Cryptocoryne sivadasanii

Also known as Crypt sivadasanii

FreshwaterRosettePlantletsRhizome division

Care at a glance

Light: Medium light
CO2: CO₂ beneficial
Temperature: 72–82°F; 22–28°C
Max height: 47.2 in; 120 cm

Growth rate: Slow
Placement: Background
Type: Rosette
pH: 6.0–8.0
Hardness: 4–18 dGH
Spread: 7.9 in (20 cm)
Nutrient uptake: Root + water column
Growth region: Submersed or emersed
Difficulty: Easy
Family: Araceae
Origin: Southwest India (Kerala and southwestern Karnataka)

Overview

Cryptocoryne sivadasanii is one of the easier crypts to keep. Its very long ribbon leaves make it a background plant, or a midground plant in a deep tank.

Did you know

The submersed leaves of Cryptocoryne sivadasanii are extremely narrow and can exceed a meter in length. That makes it look more like a Vallisneria than a typical crypt.

Caring for Cryptocoryne sivadasanii

Plant Cryptocoryne sivadasanii in a nutrient-rich substrate, with the crown just above the surface. Like all crypts, it can melt after planting or a sharp change in conditions, so settle it once and leave it.

Give it moderate light. CO2 is not necessary, but it speeds up an otherwise slow pace. It takes nutrients through both its roots and its leaves, so a liquid fertilizer helps alongside root tabs. It does well in ordinary hard tap water at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C).

Propagate it by dividing an established clump. Small plantlets also form on the plant and can be detached once they have a few roots. Do not throw away broken roots, since they can regenerate into whole new plantlets, a trick very few aquarium plants share.

Good to know

Cryptocoryne sivadasanii is a water trumpet in the family Araceae, described by Josef Bogner in 2004. It is named for the Indian botanist Sivadasan, who collected live plants in Kerala in 1981. It was long confused with C. consobrina, a species known only from old dried specimens.

In the wild

Cryptocoryne sivadasanii grows in streams and rivers of southwest India, in Kerala and southwestern Karnataka. It is a seasonal plant that grows submersed while the rivers run full. It flowers as the level drops after the wet season and the streams begin to dry out.

Common questions

Does Cryptocoryne sivadasanii 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 sivadasanii need CO2?

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

How much light does Cryptocoryne sivadasanii need?

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

Does Cryptocoryne sivadasanii need root tabs?

They help. Cryptocoryne sivadasanii takes nutrients through both its roots and its leaves. Root tabs near its roots and a liquid fertilizer cover both.

How do you propagate Cryptocoryne sivadasanii?

Cryptocoryne sivadasanii propagates by plantlets and rhizome division. Small plantlets form on the plant and can be detached once they have a few roots. Cut the rhizome into pieces with several leaves each, then tie or plant each piece.