Bucephalandra Dark Phantom is a small Buce for nano tanks, shrimp tanks and small stones. It is an easy, slow grower in low light.
Did you know
Dark Phantom shares part of its name with several other Buce. Brownie Phantom, Red Phantom, Phantom Mini and a European Black Phantom are separate plants, so check the full name before ordering.
Caring for Bucephalandra Dark Phantom
Attach Dark Phantom to stone or driftwood with glue or thread, and leave the rhizome uncovered. Its deep green reads best beside brighter green plants and mosses, so set it where lighter foliage surrounds it.
Low to moderate light is enough. CO2, good circulation and regular fertilizer help it grow and color up. It takes nutrients through its roots and from the water, so a liquid fertilizer works well. Keep it at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C).
Hold the water steady after planting to limit melt. It grows slowly, and you can cut the rhizome with clean scissors to split a clump.
Good to know
Dark Phantom is a Bucephalandra, placed like the rest of its genus in the arum family, Araceae. It grows compact, with short, obovate, glossy leaves in deep green. The margins are strongly rippled, and the stalks are red-brown. Its leaves are smaller and more crinkled than those of Dark Green Wavy and greener than the near-black leaves of Dark Velvet.
In the wild
Dark Phantom has no published species or collection site beyond the island of Borneo. Bucephalandra grow wild nowhere else, living as rheophytes on stone and wood in fast, oxygen-rich streams. The plants are submerged when rains raise the water and grow emersed in humid air when it falls.
Common questions
Does Bucephalandra Dark Phantom need to be planted in the substrate?
No. Bucephalandra Dark Phantom grows attached to rock or wood, so tie or glue the rhizome in place. If you plant its roots, keep the rhizome above the substrate, since a buried rhizome rots.
Does Bucephalandra Dark Phantom need CO2?
No, but it helps. Bucephalandra Dark Phantom can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.
How much light does Bucephalandra Dark Phantom need?
Bucephalandra Dark Phantom is a low-light plant, and the light that comes with a standard tank kit is enough for it.
Does Bucephalandra Dark Phantom need root tabs?
No. Bucephalandra Dark Phantom feeds from the water, so a liquid fertilizer suits it better. Root tabs only help if its roots reach into the substrate.
How do you propagate Bucephalandra Dark Phantom?
Bucephalandra Dark Phantom propagates by rhizome division. Cut the rhizome into pieces with several leaves each, then tie or plant each piece.
How tall does Bucephalandra Dark Phantom grow?
Bucephalandra Dark Phantom grows to about 2.4 in (6 cm) tall. It grows slowly and rarely needs trimming.
Low lightEpiphyte2.4 in (6 cm)
Low lightEpiphyte2.4 in (6 cm)
Low lightEpiphyte3.9 in (10 cm)