did i score some good plants or at least decent ones?

[Nellie]

I stopped by one of those huge pet stores last week and stumbled upon a clearance table. I spotted some tissue culture plants on sale for 50% off and figured, why not give 'em a shot. Now I'm not so sure I made the right call.

After getting home and researching the names, I'm starting to think I might've scored a deal, but I'm still on the fence. Any info you folks can share would be great.

The bigger cup is labeled as Hygrophilia lancea araguaia "chai", which I've seen listed as both "rare" and "difficult" in some places.

The other one's a 4-pack, and I had a tough time finding any info on the bucephalandra online. If the labels are correct, I've got:
Bucephalandra sp. sekadau Gkento4t Blue
sekadau Bukit Betung
anubias sp. Microcarpaea minima

Thing is, I'm starting to think I might have four different plants on my hands. The two at the bottom look like anubias to me - are the top two the bucephalandra?

[muddywave]

You scored big time with those plants, half price is a steal. The red one, Bucephalandra sp. sekadau Gkento4t Blue, is listed for $35 on Buceplant, so you're already ahead. It doesn't say CO2 is required, but it'll do better with it - might be worth considering. Their picture shows really thin leaves, but it's possible it changes once it's submerged.

If you can get most of them to survive and a few to thrive, that's a win in my book. I like picking up marked-down plants to see if I can turn them around - most of the ones I get are in way worse shape than yours. Nice find, by the way.

[Nellie]

I've come across some sources that suggest the red one changes appearance when fully submerged, which might explain the difference. I'm starting to realize that red aquatic plants can be quite finicky. As someone who's still far from having the ideal setup for them, this whole experience is a trial-and-error process for me while my outdoor garden is on winter hiatus.

It's been tough finding reliable information on those Bucephalandra varieties, and I'm starting to think the text I've found might be poorly translated.

Considering I snagged all those plants - four small cups and one standard cup with at least four plants - for around $10, I'd say it's a decent deal.

[Nellie]

I've had some losses with those plants I shared earlier, but I guess that's all part of the learning process - and they were a steal, so I won't cry over it. Water plants are definitely not as straightforward as my garden plants, that's for sure.

Anyway, I recently hit the jackpot again at Petco - at least, that's what I've gathered from online prices. This time, I picked up some Anubias Pinto. I've been reading up on these, and apparently, they can be a bit more finicky than your average anubias. To keep that beautiful white color, they need brighter lighting than usual. Fingers crossed I can keep them thriving - I'm still figuring out this whole aquatic plant thing, and it's been a bit of a challenge so far.

[belleora]

I think you should totally check out the Tropica website - they've got a huge collection of plants, including care guides that might help you out.

Don't be too hard on yourself if some of the plants don't make it - we've all been there. You did score some awesome deals, and that's something to be proud of.

Those red plants can be a bit tricky to keep, especially if you don't have CO2 and fancy lights. But, they might just grow a bit slower and turn more green than red. Some of the tougher ones might not thrive in a low-tech setup, but hey, if they're cheap, it's worth a shot.

One thing to keep in mind is that buces and anubias have rhizomes that shouldn't be buried in the substrate. If you do, they'll just rot and die. Instead, you can attach them to rocks or driftwood, or poke them into gaps in your hardscape.

Tropica's website is honestly a treasure trove of info and inspiration - you can even find some amazing scapes to get ideas from.

[Lachlan]

Here's a helpful tip for those red plants without CO2 - I found that adding an iron supplement like Flourish Iron really made a difference. I used it with my Red Tiger Lotus and it worked beautifully, that is until a couple of my fish decided it was a tasty snack.

[belleora]

Just a heads up, adding an iron supplement like Flourish Iron can really help bring out the color in red plants, even without CO2. I used it with my Red Tiger Lotus and it worked a treat - until my fish decided it was a snack, that is.

[Lachlan]

I think you should totally check out the Tropica website - they've got a huge collection of plants, including care guides that might help you out.

Don't be too hard on yourself if some of the plants don't make it - we've all been there. You did score some awesome deals, and that's something to be proud of.

Those red plants can be a bit tricky to keep, especially if you don't have CO2 and fancy lights. But, they might just grow a bit slower and turn more green than red. Some of the tougher ones might not thrive in a low-tech setup, but hey, if they're cheap, it's worth a shot.

One thing to keep in mind is that buces and anubias have rhizomes that shouldn't be buried in the substrate. If you do, they'll just rot and die. Instead, you can attach them to rocks or driftwood, or poke them into gaps in your hardscape.

Tropica's website is honestly a treasure trove of info and inspiration - you can even find some amazing scapes to get ideas from.

Honestly, I'm not the best at remembering things unless they're mentioned again in context. You might want to jot that down somewhere, like a note to yourself, so you don't forget when you're setting up those new tanks.

[Nellie]

I've actually checked out the Tropica website, it's been super helpful for learning about various plants. The issue is, their plants aren't easily accessible where I live, and the ones I do find in local shops tend to be more advanced or grow way too tall for my setup. Still, I appreciate all the plant websites for the self-education, it's been a big help.

[sSjey]

You don't have to go out and buy Tropica plants, their site is just super helpful for research and deciding which plants to buy - they have most of the plants in the hobby, including care guides.