Sagittaria Platyphylla, Unknown Crypt, Pearling ?

[Asmack Arabia]

Hello,

I have a few questions which I hope you can take some time to answer. Here they are:

1. Sagittaria platyphylla - My sagittarias are growing well. They have grown much bigger now and are nice green in color. But I am wondering why their leaf shapes are more pointed at their ends compared to the pictures in the intranet where the leaf shapes are more round. I think the round shapes are a lot better to look at. Is this a deficiency or overdose of something? What could this possibly mean? Please see the attached pic.

2. Unknown crypt - Could you help ID this crypt please? I bought them almost a year ago from an lfs but only started to show some life after I followed dutchy's advice to dose more rather than less. But I don't know what this crypt is. Please see the attached pic.

3. Pearling - Yesterday, I decreased again the light level in my tank and increased the co2 bubble rate as I am still having noticeable bba growth. The lights now are 3 x 25 watts of aquarium cfl on a 30 gallon tank. But I am worried that this light level is now very low for good plant growth. Today, I still see some plant bubbles in my plants (btw, is this called pearling?) around 4 hours after the lights switched on). Now, is it safe to assume that my light levels are still ok because if it is not, then I think the plants wont be pearling?

I appreciate so much your help. Thank you.

 

[dutchy]

1. Your Sagittaria might be Echinodorus magdalenensis.

2. The crypt might be the the pontederiifolia variant, not sure though. Easier to see when it develops more.

3. If you see pearling after 4 hours you still have enough light. It's even possible to have good growth without any pearling at all. For now I'd keep it like that and give it a few weeks.

 

[Asmack Arabia]

thank you dutchy, as always.

about the pearling, that's great to hear. at least now i am sure, i am not underlighting my plants.

about the crypt, thats what i think too but wanted others to take a look at for second opinion.

about the sag, probably not echinodurus. it's from dennerle and i bought it as sag platyphilla.
could it be that the round leaves shown in the internet are emersed growth? or sag doesn't really change appearance above or under water?

 

[dutchy]

Yes, could be the difference between emersed and submersed growth. I never used this plant myself, just know it's sometimes confused with other species that look alike. You can assume Dennerle is right though.

 

[Asmack Arabia]

i am surprised at how low a lighting aquatic plants in general can survive or thrive at. always when i see the ads, one could conclude that plants wont survive in low light and the higher, the better. now, my light levels were cut in half.

i read an article before, an old article that is, that says that too much nitrogen causes some stem plants to be leggy. so i was thinking the pointed growth of the sag could be caused by a nutrient or mineral imbalance of some sort.

 

[Yo-han]

About the Saggitaria... The pictures you see with the rounded tips are the emersed form. I do think this is a Sagittaria not uthe indeed very similar looking E. magdalensis.

 

[Asmack Arabia]

i see. thank you all for your help.