Properly equipped aquarium is simply not conceivable without flora, and it's not just aesthetics. Green thickets for many fish serve as shelter and maternity hospital, provide the necessary level of hardness and acidity of water, and even help maintain its purity. The aquatic plant of cryptocoryn is valued for its shade tolerance and variety of species.
Water plant of cryptocoryn - description
An inhabitant of warm tropical ponds, the plant of cryptocoryn in the aquarium first settled in the 30s of last century. More than 80 species of cryptorin are known, half of which are suitable for aquarium conditions. They differ from each other in shape and coloring of the leaves. These are small but lush bushes, the number of leaves in which varies from 5 to 15. The shape of the leaves of all cryptocoryn can be divided into three groups: with rounded, elongated and lanceolate leaf blades. The color of the leaves can range from dark red to blue.
Types of Aquarium Cryptocorin
Behind the cryptcorins, the property of changing the appearance of the leaves is observed depending on the conditions of the content (the level of illumination, acidity and saturation of the water with oxygen). Therefore, without costly research it is sometimes difficult to say which of the rare species of this plant fell into the hands. When choosing aquarium plants for a home pond, the types of cryptocoryn are better to choose based on a general design concept. Among the aquarists the most popular are the following varieties of the aquatic plant cryptocoryn:
- Wendt;
- Beckett;
- related;
- curly;
- Husorrhoids;
- heart-shaped;
- aponogetonolistnaya;
- shining;
- pontederifolia.
Cryptocorina Wendt in the aquarium
Growing in nature in the swamps of Asia, cryptocoryn Vendt content in the aquarium tolerates without much difficulty. It can be grown in large aquariums, as well as in miniature aquariums, and also as a greenhouse plant. Five species of this plant are known, differing in color from the leaves. The shape of the leaves is elongated, wavy. The height of the bush can vary from 10 to 40 cm, directly depending on the level of illumination and water temperature. All varieties of cryptocorynge Wendt is best placed among aquarium plants of the first plan.
Cryptocorin is an aponegone-leaved aquarium
Unlike her marsh relative, Wendt's cryptocoryns, cryptocoryne aponegatonolist in natural conditions prefers ponds with running clean water. In nature - a tall plant, but this cryptocoryin in the aquarium does not on average exceed 40-50 cm in height. The leaves grow slowly (one in 3-4 weeks). With proper care often pleases the owners with flowering, throwing out small lilac buds of unusual twisted form. For growing, you need a large aquarium of at least 70 cm.
The main difficulty in the aquarium breeding of aponogetonolithic cryptocoryns is the need to maintain the temperature of soil and water at the same level - + 25 ° C. This kind of demand is also exacting to the constancy of water characteristics - it can react to any changes in acidity or stiffness by dropping leaves. Therefore, the water in the aquarium does not completely change, and periodically only a new portion is added.
Cryptocorin - content in the aquarium
Thanks to the species diversity, using only cryptocoryns in the aquarium it is possible to create a full-scale multilevel composition, moreover, long-lived. The content of this plant will require a spacious (in most cases) aquarium with additional lighting and the ability to adjust the temperature of water and soil. The established opinion that cryptocoryns should be grown under dim lighting is not true - they have a brighter color and are best grow and develop in the light, but require more nutrients.
How to plant cryptocoryns in an aquarium?
Due to the fact that this plant uses roots for food, the best way to plant a cryptocoryn in the aquarium will be planting it in a small pot, for camouflaging and securing which you can use decorative stones. Due to this, the root system avoids unnecessary damage, and the plant will more easily survive adaptation to a new place of residence. When landing directly into the ground, the following rules should be adhered to:
- For planting it is better to choose the spring months, when the cryptocoryn is at the peak of vitality.
- The plant extracted from the container should be cleaned of algae and disinfected in a strong solution of potassium permanganate.
- The roots of cryptocoryn in the aquarium should be oriented as in natural conditions - strictly down. To do this, a deep hole is made in the soil, then the bush is placed there so that the root collar is below the ground level. After this, the sprout is gently pulled upwards, placing the neck level with the soil level.
- Planting a few bushes, a gap of at least 15 cm is left between them.
Cryptocorona - conditions in the aquarium
The lion's share of nutrients aquatic plants cryptocoryles are obtained with the help of the root system. Therefore, for them, so important is the quality of the soil - it should be as nutritious as possible, silted. If this condition is met, it is possible to do without additional fertilizing or conducting them very rarely - once a year with iron-bearing sticks to bring the level of iron in the soil closer to the natural plant.
The water temperature can vary from +20 to +28 C, but the most comfortable for most species is a mark of +24 ° C. Changing the level of heating can regulate the growth rate - in warmer water the aquatic plant of cryptocoryn will develop much more actively. Other indicators of water (stiffness, acidity) will have to be maintained at the most comfortable level, not allowing sharp jumps in indicators. Violation of the constancy of the composition of water can lead to the destruction of leaves - cryptorinic disease.
Cryptocorona - care in the aquarium
Young actively growing plants cryptocoryns need regular feeding to maintain a high level of nutrients in the ground. Care for adults with cryptocorynics is to maintain comfortable conditions of maintenance: acidity and water hardness, illumination. Since cryptocoryne is a conservative plant, which reacts negatively to any changes, it is not recommended to transplant it. Water in the aquarium is also better not to change completely, but only to top up the evaporated part.