TankBud

One species · 9 forms

Cryptocoryne wendtii

Also known as Crypt wendtii, Wendt's water trumpet

FreshwaterBrackishRosetteRunners

Cryptocoryne wendtii (Cryptocoryne wendtii)
Haplochromis · CC BY 2.5

Care at a glance

Light
Low light
CO2
No CO₂ needed
Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
Max height
9.8 in
25 cm
Growth rate
Medium
Placement
Midground
Type
Rosette
pH
6.0–7.5
Hardness
3–12 dGH
Spread
7.9 in (20 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root feeder
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Beginner
Family
Araceae
Origin
Sri Lanka

Pick a form

one species, many colors

Classic forms · any low-tech tank

High-color forms · brighter light, steady feeding

What the high-color forms ask for

Classic formsHigh-color forms
CO2No CO₂ neededCO₂ beneficial
Colorgreens, browns and redspink, copper and marbled

Same species, same roots. The pale and pink leaves simply carry less chlorophyll, so those lines grow slower and want brighter light and steady nutrients to hold their color. Flamingo is the slowest and touchiest of the three.

Overview

Cryptocoryne wendtii is a tough rosette for the midground and one of the best crypts for a beginner. Once its roots settle, it fills its spot at a steady pace and asks for little attention.

Did you know

Cryptocoryne wendtii is a water trumpet in the arum family. Its flower is a spathe and spadix like a peace lily's, not a true bloom.

Caring for Cryptocoryne wendtii

Plant single rosettes in a rich substrate with the crown above the soil, and feed them with root tabs. Cryptocoryne wendtii needs no CO2, but it does need stable water.

Nearly every newly planted crypt goes through crypt melt, when the old leaves turn to mush within days. Do not pull the plant. Trim away the slime and wait two to four weeks for new leaves suited to your tank, which grow from the living roots.

Avoid sudden swings in water chemistry, the usual trigger for melt. Wendtii forgives almost everything except constant replanting.

Wild wendtii varies from stream to stream in Sri Lanka, and nurseries stabilized the best-looking populations into the named lines sold today. The same plant also changes with its tank: stronger light pulls the ruffle tighter and the color darker, so your green wendtii may not match the shop's, and both are normal.

Good to know

Cryptocoryne wendtii belongs to the arum family, Araceae, and grows as a rosette from a crown. It spreads by underground runners that send up new plants nearby. Its trade forms include Green, Brown, Red, Tropica and Mi Oya.

In the wild

Cryptocoryne wendtii is endemic to Sri Lanka, where it grows along shaded streams and rivers under the forest canopy. It lives an amphibious life, submersed when the water is high and emersed on the banks when it drops. That is why it tolerates such a wide range of tank conditions.

Common questions

Why did my crypt melt when I planted it?

Transplant melt is normal for the whole genus. The roots survive; new leaves grown for your tank's conditions appear within weeks. Do not pull the plant out.

Do wendtii crypts need CO2?

The classic forms do not; root tabs help far more. The pink forms appreciate CO2, though they survive without it, just more slowly.

Which wendtii is best for a first planted tank?

Green, brown or red. They are equally tough; pick the color you like. Save Flamingo for when a slow, expensive plant will not test your patience.

How much light does Cryptocoryne wendtii need?

Cryptocoryne wendtii is a low-light plant, and the light that comes with a standard tank kit is enough for it.

Does Cryptocoryne wendtii need root tabs?

Yes. Cryptocoryne wendtii 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 wendtii?

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

How tall does Cryptocoryne wendtii grow?

Cryptocoryne wendtii grows to about 9.8 in (25 cm) tall. It grows at a moderate pace.

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