Cryptocorina Sivadasan

Cryptocoryne Sivadasan, scientific name Cryptocoryne sivadasanii. It is found only in a few places in the southwestern states of India (Karnataka and Kerala). It is a seasonal aquatic plant that grows in periodically drying up streams with pebble substrates. During the rainy season, with rising water levels, Cryptocoryne forms underwater leaves reaching a length of more than a meter. During the dry period, when the plant is in the air, it changes. Once underwater leaves die off, and shorter narrow leaves appear in their place. At the same time, flowering occurs.

Although in nature the growth conditions are reversed (water/air), Cryptocoryne Sivadasan is able to grow submerged on a permanent basis. It has been known in the aquarium hobby since the 1980s, though under a different name, Cryptocoryne consobrina. In 2004, the German biologist Josef Bogner found out that two different species are supplied under the same name, one of which he named after Professor M. Sivadasan, M.D. from the University of Calcutta. For a long time, Cryptocoryne sivadasanii was cultivated by a limited number of cryptocoryne enthusiasts and was practically unavailable for sale until Dennerle began commercial supplies of this plant in 2016.

It is considered quite simple and unpretentious in maintenance. For normal growth and rooting, a rocky substrate is required. It is desirable to provide moderate water movement, simulating the flow of a river / stream. In favorable conditions, it can grow strongly, so it is not recommended for small aquariums.