New stock of Cryptocorynes

This week we were out to collect and stock up some of the popular Cryptocorynes as the Monsoon season begins to break over our area. Each year during the Monsoon, plant or fish collection is impossible as conditions of rivers becomes dangerous and unpredictable.

We managed to get some of these below despite fast current and high waters. I think the rain is going to pour flood many areas over the next few weeks. So plants maybe hard to come by till the break in February or March. Anyway we are happy to be able to offer some in the mean time.

As you can see the water at the river is already rising and murkier than usual, making collection very hard and impossible if you are not familiar with the river.

From Bau area, we also managed to collect some new stock of Cryptocoryne Keei.

In Sarawak the durians are beginning to ripen and we see many fruit stalls by the road side set up by the local natives.

While travelling through Iban tribal area, we came across an Iban hunter who was selling Python meat. The snake had beautiful skin but unfortunately was caught by this hunter and will end up in someone's cooking pot that day.

Until my next posting, best wishes and take care.

Cryptocoryne Bullosa 'Bintulu'

We just came home after 6 days of exploring Central and Northern Sarawak for both known as well as new locations for aquatic plants and fishes. This time of the year is usually the dry season and river water level is supposed to be lower then usual. The trip was generally succesfull as we all came home safely despite some harrowing moments driving in the muddy logging trails of North Sarawak.

We found the Cryptocoryne Bullosa in Bintulu to be in a very healthy condition both emersed as well as the submersed form. The water level was lower and we suspected just begun to rise as rain begins this week.

Cryptocoryne Bullosa's spathe

Just wanted to share a photo of the Cryptocoryne Bullosa's spathe which is short and spots bright red flower with dark ring colar. The plant in photo is under shallow fast flowing water. Cryptocoryne Bullosa was described by Engler in 1879 and can be found in central Sarawak. Depending on the locations where the specimens are collected, they sometimes exhibit slight differences. I once had a friend who mistook Cryptocoryne Uenoi for Bullosa but flowers often is the sure way to tell. The largest species of Cryptocoryne Bullosa is found in Northern Sarawak at one particular river where their dark leaves grows to the length of nearly 1 feet long. Needless to say this variety is in deep water and collecting them in rainy season is near impossible.

Happy New Year and may your 2011 be a good year from all of us at Borneo Echo Streams!

Cheers!

Cryptocoryne Bullosa

The Cryptocoryne plants have always been a fascinating aquatic plant for an enthusiast. They are add to any planted tank a certain feel that 'forest have been there since the beginning of time'. However keeping exotic Cryptocoryne like the Bullosa requires a certain experience. I first came across this plant thought to have gone extinct in the central region of Sarawak some years ago. In fact I cant remember if anyone have seen it prior to Japanese explorer, Yujii Sasaki re-discovering a patch of them back in the 80's. As usual wild collected specimens are robust with bullated leaves. The color of the leaves varies from dark green to brown to almost black depending on location. This plant can grow both in emmersed or submerssed form. I have kept them successfully propagated in ADA based aquariums while some of my friends report success with laterite based substrate.