# In search of Crypt fusca of Sarawak



## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

In the past, everyone thought _Cryptocoryne fusca _ (aquatic aroid) was an endemic species to Kalimantan of Indonesian Borneo. However, recently, there is someone from Malaysian Borneo found it in a blackwater stream near Sarawak - Kalimantan border. I didn't know that location until I got the information lately.....

Later, I realised that Batang Lupar was used to be part of the drainage system of upper Kapuas river in the ancient time of Borneo.....so, it could be somewhere there near the border.

August 5, 2007. I decided to find the location (information is not telling the exact location) with John.

I woke up at 5.30am. It's a long journey to the border, so we started our journey at 6am in the morning. There is no more rain since 3 days ago until now so I guess the dry season is finally started.

Below: When I woke up in the morning.....I can see the moon:










After so many hours of driving, we reached a blackwater stream near the border. There was no Crypt. in this stream except the common _Blyxa_ sp. & hair grasses.










After half an hour of searching for Crypt. along the stream, we saw an Iban's longhouse. John went to ask an old man for information. I showed him _Crypt. longicauda _ (which I collected from other river) and the old man told us that he knows where to find it near the longhouse.

Then, he brought us to an old rubber plantation....

Below: The half naked old man is our guide.


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

After 15 minutes of walk, our guide pointed his finger at the stream. We walked to the stream & found out it's _Barclaya motleyi_. We walked along the stream & found _Barclaya motleyi_ was everywhere!!! There was no sight of _Cryptocoryne_ at all!!! The old man told us that's the only aquatic plant grows in this stream. Both of us were so disappointed. We felt like wasting our time after travelling for almost 5 hours to the border and found nothing.

I decided to walk to another direction to search for Crypt. First I saw _Donax grandis_. Then, I saw something below _Donax grandis_....oh gosh!!! It's _Crypt. fusca_!!! Finally I found the _Crypt. fusca _ of Sarawak!

_Donax grandis_










_Crypt. fusca_!!!










The habitat (water ph is 5.5, water temperature is 26 degree Celsius):


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

_Crypt fusca_....a new record in Sarawak.










To be continued....


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Thanks for the post Mike. I'm always glad to see good posts like this. _C. fusca_ is one I've always wanted to try and you find hundreds! Were there any other cool aquatic plants there?


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

Really amazing places you show us, as allways. I hope some day visit your country and enjoy with your wild.


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Cavan Allen said:


> Thanks for the post Mike. I'm always glad to see good posts like this. _C. fusca_ is one I've always wanted to try and you find hundreds! Were there any other cool aquatic plants there?


Yes, _Barclaya motleyi_.


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Xema said:


> Really amazing places you show us, as allways. I hope some day visit your country and enjoy with your wild.


If u r carzy for Crypt, u should come to see their habitats in South East Asia.


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Close-up of the _Crypt. fusca_. So far, this is the only locality of _Crypt. fusca _ in Sarawak.










The blackwater stream. _Rasbora eithovenii _ found abundantly here.










According to our guide, his father used to walk for a week to cross the border to catch fish in Danau Sentarum (the largest lake in Borneo). In the past, fish were found abundantly in Danau Sentarum. All the fish they caught were preserved by using salt (salted fish) before bringing it back. But nowsaday, not many people in his longhouse dare to cross the border as it is not safe anymore as before.

When I walked pass the rubber plantation, I smell a nice fragrance on the air. When I looked up, I saw a species of Hoya was flowering!!!

Unidentified species of _Hoya_ with flowers:










Close-up of the flowers of _Hoya_:










Another species of _Hoya_. (no flower):


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Our mission was accomplished. It was a successful trip.

After taking our lunch, we went to explore some places near the border.

An Iban longhouse. According to the local people, their ancestors were migrated from upper Kapuas river to this place since very long time ago.










The kids from the longhouse:










There is a clearwater stream near the longhouse, so we went to check it out.

Below: John is searching for wild fighting fish:










And both of us caught _Betta taeniata _ in this stream. Another new location of _Betta taeniata_!!! This species is not as rare as we thought. My _Betta taeniata _ was caught in this site (see below)....hiding under Pandan plant (Pandanus sp.) near the bank.










My _Betta taeniata _ (female)


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

_Rasbora sumatrana_










After that we went to Batang Ai to re-visit the locality of an unidentified species of _Crypt_. (_Crypt_. sp. "Batang Ai" which is probably new to science. When we reached there, we failed to find any _Crypt_. at all. The only _Crypt_ we found is the common _Crypt. striolata_. The water level was very high as there was too much rainfall in the last few days. I was so depressed as I worried that someone came here and collected all of them. Then, I decided to walk along the river to explore the upper part. There are a lot of _Blyxa_ in the river (in the open area). After finding a shallow part in the river, I walked down from the river bank into the river bed to photograph the beautiful _Blyxa_. Then, John yelled at me that he saw _Crypt. striolata _ again in a spot shaded by the forest. I walked to his direction slowly and I noticed something on my left, under the water is a clump of green coloured aquatic plants. When I walked closer, my jaw dropped......it's a clump of _Crypt_. sp. "Batang Ai" !!!! Hurray!!! I finally found it again in another secret location!!!

_Blyxa_ sp.










I never thought I could find this _Crypt_. sp. "Batang Ai" again....HURRRAY!!!(compared to other species of Crypt., this species is rare)


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Borneo is indeed a paradise for so many beautiful plants, especially Cryptocoryne. I'm proud to be born in this island.

