# Bucephalandra's Love em or hate em?



## james1542 (Sep 8, 2011)

I was wondering if it's just me, but I don't understand the popularity of the Buce. I've seen a few macro shots of emersed grown specimens that look nice, but I have yet to see an attractive aquascape utilizing these. From what I understand they are tiny, and slow growing. They always look gnarled, like a struggling plant, with ruffled leaves that in every photograph look damaged even if they are not. It may just be me, but give me a crypt any day over one of these Buce's! So I'd like your opinion, are they really that great or just a fad?


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

I like them but prefer other plants like Crypts. There are a few scapes here on TPT with Buces that look pretty great.

That said, Buces also tend to be illegally or questionably collected and I'm staying away from them until they're widely tank cultured with no controversy.


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

After having 14 different var. and getting 4 to flower I have some definite thoughts.

Keeping Buce for most people is like forcing a square peg in a round hole. These are marginal plants that live on the edges of fast(er) moving steams that flood regularly. They also cling to to rocks in water fall type nitche-environments.

Both of these bio-types are very rare in the hobby. Len has managed to create that Bio-Type. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=151017&page=25 Look at post #362

I have one B. 'Sintang' left at this time. I'm attempting to culture in in a Ebb/Flow Aquaponic system to stimulate wet dry cycles like it's native bio-type. I have it low enough in the Grow Bed that is is submersed 7Xs a day.










Sorry I couldn't fit my thoughts into your survey choices. I would say great little Terrarium plant not suited for an Aquarium.


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## james1542 (Sep 8, 2011)

You both bring up some great points I hadn't thought of before. Len's biotope/type does look pretty amazing. If you cherish the buce's for their suitability as a terrarium plant feel free to mark down a "love them".


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## TexasCichlid (Jul 12, 2011)

Waiting to try one when there are more aquarium cultivated specimens here in the States.


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## Edub (Mar 23, 2011)

I think some like the "kedagang" are super gorgeous, and I've been watching prices so I can eventually snag some. I like that many of them have a "shine" to their leaves, but since I have no experience and have never seen one in person I'll reserve judgement.


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## wabisabi (Jan 31, 2011)

DogFish said:


> After having 14 different var. and getting 4 to flower I have some definite thoughts.
> 
> Keeping Buce for most people is like forcing a square peg in a round hole. These are marginal plants that live on the edges of fast(er) moving steams that flood regularly. They also cling to to rocks in water fall type nitche-environments.
> 
> ...



Are you saying that you lost the other 13 varieties you had? If that's what your saying, that sucks! I'm sorry for your loss. 

That being said, I humbly have to disagree with Bucephalandra not being suited for the aquarium. I have plants that have been submerged for close to 2 years now. And despite being neglected from me, have been doing well. 

Yes Edub, some Bucephalandra have to be seen in person to truely appreciate their beauty.


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

I think they are awesome personally. I also like crypts.


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## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

I agree that they are awesome. They are fairly new, and an overpriced plant for the time being until theres more of them to be had. But they are a beautiful contribution to the hobby. I also agree that they are good aquarium plant as ive had some submergent for nearly two years as well. as for looks in a tank, or aquascaping goes, just look at how terrible this tank looks. I think he should just give it to me its so ugly...

http://www.aquascapingworld.com/threads/90-the-bucephalandras-land-of-bliss.7326/


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

That is one of my favorite scapes, I love the epiphytic feel.


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## AoxomoxoA (Apr 22, 2010)

Green_Flash said:


> That is one of my favorite scapes, I love the epiphytic feel.


Agreed. That's incredible, amazes me every time I see it.


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

wabisabi said:


> Are you saying that you lost the other 13 varieties you had? If that's what your saying, that sucks! I'm sorry for your loss.
> 
> That being said, I humbly have to disagree with Bucephalandra not being suited for the aquarium.....


Yes, that was depressing.

I made the error of adding a few Jewel Orchids to the emersed tank I was keeping them in. That introduces some type of small bug and I got got some black mold. I move some to submersed tank but I ended up loosing them. During that time I did have two var. in Submessed culture. They never had the growth rate that the emessed plants did.

My thoughts on the suitably for long term Aquarium use is strictly my opinion. Somewhat based on my experiences. I had Very Positive in emersed growth with high humidity /air temp. and modest to poor growth submersed. Also, studying videos of natural environment. 

