Barclaya longifolia

Barclayaceae family. Southeast Asia is home.

Among the most exquisite and fascinating plants found in a tropical aquarium. reaches between 50 and 60 cm in height. Barclay’s leaves are olive-green on top and purple-red underneath, with an exquisite silky sheen. The plant requires very specific maintenance conditions due to its delicate nature. grows uniformly all year long in an aquarium.

It is very thermophilic, Barclay. 26 to 28 °C is the ideal water temperature for maintaining it. If the temperature drops to 24 °C, the plant will stop growing and will usually die. Barclaya does not grow when the water temperature is raised to 30 to 32 °C or higher. The ideal water for the plant is very soft and slightly acidic. pH 6-7 and hardness indicators between 2 and 4 are ideal. However, Barclaya grows fairly well in harder (up to 20 °) water with a slightly alkaline reaction, albeit a little more slowly.

The best lighting for Barclaya is moderate. Planting the plant under the shade of a large echinodorus, anubias, or other tall plant is a better way to protect it from strong direct light. Another option for shade is to use floating plants in the water column or on the surface. Use incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps like LB, or a combination of these lamps for artificial lighting. Using incandescent lights is highly recommended because it makes the leaves’ color more vibrant.

The nature of the soil is very important for Barklaya. Its root system is extremely delicate and sensitive to damage. Coarse river sand and small pebbles should be used as a substrate. The silt content of the soil should be relatively low. In very silt-rich soil, with the slightest acidification, the roots of Barklaya quickly die, which leads to the death of the entire plant. This happens very quickly, against the background of seemingly complete well-being of the plant; all its leaves suddenly break off and float to the surface of the water. When examining the soil, you may not even find the remains of the plant"s roots. Only constant monitoring of the soil condition, its timely cleaning and replanting of the plant can help to avoid such troubles. Regular weekly cleaning of the soil with a funnel is very useful. But this should be done very carefully, since damage to the root system of the Barclaya can lead to rotting of the plant. Therefore, the thickness of the soil layer is important for it: if it is large, the accumulated organic matter in the lower part can begin to rot. A soil layer of 4-5 cm is sufficient for Barclaya.

If the aquarium is heated from below, from the bottom, the plant can withstand significant soil silting. Either unique waterproof heaters buried in the ground or heaters beneath the aquarium’s bottom are employed for this. The temperature differential between the soil and the water in this instance is 2-4°. This keeps organic matter from rotting and encourages a higher rate of metabolism in the soil.

Although putrefactive processes are slowed down by intensive groundwater filtration, frequent preventive cleaning is still necessary to avoid serious substrate siltation.

If Barklaya consistently gets enough of the minerals it needs for nourishment, it doesn’t require frequent water changes. You can use complex mineral fertilizers containing microelements once every ten days or once a week to feed the plant. Only microfertilizers, such as a mixture of fertilizers rated 1A and 4A, may be added to the water in an aquarium that is heavily stocked with fish.

Barclaya can be vegetatively and through seeds propagated in an aquarium. For any aquarist, vegetative propagation is an extremely easy process. On Barklaya’s short rhizome, young plants develop under ideal circumstances. This causes a thicket to grow densely around the mother bush. Depending on the rate of growth, it may be divided one or two times annually. The transplanted daughter plants soon start to grow under ideal circumstances.

The aquarist needs to possess specific knowledge and skills in order to propagate seeds. A flower bud forms in the center of an adult, fully grown Barklaya bush. This bud occasionally rises to the surface and occasionally stays submerged. When a flower reaches the surface, self-pollination takes place as it opens. The flower that stays submerged doesn’t open; however, self-pollination is still possible. The plant then produces a fruit with a gelatinous mass that contains a number of dozen seeds inside of it. The seeds fall to the bottom when the ripe fruit bursts.

Many flowers frequently follow the formation of the first one. Since flowering requires a lot of energy from Barklaya, a plant in an aquarium may die if more than two flowers appear on it. Consequently, it is preferable to remove the third and any following buds as soon as they form. This preserves the mother plant and enables you to harvest one or two mature fruits from robust specimens.

An aquarist who wants to get seeds should be careful not to let the seeds spill out onto the bottom of the aquarium. To do this, the set fruit should be placed in a bag made of thin nylon or an old nylon stocking. Seeds that spill out of a burst fruit: end up in a bag. They can be immediately sown in a bowl with sand and water, and the water level should not be higher than 3-5 cm. It is best to take sand from an old aquarium, rinse it slightly and add a small amount of clay so that the soil where the seeds will germinate has an initial supply of nutrients (the seeds" own nutrient reserves are very meager). The temperature should be maintained at 28-30 °C. Lighting should be strong, but diffused. Young plants should be protected from algae. After the formation of five to six fully formed leaves, the seedlings can be transplanted into the common soil of the aquarium.

You should choose appropriate neighbors for Barclaya in an aquarium based on its capacity to secrete biologically active substances called phytoncides, which prevent the growth of algae and certain higher plants. The growth of some very delicate cryptocorynes, rotala, and other flowering plants is inhibited in ponds with Barclaya. Ferns like Indian, water, Thai, Riccia, and Marsilea do not grow well in these environments.

Similar to Barclaya longifolia, but with more wavy, wide leaves that are a striking red color, Barclaya has become more and more common in aquariums in recent years.

Some experts identify this Barclaya as a subspecies of Barclaya longifolia, while others recognize it as a new species, Barclaya peryana.

The care of Barclaya redifolia is the same as that of Barclaya longifolia. It is crucial to remember, though, that two distinct species of Barclay do not coexist peacefully in the same aquarium; one always suppresses the other.

  • Category of the entry: Aquarium plants from A to Z / Plants for the aquarium – B

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With its vivid foliage and versatility, Barclaya longifolia is an attractive aquatic plant for novice and experienced aquarium enthusiasts alike. It can add visual interest to any tank and give fish a natural habitat thanks to its long, thin leaves and eye-catching colors. Because it can grow in a variety of environments, this plant is a flexible option for a wide range of aquarium configurations. Hobbyists can effortlessly add Barclaya longifolia to their aquatic environments to create a lush and dynamic underwater landscape by being aware of its care requirements.

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Olga Vishnevskaya

Biologist by education, aquarist by vocation. Specialization — breeding and care of freshwater aquarium plants. Since childhood I have been fond of aquariums, constantly experimenting with creating biotopes and selecting flora for various types of aquariums. I am sure that green aquariums can transform any interior and improve the quality of life.

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