Crypt. Pink Flamingo getting started

[Comradovich]

Background: I bought Cryptocoryne (Pink Flamingo) from the Co-op about two weeks back. I noticed the leaves were green and on long stems, so I figured I must have the emersed leaves showing. There's a crown of reddish smaller leaves growing closer to the pot, which seems to bear this out. Nothing's short and pink yet, but it certainly looks to be growing in that direction. One emersed leaf did melt back, but the other is still green and looks fine.

My plan for this planting was: Convert first, then start thinking of where to plant it once it's out of the rock wool.

Since then, I've added an API root tab to the rock wool in the pot, (trying to use all these up). Within two days of that, it's added another reddish leaf to that lower crown. I've also got it in a lightly shaded area of the tank so the full spectrum lighting can't burn it, but it still gets plenty of light. I guess what I'm looking for is advice from someone who has successfully grown this. Should I stay on this course or are we now in: "Danger, Will Robinson, reverse course!" I've been dosing Easy Iron for the RRFs, not sure if that'll help this one. It seems to be doing alright, and the Otos are helping keep the leaves algae free. This is only my second or third reddish plant.

[Patrick_G]

It’s going to want some pretty high intensity light to show it’s true color. I’d put it in a spot where it’ll get as much light as possible. Mine is at the bottom of a 75 and it grows very slowly compared to other crypts in the same tank. I wouldn’t leave it in the pot, since there is a chance it might melt when you plant it. 

This is totally anecdotal but I have soft, slightly acidic water and I’ve never had any crypt melt. Other plants, but not crypts. 

[JoeQ]

I received mine on September 5th, it was mostly emersed growth and I immediately planted it along with a root tab for the reasons mentioned above. 

 

Not much happened up to the 21st besides leaves melting, me fussing with my lights and me mistakenly cutting the best leaf off.....

 

It wasn't until I changed my fertilization regimen (for other reasons) did I see rapid growth.  Here is a picture taken today

 

As previously mentioned,  put it in the brightest spot in your tank. Also, you might benefit by erroring on the side of EI dosing with a bi-weekly waterchange instead of going so lean where you are expirenceing lethargic growth. Good luck, keep us informed on how it goes!

Edited October 2, 2022 by JoeQ
Pic added

[AnimalNerd98]

Will be following this thread. I got 10 Pink Flamingo crypts (tissue culture) from a PetCo last week for $24. I am trying to propagate them first before converting some to immersed growth. 

[JoeQ]

On 10/6/2022 at 3:03 AM, AnimalNerd98 said:

Will be following this thread. I got 10 Pink Flamingo crypts (tissue culture) from a PetCo last week for $24. I am trying to propagate them first before converting some to immersed growth. 

Label is kind of sketchy, I give it a 50/50 chance! 😂

[Comradovich]

I'm sorry, I hadn't realized my forum settings were only providing notifications of the first reply. Just saw all these replies today. Oh, better update!

I took @Patrick_G's advice and moved it front and center of the 20G shortly after he replied, (this was the last reply I read until today). The pink leaf I said was growing in has now gotten to about an inch and a quarter long. It's been getting direct light from the Hygger HG-957 and my south facing window, (direct sun in the morning, indirect afternoon). The single emersed leaf is still green and going strong. The other two from the crown I mentioned are losing their greens and picking up more reds, (although one looks a bit whitish now).

I just barely planted it, and my reasoning for the delay was because I have sand substrate. I kind of wanted the leaves to get stabilized before I made it spread out the roots. I mean, I've had an MTS colony plowing mulm into that substrate for going on 8 years now, but I'm not super confident that it's up to snuff. (My Crypt. Lucens probably disagrees, as it's been attempting a hostile tank takeover for the last two years). Either way, it was doing okay in the pot, so I took the plunge today and planted it. A thankfully much less "disintegration happy" root tab went in next to it. So far, so good.

[Patrick_G]

On 10/6/2022 at 12:03 AM, AnimalNerd98 said:

Will be following this thread. I got 10 Pink Flamingo crypts (tissue culture) from a PetCo last week for $24. I am trying to propagate them first before converting some to immersed growth. 

Those look pretty nice, usually the petco tissue cultures at my local stores look like compost.