I feel this is one of those Survive vs. Thrive situations. I just don't feel that Buce will Thrive full submersed for extended periods.


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## cookymonster760 (Apr 30, 2011)

I love this plant the new leaves have all kinds of different colors from blue to red to pink to yellow they have so many color combinations and some are iridescent like nanga pinoh and all those shine species althought I will admit that they hate changes in enviroment and will succumb to mold very eassily but they flower more frequently than any other plant even when fully emerged so I love this plant


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## ThatGuyWithTheFish (Apr 29, 2012)

DogFish, I've heard Buces do really well in high light/CO2. Maybe they're not as hardy as anubias or crypts.


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## iscerus (Aug 10, 2012)

Well, I enjoy them. As a newbie, I wanted a hardy plant that isn't very finicky and had diversity. If you want to try one, I'd suggest Bucephalandra sp. Gigant.

I had to remove one of my gigants because they were growing too fast in the background and actually pushed the midground plants forward. Also, after a full 90% trim to my tank, two of them are showing 6 inch leaves within a week.

Still working on my tank...it's tough, but I feel this plant a lot more forgiving than most for someone new to planted tanks. I went the hard way by wanting to go soil instead of tied to rocks.... I think it'll look nice in the end.


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## james1542 (Sep 8, 2011)

Wow that tank has several thousand dollars worth of plants in it... I would stay up all night with nightmares about black brush algae.

It does look pretty nice though..and some of his macro shots are pretty stunning, but taking in the tank as a whole, It doesn't seem very lush, I'd rather have a tank full of brilliant reds and bright greens.


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

ThatGuyWithTheFish said:


> DogFish, I've heard Buces do really well in high light/CO2. Maybe they're not as hardy as anubias or crypts.



I don't think it's a question of how hardy they are I think it's providing the correct environment. High light & CO2 are the "steroids" of the planted tank hobby. To my understanding pretty much everything does better with Higher Light & CO2? No ??

This video doesn't leave me with the impression that Buce naturally occurs in high light areas. To me Highlight plants are Water Lettuce, Lilies, Water Hyacinth that are in open water and get full Sun all day. These Buce may get a hour or so once or twice a day as the Sun peaks through the jungle canopy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uuVl39xX3U


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

I love them! They show so many different colors, patterns, shapes, textures, sizes, etc. Pictures really don't seem to capture their true beauty, which is really a shame because they really are stunning plants. I have 15 types in my collection right now and i'm on the hunt for more. It's an addiction, for sure.


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

I really like how it seems like the can put out compact growth on wood. Probably good for a tank where you want something sturdier looking than a moss or anubias, but still want it to be covering a ton of wood.

Not sure why, but something about them reminds me of nepenthes pitcher plants...except the being underwater part and the not making pitchers part....the leaf shape is similar to me though 

Never had any buce however, hopefully one day.


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## ragn4rok (Mar 19, 2006)

Bucephalandra are not very difficult plants to keep. Now I managed to harvest some of them from my own tank although it might takes months or even a year to propagate ;-) And it's true sometimes, they look ugly with holes, damaged leaves, bad growing shape when we first got them.

6 months ago:









now:

















They are a slow grower. Some variants are even slower than Anubias nana. I keep them under low light environment, with minimum CO2, and also low dose of macro and micro. I only dose 1 pump (2-3mL) of macro and 1 pump micro fertilizer every week.

My aquarium spec:
- 60cm x 60cm x 45cm
- lighting: 4x24W T5HO lamp
- temp: 24C
- CO2 1bps
- gH 4-6
- pH 6.8
- NO3 10-15ppm
- NH4 0ppm


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## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

Jeff, Ive had good luck growing mine the same way. They never did very good in high tech at all. In the tank theyre in, they have attached to rock good enough that you would damage the plant getting it off. They REALLY seem to like the rocks.


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## lbacha (Apr 13, 2011)

I figured I should chime in since my tank was mentioned I have buces growing submersed, emersed in both a holding tank and in a terrarium special built for them and try do great in all situations but can be very finicky. The ones in my submersed tank are growing the quickest which is what actually happens in nature as well (they are reophytes that spend part of their tie submersed in nutrient rich soil when they are emersed they focus on growing roots and when submersed leaves) as for the terrarium/paludariums I think it is the best way to display these amazing plants.
















Len


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