_Crypt_. sp. "Batang Ai"










The habitat. (Water ph is 6 and water temperature is around 26 degree Celcius)










_Crypt_. sp. "Batang Ai" and _Blyxa_ sp.










The image of the plant is a bit blur caused by the ripple in the water surface:










_Crypt. striolata_ found abundantly here:


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## SCMurphy (Jan 28, 2004)

Nice pictures, but I have to say that C. striolata is not common here in the USA.


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## Kai Witte (Jan 30, 2006)

Thanks for the report and nice pics, Mike!

I've already distributed propagated plants. On some pics you can see leaves with reddish veins which seem to be characteristic for this population.


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## HoustonFishFanatic (Feb 26, 2007)

Mike you have a great website going. I have followed your articles previously on Aquarticles.com. It is really nice to find your website with tons of more pics and info.


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Thanks to everyone for viewing my pictures.  

I got another Crypt. hunting trip this coming weekend, but it's not in Borneo. I'm going to fly to somewhere to find a rare species of Crypt. I hope I got the luck to find it. :mrgreen:


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## Kai Witte (Jan 30, 2006)

Lemme guess - New Guinea? 

Good luck! Make sure you have all available info with you...


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Very interesting to read about your travels and searches. Thanks for sharing.


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Kai Witte said:


> Lemme guess - New Guinea?
> 
> Good luck! Make sure you have all available info with you...


You'll know when I post my pictures in this forum....(if I can find it):mrgreen:


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Bert H said:


> Very interesting to read about your travels and searches. Thanks for sharing.


Welcome.


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

Really awesome!!!

I cann´t wait to see the pictures of your next weekend trip...

I think as Sean, striolata is not common in Europe, hehe.


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Xema said:


> Really awesome!!!
> 
> I cann´t wait to see the pictures of your next weekend trip...
> 
> I think as Sean, striolata is not common in Europe, hehe.


if i can't find the Crypt., then i won't post in the forum. Not everyday is lucky day....but i'll try my best.


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## Stephan K. (Apr 30, 2006)

Hi Mike,
awesome pictures! I hope I can visit some of the places in November. 
If you don't find any Crypts in New Guinea - I will be interested in pictures from your trip by all means!
Stephan


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Stephan K. said:


> Hi Mike,
> awesome pictures! I hope I can visit some of the places in November.
> If you don't find any Crypts in New Guinea - I will be interested in pictures from your trip by all means!
> Stephan


Thanks.


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

The _Crypt. fusca _ which I collected from Kalimantan Barat is doing well in my "Crypt tank". The tank is covered by using plastic cover, but now I'm opened for photography purpose:










I cut off all the leaves before I brought back to Sarawak (in case custom officer question me for bringing plant back from Kalimantan without permit) but now all the leaves are grown back....within one month period!










Close-up of _Crypt fusca_.










Just planted my Crypt sp. "Batang Ai"....










The _Crypt_. sp. "Batang Ai" which I collected from the first collection (last year) was melt (all the leaves) when my tank was full of water after the heavy rainfall but now the leaves are slowly growing back.....and I pray that it'll flower as soon as possible in order to find out what it is.


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Close-up of the beautiful _Crypt_ sp. "Batang ai".


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Great [email protected]


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Chuppy said:


> Great [email protected]


Thanks.


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Hey mike all this crypt could be grown in and out of water right??(not sure what the term is.. ) because im currently looking for plants which could grow out of water....from the subtrate in the tank.. all i have now is amazon sword..


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Chuppy said:


> Hey mike all this crypt could be grown in and out of water right??(not sure what the term is.. ) because im currently looking for plants which could grow out of water....from the subtrate in the tank.. all i have now is amazon sword..


Yes, can grow in emersed condition but the humidity must be high else the leaf of the Crypt will dry up.


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

junglemike said:


> Yes, can grow in emersed condition but the humidity must be high else the leaf of the Crypt will dry up.


So high pressure spray bars(u know those that make the fog thing) or fog generators are recomended?? U know it ain't all Cool and humid in this part of msia..~


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Chuppy said:


> So high pressure spray bars(u know those that make the fog thing) or fog generators are recomended?? U know it ain't all Cool and humid in this part of msia..~


Never tried it before....but u can try.


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## slickwillislim (Oct 11, 2005)

Thanks for posting. 

I recently visited a lake in Upstate New york and I visited a very small island and I, for the first time in my life, really noticed the plants. I found all sorts of hair grass, moss, a tiny Eriocaulon, and a few others. I don't have much experience with finding aquatic plants in nature so I loved reading about your adventure and living vicariously through you. 

How did you learn so much about your native plants? From books, friends, Internet?


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

slickwillislim said:


> Thanks for posting.
> 
> I recently visited a lake in Upstate New york and I visited a very small island and I, for the first time in my life, really noticed the plants. I found all sorts of hair grass, moss, a tiny Eriocaulon, and a few others. I don't have much experience with finding aquatic plants in nature so I loved reading about your adventure and living vicariously through you.
> 
> How did you learn so much about your native plants? From books, friends, Internet?


I learnt a lot about plants from internet, books & friends. Thanks to internet, I even can ask experience hobbyists & scientists by emailing them if I found something which I can't identify....


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

That Batang Ai in culturing looks really nice!!


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Xema said:


> That Batang Ai in culturing looks really nice!!


Thanks Xema.


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