# C. balansae forms



## JKUK (Feb 16, 2007)

I often see different colour forms of C. balansae listed, particularly from German suppliers.

C. balanasae green, red, brown.

This has got me wondering, just how different are they?, or is it just the same plant under different conditions?


Has anyone got these growing under the same conditions?



Cheers.


----------



## EDGE (Feb 28, 2004)

I have had the red and green form growing under 2x 175w MH side by side 10 years ago . The red form is dark red but will have a bit of green on the older leaves particularly on the outer portion of the leaves. The green form stays bright green throughout. I have the red form but lost the green while moving to a different city.

Here is a photo of the red form from a while ago.


----------



## FarCanal (Mar 12, 2008)

I was lucky enough to get the red form sent to me with a spathe on it a few years ago, here are some pictures. It was label "Tonkenisis" when purchased but got renamed to Balansae after this flower.


































































Here are some shots with the Red version in the foreground and the green at the back of the tank








Closer up;


----------



## JKUK (Feb 16, 2007)

Thanks for the pictures folks.

They are quite different from the one I have currently, which it seems is the all green form.

Now all I have to do is find some red ones over here

Are there any colour forms of any of the other crispatulas?............I think I can recall a red tontinensis.

James


----------



## EDGE (Feb 28, 2004)

I have a narrow leave cryptocoryne that is red. Still have it, but shrunk in size from lack of TLC. Not sure if it is retrospiralis or spiralis.


----------



## ddavila06 (Jan 31, 2009)

i have the red and the green forms or so i was told when i bought them because they are kind of different size-wise. 
the red i got from G.G. ans is extremely fast growing for a crypt and seems to really like my tank conditions or something, several new plants since i bought them. is a large plant, 24-30 inches

the green one i don't remember where i got it from, is smaller compared to the red. only about half size (around 12-15 inches). it is a super slow grower or it doesn't like its location in the tank...

this just gave me an idea, i am going to position a few plants with the red ones and see how they do 

will take some pics tomorrow


----------



## Cvurb (May 23, 2010)

The Red Balansae look awesome, I guess they are pretty rare though. Do they appear in nature?

What is the difference between Balansae and Retrospiralis?


----------



## EDGE (Feb 28, 2004)

retrospirlis is a narrowr leaf crypt. about 3/8" wide. balansae and var. is anywhere from 3/4" to 1" wide. Growing condition is the same. 

balansae 'red' seems pretty common now a days. Not sure where it originate from. I saw the lonely plant standing out in a mixed crypt tank at a pet shop 10 years ago.

tonkinensis is like toothpick wide. I have not seen tonkinensis in a long time.


----------



## hedson_25 (Sep 20, 2005)

i don't think ther is many varyeties of them, only red and green, brown because it is redish-brown but it depends on the light and ferts, plants ofeten get miss id due to the enviorment where they develop. too much light little light. some plants growing under bad conditions get small and some may think they have a dwarf form of the plant. 

it must be truly id to determine the variey...

my opinion


----------

