BUCE BELINDAE
Bucephalandra Belindae is a relatively new plant (described in 2011), ideal for keeping in aquariums, beginners aquarists. In nature, this plant grows in the water bodies of the island of Borneo.
Buce Belindae is a fully green plant that grows in large groups on granite cascades on currents. The root system is weak. The stem is thin, about 2 mm thick, stalked and strongly branched, with a slightly elevated tip. The leaves are thin with shaped edges that can sometimes resemble a mini palm bush. They range in color from light to dark green. The leaves form compact rosettes at the tops of the shoots. The leaf petiole is 2-4 mm long and about 1 mm in diameter. The upper part of the leaf is semi-glossy, dark green; the lower part is reddish, the base is wedge-shaped, the tip is rounded. Leaf blade is very narrow, elongate, 2.5-3 cm long and 2 mm wide, with very ragged and curved edges. The upper part of the leaf blade shows a net-like pattern. The plant often produces flowers when grown in both water and air. It can be grown completely submerged in water as well as in humid paludarium conditions. The plant grows very slowly, with new leaves sprouting from long, thin rhizomes.
As written above, the plant can be grown both underwater and above water. In aquatic (emergent) growing, they can be attached to rocks or wood and grown in paludariums in very high humidity conditions. Extremely slow growing in underwater cultivation. Bucephalandra grows best in soft, slightly acidic water. Due to the small size of the plant is suitable for keeping in nano-aquariums.
Water parameters: temperature 22-28 ° C, hardness dH 1-20 °, pH 6,0-8,0. Feeding with liquid microfertilizers and CO2 is desirable. The plant does not tolerate water temperatures above 28 ° C and the high concentration of nitrates in it. Requires good filtration and a weekly change of 1/3 of the aquarium water with fresh.
Medium intensity lighting, lasting about 10 hours a day.
Propagation
Bucephalandra belindae can be propagated by cutting off the rhizome and attaching it to snags and rocks with superglue or thread. Young cuttings are best attached with fishing line or string to small rocks or volcanic lava or snags, placing them in higher parts of the aquarium. They can also be planted in the ground, remembering not to cover the rhizomes, as when planting anubias, because they can rot if buried. The final size, color, and growth rate of the clump depends on the conditions of maintenance. You should not drastically change the conditions in the aquarium, because in this case the plant will suspend development, if not begin to die.
