crypt availability

[Lawrence]

Hi,

Does anyone know where I might be able to find a good selection of cryptocoryne species in Singapore? Do any shops specialise or are the farms the best bet? Also are their any crypt hobbyists around?

Thanks in advance for any advice...

Lawrence

[lorba]

Hi lawrence, Teos at LCK will be a choice to look for crypts. They carries most if not all kind of crypts that you can find in LFS and perhaps some others.

Alternatively, you can order from some LFS.

What kind of crypts are you keeping, emersed?

[sherchoo]

Be prepared as most of Teo's crypts are grown emerse.

[hwchoy]

so if I want to grow emersed crypts that would be great right?

[wynx]

After failing several time with growing emmersed crypt, I found that in order to grow them emmersed, make sure you use lots of water. And use a closed container, potting mix. Most importantly of all, keep the soil moist at all times.

[checkerboard]

i think for the rarer crypts, youc an place an order with LFS.

Teo's crypts are mostly the common ones, but if you want those exotic crypts, maybe you should try going to keong seng, choong sua or some place that allows you to order your plants from the oriental catalogue.

[Lawrence]

Hi and thank you for all the replies.

Yes I am growing crypts emersed (mainly), in pots in a closed aquarium with about an inch of water in the bottom. I grow them outside but shaded from direct sun and, as has been pointed out, humidity is quite important.

It's interesting to know that the LFS can order from Oriental, so I will probably try to order some as it's quite hard for me to travel to Teo's (I live in Bangkok but travel to Singapore quite regularly).

I was wondering if there was any way we could buy plants from Oriental - we should make a petition to get them to sell to local hobbyists. Or at least they could sell at the Aquarama or some exhibition now and again.

So I'd better take the Oriental catalog with me when I visit the LFS then. Hope the guys in the LFS can speak English!

[budak]

If you stay in bangkok, why not buy crypts from Chatchuchak market's aquarium and plant stalls... i know there are at least 4-5 which specialise in plants, including many top quality crypts and species like blassi, griffithi, tonkinensis etc.......

[Lawrence]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. Yes of course, many kinds of crypts are available at Chatuchak, and at other places in Bangkok - blassii, balansae, tonkinensis, ciliata and many of the Sri Lankan types.

Griffithii I never saw though. Also many other types such as nurii and affinnis are not available to my knowledge. The plants available in Bangkok are usually very good quality and low price (especially on Tuesdays). But for crypts at least, the stock remains the same with no new types ever appearing. Certainly nothing like the number in the Oriental catalog.

[checkerboard]

i have not been able to get affinis despite ordering it on numerous occasions. The dealer say Oriental is not releasing it for some reason!

they have new hybrid ones like gecko, chemeleon etc.
griffithi should be available. difficult plant, must have cold water and melts very quickly IME.