# Planted Tanks > Plant Talk >  Bucephalandra, Growing it Emersed Only

## TS168

Bucephalandra is a very beautiful plant for planted hobbyist. Sharing my little plant here.
The Bucephalandra Skeleton King also know as Bucephalandra Achilles.

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## bluebubbles

Now I know why it is called skeleton king. The leaves displayed the "skeleton" very clearly. :Grin:

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## armageddon

> Now I know why it is called skeleton king. The leaves displayed the "skeleton" very clearly.


yup. the feel of it comparing with other buceps are indeed skeleton!!!!! haha

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## iak

Wa... never heard of this before. what's the damage ?

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## troyz

that's a nice plant you have there...yes bro, all Bucephalandra plants is beautiful...
because its rare and expensive here, not many hobbyist including me will want to buy it and later melt 
in our tank and also many LFS don't carry this plants...

given another 2 years from now, I am sure some hardcore bucephalandra hobbyist have grown many of the plant species in their tank..
then we all hobbyist can get some here at cheaper prices in Buy/Sell section...

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## Dreamwalkz

is it normal for the bucephalandra to go through the melting process? my skeleton king which i bought 3 weeks ago that came with 4 leaves and 2 shoots now only have 2 leaves with 2 shoots the other 2 melted my other 2 buceps (kir royale,catherine) had 2-3 leaves melted too  :Sad:  any advice? thanks

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## kohanson

I saw seaview selling 2 packs of bucephalandra last saturday, but cant see the sparkling dots on its leafs.

Dreamwalkz: btw, all my bucephalandra leaves melted and were attacked by green spot algae. Fortunately, Most of the rhizomes are green and they started sprouting new little leaves. I guess they are going through the conversion process from emerse to submerse form.

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## bluebubbles

I believe different tank will yield different result when growing any kind of plants including bucep. My buceps grow quite well (no melting) except with couple of holes on some leaves. The smaller leaves version grew pretty fast with constant display of red leaves, as compared to longer and larger leaves (in my case). My tank is low tech with no CO2 (except fish breathing) and my light is low 24w T2HO Aquazonic. As such I don't think growing bucep is difficult but like some bros said - the price is pretty daunting for starter... :Sad:

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## TS168

Hi Dreamwalkz, I do not think bucephalandra is such a weak plant to melt so easy if the leaf is healthy.
And more over the Bucephalandra Skeleton King leaf is not thin.

Can take a picture of your bucephalandra and let all see ?

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## Dreamwalkz

heres a video on my tank 

specs of my tank is here http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...soil-substrate



thanks

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## AQMS

Did you dose fert?
I like the HMPK.... just like the one i want...

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## Dreamwalkz

> Did you dose fert?
> I like the HMPK.... just like the one i want...


haha thanks that pair of bro/sis was breed by me thats i got a few other siblings too but not the same colour :Grin: 

i only dosed flourish excel for more carbon dioxide

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## TS168

Thanks Dreamwalkz, Saw your video and photo. I hope you did not burry the rizhome of the Bucephalandra achilles. I not sure if i am right, most of the plant in your tank are struggling. 
I not sure does the sand, rock and other parameter have any effect on the plant. Finger cross. What is the temperature of your water? If the lead edge is rotting? take it out and use hand to remove it to prevent it spreading. Hope you can help it survive as it does not seen to be happy with you. :P

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## Dreamwalkz

> Thanks Dreamwalkz, Saw your video and photo. I hope you did not burry the rizhome of the Bucephalandra achilles. I not sure if i am right, most of the plant in your tank are struggling. 
> I not sure does the sand, rock and other parameter have any effect on the plant. Finger cross. What is the temperature of your water? If the lead edge is rotting? take it out and use hand to remove it to prevent it spreading. Hope you can help it survive as it does not seen to be happy with you. :P


thanks for the advice =D
nope its not burried. its tucked into the hole in the rock like the other 2 bucephalandra. am sure the other plants are not struggling because if you compare the tank from day 1 till now they are growing really well
here is the link to the pic of my tank on day 1http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...soil-substrate

tank temp ranging from 25-26degrees
lighting hours is 8hrs a day
brown rocks are inert bought from GC
sand is washed river sand and definitely safe from all the research i have done online 

the last time i took all 3 bucephalandra out the rhizome is still having a nice green colouration though. 
shall update again if the bucephalandra is doing good or bad soon =D

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## TS168

Hi Dreamwalkz, ok. sorry for my worry on that portion.
I think they should grow well soon. Just monitor if any rott , quick remove it so it will not spread to other plant.

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## kohanson

Glad that your rhizomes are still green! Try not to hide the rhizomes as the new leaves will sprout from there.

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## TS168

Here the lamandau Purple. One of all time favourite.

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## Dreamwalkz

alittle update.... my skeleton king got 2 new tiny leave/sprout  :Grin:  but 1 Catherine dead and 1 kir royale dead  :Sad:

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## soltari007

Hi bro sorry to hear that. Sometimes for Buce you need a bit of acclimatization to be done before they are placed in your tank. Having kept them for some time now, I have to say these guys are more fragile than anubias, and don't like it when conditions change too fast.

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## TS168

Hi Dreamwalkz, Good to heard that your Skeleton King is growing well.  :Smile:

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## TS168

Bucephalandra Skeleton King/Achilles plantlets growing out from the rhizome.

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## Dreamwalkz

:Smug:  hopes it continues to improve

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## TS168

Sorry that the photo is not clear.

Here another one to share ...

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## TS168

Recently added some beautiful bucephalandra Tricolor 2. 
I like the multicolor and the vien on leaf.

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## TS168

Sharing 2 beautiful bucephalandra.

Bucephalandra sp. kir royale


Bucephalandra sp. brilliant jade

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## TS168

medium size bucephalandra that show buelish color.


small size bucephalandra, nice color if grow well.


nice purple color buce.





Thanks for viewing.  :Smile:

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## TS168

Bucephalandra kishii. anyone still growing this bucephalandra?

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## TS168

This aridarum sp. is found on dry land and not in water. But some has manage to convert into submersed form and leaf become shorter. As it is still new to many, more information need. Not all can convert it but it depend on one setup and their environment. Thanks

So the question of if it can be grow submerse is very up to one.

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