 flowering at a time.

3. Their unique leaf structures and types -- Big types (check out Dark Achilles, cascade king, gaja mada, pink lady), small types (super mini catharine, pygmea, arrogant blue mini)... sizes and shapes for days!

4. Their requirements -- Pressurized CO2 definitely helps with growth (and algae prevention) but is certainly not required. Low tech friendly (just watch out for algae growth as they are not fast growers)!

5. Their versatility -- The sheer variety of them allow for some incredible 'scaping possibilities, particularly in Nature-Style aquariums.


Things I do not like about them:

1. Their cost -- Expect to pay $5-$10 for very small plantlets and $10-$30 for older specimens. Some of the rarer types easily go for $100+.


So get on the buce bandwagon, AA! Let's get some trading going on and drive down total costs! I'll post some pics of mine later, anyone else who has them post pictures too!

Here are some informative resources for those new to buces:

Bucephalandra - all in one - Plant Physiology & Emersed Culture - Aquatic Plant Central

Lets Talk Bucephalandra

Bucephalandra Blog

Bucephalandra Species | Bucephalandra

 

[Brookster123]

Dude... I'm sour on buces.. i ordered a $60 starter pack and they showed up raggity as.. i gave them a month because I know that's just the nature of buces. I tied them off in 3 tanks, 2 high tech with med and high lighting.. one low tech.. almost 3 months later they're all pretty much toast. Major bummer ( not blaming seller, but they looked like crap when I got them, literally had rhizome plastered with detritus) on the plus side my erios are starting to take off!! Hooray for way overpriced plants!!!

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[azmodan]

Yeah I've had a few bad experiences buying buces that weren't exactly in amazing shape, as similarly to crypts many of them are pretty fragile and do not handle the shock of transport very well. In the right environment I've always had good luck with them bouncing back without any problems though. Let me know if you want some recommendations on good buce sellers. The ones you have to watch out for are those that sell buces still in emergent form, as often they'll take a while to convert and will typically shed a lot of leaves. I prefer to have them fully adjusted to their submersed form from the get go, although they are generally collected in their emersed form when gathered in the wild.

 

[trennamw]

Not. What. I. Needed.

(I was just popping in for ideas for a 40 gallon I unexpectedly acquired).


Sent from my iPhone with three hands tied behind my back.

 

[azmodan]

Not. What. I. Needed.

(I was just popping in for ideas for a 40 gallon I unexpectedly acquired).


Sent from my iPhone with three hands tied behind my back.

Once you begin there is no turning back, so why not jump in?

I just bought some buce sp. 'dark godzilla' from TPT member Ebi (his pic):

Just stunning.

 

[Brookster123]

What's your tank like? Tell me everything please.

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[azmodan]

My main buce tank is pretty basic. 29 gal with medium light (Finnex planted+ on 3.5" acrylic risers), pressurized co2, pps pro ferts, high glut dosage. I also have a farm tank that's pretty similar and then a ten gal shrimp/CPD tank that I keep lowtech with a few random buce types.

 

[pittbully13]

Following.

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