# C. Balansae (Narrow leaf)



## OrangeCones (Aug 15, 2009)

I have what I believe is C. Balansae (Narrow leaf) and it is now growing what I think are plantlets on two of its leaves. It has a small leaf (1inch) growing perpendicular to the parent's leaf and brown roots (2inches) growing opposite the small leaf.

Do I remove them and plant/attach them to their own growing place now, or when larger, or do I attach them to something while leaving them as part of the parent? 

The parent is still putting out new leaves and leaves that have the plantlets still look healthy.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi OrangeCones,

I have never heard of a crypt growing plantlets on it's leaves. Typically my crypts multiply by "runners". If emerged growth, a crypt may put up a spathe (flower) which can be fertilized and produce seeds. 

As for plantlets on the leaves, my java ferns do it all the time. There is a "Narrow Leaf" variety of java fern. Do you have pictures please?


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## nfrank (Jan 29, 2005)

Balansae (aka Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae or other variety) and narrow or needle leaf java fern (Microsorum pteropus) have similar looking leaves. Unlike crypts, the microsorum grow from a rhizome and have thin dark roots. You can see the two plants side by side in this picture Balansae next to Narrow/needle leaf java fern from my 120g JOURNAL. The balansae are on the left; the microsorum are in the top center. Other microsorum varieties are on the right top. The ferns here are attached to wood. The ferns roots are designed for attachment and do not pump oxygen. Thus the microsorum may not like to have its roots in the substrate. As Seattle_Aquarist indicates, the java fern will form new plants on older leaves. The baby plants can be removed or left in place.


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## OrangeCones (Aug 15, 2009)

nfrank said:


> Balansae (aka Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae or other variety) and narrow or needle leaf java fern (Microsorum pteropus) have similar looking leaves. Unlike crypts, the microsorum grow from a rhizome and have thin dark roots. You can see the two plants side by side in this picture Balansae next to Narrow/needle leaf java fern from my 120g JOURNAL. The balansae are on the left; the microsorum are in the top center. Other microsorum varieties are on the right top. The ferns here are attached to wood. The ferns roots are designed for attachment and do not pump oxygen. Thus the microsorum may not like to have its roots in the substrate. As Seattle_Aquarist indicates, the java fern will form new plants on older leaves. The baby plants can be removed or left in place.


Thank you both for your advice. I have both C. balansae and narrow-leaf java, and based on your photos, I thought one was the other. I guess when it developed the plantlets, that should have been my first clue eh? Both were added to the tank as very small (1/2 inch or so) with little roots, but both have grown a lot. This one that has the plantlets has leaves 15" tall now. It is not planted in the substrate, but has attached to some river stones and driftwood.


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## OrangeCones (Aug 15, 2009)

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> Hi OrangeCones,
> 
> I have never heard of a crypt growing plantlets on it's leaves. Typically my crypts multiply by "runners". If emerged growth, a crypt may put up a spathe (flower) which can be fertilized and produce seeds.
> 
> As for plantlets on the leaves, my java ferns do it all the time. There is a "Narrow Leaf" variety of java fern. Do you have pictures please?


My camera skills are not that good. Still learning 

This is the clearest picture I can show:


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi OrangeCones,

Actually that is a good picture. I see the Java Fern leaf in front of a very nice stem of Hygrophila difformis. I also see a couple of crypt leaves in the right foreground and in the background.


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## Dryn (Sep 6, 2007)

If you want the plantlets to grow well they need to be about 1/3 the size of the motherplant before you remove them. Keep in mind that the plantlets will absorb nutrients from the mother plant thus weakening it as they grow. This is completely natural for a mature fern. The motherplant will continue producing daughter plants as much as it can.


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## OrangeCones (Aug 15, 2009)

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> Hi OrangeCones,
> 
> Actually that is a good picture. I see the Java Fern leaf in front of a very nice stem of Hygrophila difformis. I also see a couple of crypt leaves in the right foreground and in the background.


All the ragged leaves are from those I 'trimmed' to get my oto eggs in another aquarium for hatching. I've removed the leaves entirely now, since once damaged....

The difformis is growing like a WEED for me. I am surprised, because in another tank with similar lighting, its a slower grower. This is my first 'El Natuaral' tank with soil substrate.

I used a stick that I use to feed worms to a fish in that tank to bring the leaf forward and more in focus. Was hard to get a picture of it without the fish biting it and blocking the leaf. I bet I have a dozen that didn't work out!


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## OrangeCones (Aug 15, 2009)

Dryn said:


> If you want the plantlets to grow well they need to be about 1/3 the size of the motherplant before you remove them. Keep in mind that the plantlets will absorb nutrients from the mother plant thus weakening it as they grow. This is completely natural for a mature fern. The motherplant will continue producing daughter plants as much as it can.


Thanks Dryn! Would it be better to bend the leaves to let the plantlets come in contact with a piece of driftwood, so they could attach as they grow? I know this isn't a crypt now, but since you gave me the information..hehe...


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