Monster Crypts!

[fish_4_all]

Some of you have seen my Crypt Red Wendtii in another post but now my Becketti is growing like a freaking monster. Here I thought they would easily be a small plant for my 10 gallon tanks and now they are reaching sizes of Red Melon swords! Nice centerpiece if I didn't have any other plants in the tank.

Oh well, I guess it is a good sign that such a slow growing plant is getting so big in my tanks. Now I need a bigger tank so they can grow even bigger!

Will get pictures of both soon, I promise.

Here they are. The becketti was trimmed to nothing less than a month ago and then it pouted for about 2 weeks. The Wendtii has been going strong and growing even faster since I removed the CO2.

I really think that finding a place for them is very important and leaving them alone so they can get established. Once they do, watch out because they try to take over a tank as fast as some other larger plants.

Now if I could get my Lucens to grow as fast I would 3 for 3.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Yes, Beckettii gets huge. My Beckettii is getting pretty big, and it's in a 29G. It's definitely not a plant for a 10G. And yes, it does get tall.

One thing I've noticed about crypts, in low light, they grow towards the light. Basically, they grow upwards. In high light, like my 29G, it grows outwards, and takes up so much surface area. I had a baby one in my 10G with the 25W bulb and CO2, and it's like laying a blanket on the gravel.

Nice pics.....

 

[rich311k]

Nice looking photos and plants.

 

[WaterPond]

wow, very nice! awsome colour

 

[Glenc]

I have the same experience with Becketti. Put it in a ten gallon at first, it's now outgrowing a 25 gallon, breaking the surface. Nice consistent grower, great color as well. Nice plants guys!

 

[fish_4_all]

Thanks for the praise but hwere are the pictures of those monster crypts?

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Here's my monster crypts.....

 

[czcz]

Wow, beautiful color LWB. Good job fish_4_all. These aint pretty, but here's my crypt tank I finally tore down over the weekend. These pics were the last big trim, a few months ago.

Before. Hard to see but I like spooky tanks. That's fake/water change pearling

Draining. It may be hard to appreciate the size in these pics:

I yanked this much out and traded it:

There was this much left:

Here's my best emersed one. It wishes it was a monster. I do too.

I hope Travis and other folks post too. I've seen some monsters here that shame my best. Crypts are cool.

 

[fish_4_all]

Nice specimens both of you. I am glad mine are just getting to a point they are filling in the way I like them and not that huge yet!. If they get any bigger they will be the only plants on the tank because they will choke out everything else.

 

[Glenc]

Nice shots guys! Here is my monster. This crypt becketti is growing in less than 1 wpg in real bad gravel, yet it has thrived. It is the mother plant that has spawned many babys, many that have been sent out to members here. Had this plant about a year, it is breaking the surface of a 25 gallon tank that is 16" high. The longest leaves are a foot long. Nice colour even in real low light. Sorry the pic is a bit blurry but you get the idea.

 

[fish_4_all]

That is a perfect example of lighting and growth patterns. Very nice one Glenc. I think my Becketti is one of your daughter plants, I think?!?!

Mine are in medium/mediumhigh light tanks and, if it has room, tries to grow low to the bottom.

Now how do I get my Lucens to get that big? Or did I actually get one that belongs in a 10 gallon.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

That is an awsome looking crypt.

Mine are also growing in high light, and for the most part are trying to stay low to the bottom. Wish I had another 29G where I could do a low-light tank, mainly for crypts. I now have crypts in my 5.5G with a 20W bulb in it, and the crypts are going from flat from in the 10G, to growing almost straight up like yours. And the substrate I'm using in that tank is Volcanit. I love the color of that substrate, and the crypts seem to love it as well.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

I think my Becketti is one of your daughter plants, I think?!?!

You are correct. Glen passed some to me, I sent a bit down to you.

The plants (2) that glen gave me make his look very small tho, you'ld almost think it was the other way around. Mine tower in at 18-19" high and well over 100 leaves per plant. Guess he's better at trimming his.

 

[Glenc]

It's so cool how a little baby crypt from a Petsmart in Milton gets around! Holy cow Wizzard, pics please!! Got to show us that monster!

 

[happygirl65]

My Red Wendtii is also growing like crazy. It started out as small with only a few leaves and now has tripled in size in the last 6 weeks. I too thought it would be slow growing and stay more med sized.

Can I divide it up? I am afraid of it melting as it is so beautiful right now and happy where it is.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

That is in a 75Gal tank to give you an idea of the size.

The long green leaves comeing over into the picture are Crinum Natas (each leaf is about 3' long, it's on the other side of the tank..)

 

[Glenc]

Wizzard,That is a monster indeed!! Wow! Beautiful.

happygirl65, you take a chance whenever you disturb or move a Crypt. It could melt on you. It's heart breaking when it happens. As long as it is staying in the same tank you should be ok to split it up a bit. Crypts have melted on me, but usually it's when I try to put them in a different tank than where they were originally growing. Not much you can do if it starts to melt other than putting root tabs under the stressed plant and crossing your fingers.

 

[fish_4_all]

Those are simply awesome crypts!!!!

Man I know I am in trouble because mine are in 10 gallon tanks. Forget about growing them emersed, they will have leaves draped over the edges of the tank in less than a month at this rate!

Man I either need a bigger tank or smaller crypts!

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Those are simply awesome crypts!!!!

Man I know I am in trouble because mine are in 10 gallon tanks. Forget about growing them emersed, they will have leaves draped over the edges of the tank in less than a month at this rate!

Man I either need a bigger tank or smaller crypts!

The guide to MTS says Both, lol.

 

[Zezmo]

Those are some great looking Crypts. Always a favorite of mine.

Man I either need a bigger tank or smaller crypts!

Here is my Nano Monster Crypt. This is a group of C. parva that I pulled up from my nano tank. It started with 3 plants earlier this year, and when I took it apart is was 114+ individual plants.

Here it is a few weeks before it was pulled.