Cryptocoryne beckettii
Cryptocoryne beckettii
Also known as Cryptocoryne beckettii 'Petchii', Cryptocoryne petchii, Beckett's water trumpet, Beckett's cryptocoryne
Invasive. Has escaped and naturalized in some US rivers (Texas, Florida) and is treated as high-risk. Never release into the wild; dispose of in the trash.
Care at a glance
- Light
- Low light
- CO2
- CO₂ beneficial
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Placement
- Midground
- Type
- Rosette
- Temperature
- 73–82°F (23–28°C)
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Hardness
- 4–18 dGH
- Max height
- 7.9 in (20 cm)
- Spread
- 5.9 in (15 cm)
- Nutrient uptake
- Root feeder
- Growth region
- Submersed or emersed
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Origin
- Sri Lanka
- Family
- Araceae
Overview
One of the easiest crypts: a tough low-light, no-CO2 midground rosette that tolerates a wide hardness range. Feed it through the roots with tabs or rich substrate and plant the crown above the soil. Expect a round of crypt melt after planting or any sudden change in water chemistry or lighting, after which it recovers from the rhizome and slowly fills in by runners. It stays compact, so it works well in front of taller stems or to one side of the midground.
In the wild
Cryptocoryne beckettii is native to Sri Lanka, where it grows on shaded banks of slow streams and rivers, living emersed at the margins and fully submersed when water rises. It forms compact rosettes of slightly wavy leaves that are olive to brown on top with a violet to reddish underside. The popular 'Petchii' trade form is a smaller, more colourful selection of this species.
Good to know
The accepted name is Cryptocoryne beckettii Thwaites ex Trimen, and it sits in the wendtii / beckettii species complex from Sri Lanka. It is an aroid with the typical hooded spathe of the genus. Note that 'Petchii' is widely sold under the older name Cryptocoryne petchii, which is now generally treated as part of this species.
Did you know
Did you know this hobby staple has gone rogue in the wild? Aquarium-grown C. beckettii escaped into the San Marcos River in Texas and a site in Florida, forming bank-to-bank colonies that crowd out native plants, earning a USDA High Risk weed rating and prompting eradication efforts. Do not release it or dump tank trimmings into waterways.
Where to buy
Some links may not be the exact species or variety.
- Glass Aqua Aquascaping plants and planted tank supplies
- Buce Plant Aquatic plants and aquascaping supplies
- Aquarium Plants Factory Aquatic plants shipped from a California greenhouse
…or ask your local fish store.
Appears in
Low-light plants · Midground plants · Cryptocoryne · Beginner plants
Growing Cryptocoryne beckettii?
Track your planted tank, set reminders and plan your layout.
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