Skeleton King Bucephelandra

Mr.Shenanagins

Mr.Shenanagins

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Has anyone grown this successfully? I prematurely bought some without reading up on it and there’s a lot of complaints that it’s not a true aquatic and will just melt away. Seems to be limited examples of success from what I’ve been able to find. Anyone with experience that can shed some light?
 
Mr.Shenanagins said:
Has anyone grown this successfully? I prematurely bought some without reading up on it and there’s a lot of complaints that it’s not a true aquatic and will just melt away. Seems to be limited examples of success from what I’ve been able to find. Anyone with experience that can shed some light?
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I have seen/read many posts about it being terrestrial vs aquatic. It has been 50-50 per all that I have observed. Some were selling what they claimed to be submerged-grown specimen on PTQA I think. Looks like you could be running an experiment with what you got recently ;)
 
Unfortunately I wouldn’t be a good judge of success, most Buce I try ended up withering away and failing. The one thick bushel of it I do have is the only one I’ve been able to grow lush and successfully and I can’t even tell you what kind it is 🤣 but I’m sure we’ll see shortly if it survives or not, it’s a beautiful plant for sure
 
I have one for about a year that seems to be alive submersed; even has a couple of new leaves that are very small but it isn't the best growing. It is in one of my few tap water aquariums which is gh 6 kh 3 tds 130.

My helena in blackwater is growing faster.
 
I should have mentioned i have one growing emersed that is growing a lot faster and much richer as well as larger.

pl2.jpg

As a bonus a pinto anubia after 18 months:

pl1.jpg
 
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So far it’s surviving, no melt or algae, but no new growth either.
 
anewbie said:
Who is he and did he try growing it in blackwater ?
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He has a passion in studying crypts and buce and tries to help with the scientific identification of these plants. Idk if he's grown them in blackwater but according to his presentation at the AGA convention in 2017, Buce. Kishii(Skeleton King) doesn't grow well submerged and will eventually die within time. I just did a plant exchange and will receive this species called Green Skeleton Queen, I'm not sure how closely related it is to Skeleton King, but this species seems to grow pretty well submerged.
 
It’s a crime that it’s marketed the way it is, it’s not a cheap buce to just buy and watch wither away.

Now, let me go fill my tank with dragons tongue so I can see a TRUE aquatic plant flourish
 
HarryL said:
He has a passion in studying crypts and buce and tries to help with the scientific identification of these plants. Idk if he's grown them in blackwater but according to his presentation at the AGA convention in 2017, Buce. Kishii(Skeleton King) doesn't grow well submerged and will eventually die within time. I just did a plant exchange and will receive this species called Green Skeleton Queen, I'm not sure how closely related it is to Skeleton King, but this species seems to grow pretty well submerged.
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I wonder the difference between green skeleton queen and green skeleton king. There is also a dark sekelton king. The problem is these are common name and not species name. On a reddit thread one person 'claims' it grew fine submersed for 2 years; the problem is that these might not all be the same species. Most sites selling the plants are not listing the species name.
 
anewbie said:
I wonder the difference between green skeleton queen and green skeleton king. There is also a dark sekelton king. The problem is these are common name and not species name. On a reddit thread one person 'claims' it grew fine submersed for 2 years; the problem is that these might not all be the same species. Most sites selling the plants are not listing the species name.
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You hit the nail on the head and I’ve been meaning to post a similar response. Names get thrown around a lot especially with buce and crypts
 
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