I had a thread a while ago about being addicted to bucephalandras but I thought I'd start a new one sharing some pictures and personal experience with these beautiful (but expensive) plants. It started with a couple of buces I received in a plant package about 3 years ago and now in 2015 alone I've spent about $900 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 (!!), purple, bright reds, grayish tones, silver speckles, 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, lamandau mini purple)... sizes and shapes for days!
4. Their requirements -- Pressurized CO2 definitely helps with growth and color (and algae prevention) but is certainly not required. Low tech friendly (just watch out for algae growth as they are not fast growers, much like anubias)!
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 small plantlets and $10-$30 for older specimens. Some of the rarer types easily go for $100+, or if you're looking for larger clumps.
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
Here are a few recent pics of a handful of the types I own. I think I have roughly about 20 different types although recently I've been selling the ones I don't need as I try to accumulate larger quantities of my just my personal favorites. Anyone else with buces in their collection please feel free to post pictures too! I'll do my best to update this thread with more pics as time goes by too.
buce sp. lamandau 'mini purple'
buce sp. arrogant blue 'mini'
buce sp. gajah mada
buce sp. entikong
buce. sp brownie 'metallica'
buce sp. cascade king (plants at the top, pic taken during a water change)
buce sp. yuusha
aridarum 'purple underleaf' (technically a cousin to bucephalandras)
Please ASK QUESTIONS if you want more info! Would love to see more people enjoy these plants!
1. Their colors -- Whites, pinks, every shade of green, blues (!!), purple, bright reds, grayish tones, silver speckles, 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, lamandau mini purple)... sizes and shapes for days!
4. Their requirements -- Pressurized CO2 definitely helps with growth and color (and algae prevention) but is certainly not required. Low tech friendly (just watch out for algae growth as they are not fast growers, much like anubias)!
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 small plantlets and $10-$30 for older specimens. Some of the rarer types easily go for $100+, or if you're looking for larger clumps.
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
Here are a few recent pics of a handful of the types I own. I think I have roughly about 20 different types although recently I've been selling the ones I don't need as I try to accumulate larger quantities of my just my personal favorites. Anyone else with buces in their collection please feel free to post pictures too! I'll do my best to update this thread with more pics as time goes by too.
buce sp. lamandau 'mini purple'
buce sp. arrogant blue 'mini'
buce sp. gajah mada
buce sp. entikong
buce. sp brownie 'metallica'
buce sp. cascade king (plants at the top, pic taken during a water change)
buce sp. yuusha
aridarum 'purple underleaf' (technically a cousin to bucephalandras)
Please ASK QUESTIONS if you want more info! Would love to see more people enjoy these plants!