Pop the pups off and with your thumb just press them into a new pot of media. Potting soil is fine, but if you want to make them really happy, give them something that holds moisture really well, like pure sphagnum moss, and give them some slow-release fertilizer-- sphagnum has just about zero nutritional value. Crypts like to be moist, and like shade (if you have it indoors, then everything is shady. We grow them outdoors and I stick them underneath the bench with the Neos etc. on).

thank you Lisa
I don't have to worry about a root system of any type then?
How much shade do they prefer? I have mine in an old fish tank under a terrarium light.I also noticed that one of the pups that popped off is going to flower,it's starting to spike.Does this require extra attention?
I have Orchids and Tillandsias so I have just been feeding with orchid food every so often.Is this okay?
Also,how large a pot do they like?

That is not a spike; the flowers are almost hidden in the leaves, in fact the name means "hidden flower". The pup may be getting etiolated due to insufficient light - try giving them a but more light. They live on the forest floor so they do OK in shade but do require some light! Small pots are OK; unlike many bromeliads, crypts do feed through the roots, but a 3 inch pot is enough unless you have a big one like fosterianus, zonatus, or "Elaine".

If my crypt isn't blooming (just looks that way)and it's under lights suitable to bloom orchids plus being in front of a slightly blocked south window then what on earth is it doing? It still looks like it's getting ready to flower.....
Any ideas?
martha

i grow mine in full sunlight and the colors are great.

"If my crypt isn't blooming (just looks that way)and it's under lights suitable to bloom orchids plus being in front of a slightly blocked south window then what on earth is it doing? It still looks like it's getting ready to flower..... "

Maybe it has been mis-IDed?

in the center of this plant are 4 creamy colored small ruffley "blooms".They actually look like bracts or whatever.....
Any ideas folks?

Do you have a picture? Kind of hard to tell from that description. Are the things you see in the center a different color from the foliage? You don't say what variety it is, but if it is a variegated plant, the pups could be "creamy colored". Cryptanthus flowers are small and white, are you sure they're not flowers? 3rd possibility: if it has already bloomed, there could be seed germinating in the center of the plant. If it is an albo-marginated variety, the seedlings will likely be albino.

I wish I did have a photo but sad to say I don't. I have no idea what variety these are as the tag just read "earthstar",not even cryptanthus... The coloring is cream,green and medium shade of pink. The leaves are narrow and long for the plant's size tho. The plant is in a 2" pot.
I have crypt. bromelioides that is labeled and thats the closest I can give you in shape .It looks NOTHING like my "black mystic " or "abigaile" or "ruby port" in shape or color....
martha

Maybe this is an orthophytum also sometimes sold as earth star.

I have the best luck (and best effect) growing all kinds of Cryptanthus, Cryptbergia and smaller orthophytums around the bases of larger potted plants. I push pups into soil in lots of pots like big birdnest type anthuriums, larger growing bromeliads, pots of ALocasias and plumerias....they give the other plants a whole new "dressed up" look and benefit from a little shade from the leaves but still get sun, also benefit from the regular watering and fertilizer the larger potmates get. Its also a great way to conserve space by combining plants.

I have a Cryptanthus "Elaine". I have in potting soil in a 6 inch pot. It has bloomed. The bloom has turn from whitish to light tan. I think it has 2 pups. If you see them in this photo can you explain how I can remove without hurting the plant.