Red Wendtii Crypt

[Starlight_Guide]

Hi All,

I just bought a Red Wendtii Crypt, its potted, and I was trying to do some research on this plant. I only have gravel in my tank, and was wondering if I should take it out of the pot, or keep it in the pot. It is a 5 gallon tank, but I only have baby guppys in there. I wanted to give them a live plant to munch on, and hang out in and I really liked how this looked.

Any suggestions on this plant would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advanced!

[trashion]

Take it out of the pot. It'll likely be a ton of little plants. Plant each one in the gravel. Crypts are notorious for "melting," or losing all their leaves, if the water parameters in your tank are are different from the ones at the store.

One thing-either dip it in a very very very weak solution of either POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE or PLAIN bleach before putting it in your tank. Trust me, you'll thank yourself for doing this. It's really easy for your tank to become overrun with snails that you get as "gifts" when buying plants.

[Starlight_Guide]

Will I have to rinse the plant after I put it in the bleach? and should that be weak too?

[Starlight_Guide]

and Im afraid to try and take it out of the pot, the roots are all balled up outside the pot, will they break off or should it be OK?

[trashion]

They might. If they're in a pot like I'm thinking, they're packed in rock wool. Just pull out the rock wool, and then carefully peel the plants out of it. You might rip some roots, but they'll grow back. When I say weak solution, I mean like, a bucketful of water and like, a capful of bleach. I dip my plants in this solution for 30 seconds, then I rinse well with tap water until the plants no longer smell like bleach. I'm sure you can't do this with very sensitive plants, but I have yet to lose one plant from this practice.

[Starlight_Guide]

Ok. I get what you are saying.

By the way...What is rock wool??

And, when I plant these in this tank, can they be uprooted later and replanted in another tank? Or will they have to be in this tank until they die?

[Starlight_Guide]

Also, should I be adding anything for this plant, or will it live ok without adding anything to the tank?

[JustOneMore20]

You can uproot them and replant. Crypts will sometimes have melted leaves after you move them, but they'll grow back.

It should live without adding anything. You could add in some micro nutrients, like Flourish, but you don't have to.


Its ok if the roots break off...I usually trim them anyways before I plant them (makes it easier).

[Starlight_Guide]

Ok, the plant is planted in the tank, there are still some roots sticking up above the gravel, but they seem to love the plant! Its their new "hang out" spot!

That "rock wool" was a pain to get off of the roots! For future reference, are there any quick and easy ways to get it off?

Thanks all for the advice.