# nano orchid for nano tank



## snake54320 (Dec 16, 2011)

Hey guy's !
I am looking for a very very small orchid for a "nano tank".
I like a lot the style of the "Masdevalia" genus, but I am open to other proposition.
This is the following list I made:
Mediocalcar deciratum*
Masdevalia minuta*
Masdevalia *Erinacea
Pleurothalis mittelamerika
Leptotes bicolor
Barbosela dusenii
Platystele misera
Scaphosepalum rapax

Which is the smallest plant in this list ?
Do you know smaller orchids ?
(I don't care about the flower)


Thanks a lot for reading,
Snake


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## ashb (Dec 9, 2009)

I would recommend going to the foliage thread and searching "orchid." At one point collectors compare their smallest orchids, all of which could fit on pennies and dimes.


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

Bulbophyllum globuliforme
Bulbophyllum acutum


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

I got this one a month or two ago. IOSPE PHOTOS The entire plant would fit on a quarter and it's blooming size. It hasn't flowered for me yet. It's supposed to do best fairly warm and bright so I've got it up near the top. It seems to be pretty happy so far.


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## phender (Jan 9, 2009)

I like Pleurothallis alata. The whole plant could fit on a quarter, maybe a nickel. The flower stalks bloom over and over.
Here's the flower. Its about 1/4"









Lepanthopsis astrophora is a little bigger plant but smaller flower. This plant will ramble a little whereas P. alata stays compact. The flowers bloom on sprays of 7-15 flowers for me.


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## snake54320 (Dec 16, 2011)

Thanks a lot for your answers. Those are actually to small ! 
The tank is a 12x12x18 so I'm looking towards orchids around 3/4 inches long (for the leaf)
I think all go with Masdevallias. Are they bigger then what I would like ?


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Mediocalcar is NOT a good viv orchid, it likes it too cold at night... that plant actuially takes a decent frost and keeps on kicking.


I like these for ultra minis, and can attest to their tolerance to viv conditions
Pleurothallis microphylla
Pleurothallis alata
Bulbophyllum alagense


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

Lepanthes telipogoniflora
Lepanthes calodictyon
Lepanthes gargoyla
Pleurothallis sertuloides
Pleurothallis microphylla
Pleurothallis dodsonii
Pleurothallis vellota
Psychopsiella limmenghei
Scaphosepalum microdactylum
Stelis edressii
Trisetella andreettae
Trisetella nodulifera
Lepanthopsis astrophora - I second this one, it never stops blooming!

Plenty more i'm sure! These are some I have had good success with in vivs


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

not all those are micro minis like he wants


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## Tomoko Schum (Jan 14, 2012)

phender said:


> Lepanthopsis astrophora is a little bigger plant but smaller flower. This plant will ramble a little whereas P. alata stays compact. The flowers bloom on sprays of 7-15 flowers for me.


I like the look of your Lepanthopsis astrophora! A quick search mentioned that this orchid stays in bloom almost continuously.
I would like to get one. Do any of you know the reliable source of this tiny orchid?


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

i killed my Bulbophyllum alagense  it was a TRUE miniature!! its stupid small!


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## skanderson (Aug 25, 2011)

there are also some nice small restrepias as well. i would think that the lepanthosis astrophora would be perfect in a tank like he is describing, mine is always in bloom. i would also look into a few of the mini dendrobiums. if would be helpful if you decided what temp range you are keeping the tank at as well.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

My Restrepia rosea is really small for a Restrepia


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## snake54320 (Dec 16, 2011)

Thanks a lot to all of you guys ! I'll check up your list Mantella.
I really like the Lepanthopsis look. Same with Masdevallias. 
I must get my orchids here ==> Ben's Jungle Online-Shop
If you have any pictures of your small orchids with a measure tape (or anything to estimate the size), don't hesitate to share !


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

oh, youre from across the pond....I dont know much about orchid availability over there. I do like Bens Jungle though, nice site


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## snake54320 (Dec 16, 2011)

Yea I'm French ! (excuse my english if it's a little hard to understand...)
I forgot to talk about the tank= the temperature is not delimited yet. I will only use a 26w Exo 5.0 on the top. I can also put a PL (T5 "bent" in two) tube 9w. 
I would like lots of moss in the tank, a few orchids, and two or three small growing ficus (Panama sp for instance)
I will humidifate the tank my self morning and night, and I'll probably put a water drop system. Or even a small "fountain". Would that keep most of the moss humid day and night ? (as I go on vacations, and as I have a water pump it would save me 80€ and for a 14 year old kid it's a lot of money)


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

frogparty said:


> not all those are micro minis like he wants


For the viv size, i think these would be great additions. Also, he stated that some of the micro's were too small . 
I will see if I can dig up some pics of those I have used!

Pretty much all of these except for a few that are more recent acquisitions have flowered for me in viv 

Ed Parker


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

oh, gotcha. 
Then I reccomend

Dendrobium oligophyllum- has been blooming for me well over 4 years straight now...no breaks
Pleurothallis allenii-blooms 5 or 6 times a year
PLeurothallis ornata
Scaphosepalum rapax
Bulbophyllum tingabarinum


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## snake54320 (Dec 16, 2011)

Thanks a lot for your suggestions. Some of them I really like but aren't on the website... So I think I will go with three of these ==>*Ben's Jungle Online-Shop

I don't want to many species because it won't look very natural. I prefer to do a small group of on specie than one of five species for instance. I will also place in a bromelia, a Vriesea racinae or a Noeregolia lilliputiana. Would they become to big (especially for the Vriesea) ?*


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

snake54320 said:


> Thanks a lot for your suggestions. Some of them I really like but aren't on the website... So I think I will go with three of these ==>*Ben's Jungle Online-Shop
> 
> I don't want to many species because it won't look very natural. I prefer to do a small group of on specie than one of five species for instance. I will also place in a bromelia, a Vriesea racinae or a Noeregolia lilliputiana. Would they become to big (especially for the Vriesea) ?*


NATURAL?!?!?! ha ha, in costa rica, i found like 10 different species of orchids on 1 small branch! the more the merrier I say, i like the look of variety, and find it to be far more natural than 3 or 4 plant types in a viv  Just check my threads, I go all out when it comes to cramming as many species into a small box as possible 

ha ha

ed parker


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