TankBud

Cryptocoryne parva

Also known as Crypt parva, Dwarf cryptocoryne

FreshwaterRosetteRunners

Cryptocoryne parva (Cryptocoryne parva)
Aquarium Plants Factory · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Light
Medium light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
68–82°F
20–28°C
Max height
3.9 in
10 cm
Growth rate
Slow
Placement
Foreground
Type
Rosette
pH
5.5–7.5
Hardness
1–18 dGH
Spread
2 in (5 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root feeder
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Medium
Family
Araceae
Origin
Sri Lanka

Overview

Cryptocoryne parva is the smallest crypt and the usual choice when you want a crypt carpet or foreground. It is a plant of medium difficulty.

Did you know

Cryptocoryne parva is the odd one out in its genus for preferring brighter light, where most crypts are happy in the shade.

Caring for Cryptocoryne parva

Plant single rosettes a couple of centimeters apart in a rich substrate, with each crown just above the surface. Cryptocoryne parva is the slowest-growing crypt and can take months to knit into a carpet, so be patient.

Give it medium light. It is a root feeder, so push root tabs in near it. CO2 is not strictly required, but it noticeably speeds up the slow carpet. It suits 68 to 82°F (20 to 28°C) and a pH of 5.5 to 7.5.

It still gets crypt melt after planting, so do not give up if it sulks for the first few weeks. It spreads by short runners, and you can cut a new plant free once it has roots.

Good to know

Cryptocoryne parva is a water trumpet in the family Araceae, also sold as dwarf cryptocoryne. Unlike its larger relatives, it stays grass-like and forms a low rosette of narrow upright leaves. Short runners spread it slowly into a dense, low group.

In the wild

Cryptocoryne parva is endemic to Sri Lanka, where it grows along stream banks and in shaded, shallow fresh water. It is amphibious like other crypts, growing submersed underwater and emersed on the margins. It stays tiny in both forms.

Common questions

Does Cryptocoryne parva need to be planted in the substrate?

Yes. Bury the roots and leave the crown, where the leaves join, just above the substrate.

Does Cryptocoryne parva need CO2?

No, but it helps. Cryptocoryne parva can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.

How much light does Cryptocoryne parva need?

Cryptocoryne parva wants medium light. A light sold for planted tanks covers it.

Does Cryptocoryne parva need root tabs?

Yes. Cryptocoryne parva draws much of its food through its roots. Push root tabs in near it, or grow it in a nutrient-rich soil.

How do you propagate Cryptocoryne parva?

Cryptocoryne parva propagates by runners. New plants grow along its runners. Cut one free once it has roots and plant it.

How tall does Cryptocoryne parva grow?

Cryptocoryne parva grows to about 3.9 in (10 cm) tall. It grows slowly and rarely needs trimming.

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