Bucephalandra

Know Your Bucephalandra

Bucephalandra or commonly known as Buce is a wetland plant from the the origins of Borneo. It is described to be a cross between an anubias and cryptocoryne; whereas it has the rhizome of an anubias and the leaves/melting of cryptocoryne. Bucephalandra is used in the aquatic hobby ideally as a midground and seldom background plant. They prefer low to medium light conditions and respond very well to Co2 injection as well as fertilization in the water column for optimal growth and color. With lower light and no Co2/Fertz, you will notice a less colorful bucephalandra but can always be changed once you accompany your tank with Co2/Fertz.

Bucephalandra can also continue to grow in minimal amounts of light, making it an ideal candidate for very shady areas in the aquarium. We suggest having an aquarium that has been matured for at least 3 months. Buce enjoys stable conditions and if drastic changes happen within the water column; it may trigger a Bucephalandra Melt. Don’t worry, even if all leaves melt away; if the rhizome is still healthy and you have a stable aquarium – it will start to regrow leaves slowly.

Remember that Bucephalandra is like anubias with it’s rhizome structure, it is recommended that you keep it out of the substrate as this will more than likely kill the rhizome. It’s best to tie buce to hardscapes like rocks or wood for optimal growth.

Bucephalandra Melt

Bucephalandra Melt is a known issue when introducing Bucephalandra to your aquarium. Some studies say it’s caused from too high of nitrates and others say it’s triggered by the change from emersed to submersed conditions.

Bucephalandra Propagation

Bucephalandra propagation is like Anubias propagation where it has a rhizome. You can cut these rhizome with a razor blade at a 45 degree angle for a nice clean cut and replant both rhizome back into the aquarium. Make sure to have at least 2-3 leaves on each side of the rhizome to ensure optimal bounce back rate on both propagated pieces.