# Could this be a Crypt spathe...submersed??



## Andy Ritter (Nov 26, 2008)

Pardon my ignorance, but I'm hoping some of you Cryptocoryne experts can answer a question for me.

I was doing maintenance on my aquarium a few days ago when I noticed something that I've never seen before. A Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia has a growth on it that to me looks kind of like the spathes that I've seen in the pictures posted here of emersed Crypts. However, what is strange to me is that this plant has been submersed ever since I planted it a year ago.

















Unfortunately, clumsy me accidentally broke the top of it off while trimming. :doh: #-o

What do you guys think?

Thanks,

Andy


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## FarCanal (Mar 12, 2008)

Yep, that looks like a spathe to me.


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## Ghazanfar Ghori (Jan 27, 2004)

Spathe for sure.


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## Andy Ritter (Nov 26, 2008)

Cool. Thanks for the replies. 

I was under the impression that Crypts would only form a spathe when grown emersed. Is it very common for one to form when submersed? Is it very likely that it will open?

Andy


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## Ghazanfar Ghori (Jan 27, 2004)

While its unusual for some crypts to flower under water, a lot of them actually do throw up spathes - they usually reach the water surface and open up above water though. Cordata, usteriana, aponogetifolia etc all do this regularly. Once in a while you'll see a crypt like wendtii or - apparently ponterderifolia - throw up a spathe while its fully submersed - but the spathe won't open since it cannot reach the surface.


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## Andy Ritter (Nov 26, 2008)

I sure am glad I took the pictures of the spathe yesterday. When I got home from work today I immediately checked out the tank to see how things were going, and I noticed that the spathe was already starting to "melt" like the leaves do. Now, a few hours later, it has basically completely fallen apart. I almost didn't get to share this with everyone.

Thanks again for the replies and information. I feel so fortunate to be able to have access to all of the people here on APC that have so much more information and experience than I do. I wish that I would have had this access back in the nineties so maybe I wouldn't have had as many problems as I did.

Andy


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