Why are my Cryptocoryne wendtii leaves melting and turning to mush?

This is known as 'Crypt melt', a common reaction to sudden changes in environment, lighting, or water parameters. Do not throw the plant away; simply trim or siphon the dead leaves and wait. The root system is alive and will produce new foliage adapted to your tank's conditions.

Does Cryptocoryne wendtii need CO2 to survive?

No, it is a very undemanding plant that grows perfectly well in low-tech setups without supplemental CO2, though adding CO2 will noticeably increase its growth rate and maximum size.

How do I propagate this plant?

It naturally sends out runners beneath the substrate. Once a new plantlet develops several of its own leaves and a visible root system, you can cut the connecting runner and replant the daughter plant.

Should I use liquid fertilisers or root tabs?

Because Cryptocoryne species are heavy root feeders, providing a nutrient-rich substrate or inserting root tabs directly beneath the plant is much more effective than relying solely on liquid fertilisers in the water column.

Can I plant it in plain sand or gravel?

Yes, it can survive and root well in inert substrates like sand or gravel, but you must regularly insert root fertiliser tabs deep beneath the plant to provide the necessary nutrients it cannot get from the substrate itself.

FreshwaterPlantsBeginner

Cryptocoryne Wendtii

Cryptocoryne wendtii

A highly adaptable, beginner-friendly aquarium plant from Sri Lanka, famous for its beautifully textured leaves and varied colour forms.

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Ideal Conditions

Temperature: 20 – 28 °C
pH range: 6 – 8
Hardness: 2 – 15 dGH
Adult size: 10 – 35 cm
Nano tank: 10 litres+
Lifespan: 3 – 10 years
Diet: Root tabs, nutrient-rich substrate, and occasional liquid fertilisers.
Water flow: Low to Moderate
Preferred setup: Requires at least 3-5 cm of substrate depth to accommodate its extensive root system. Does well in sand, gravel, or aquasoil.

About the Cryptocoryne Wendtii

Cryptocoryne wendtii is perhaps the most ubiquitous 'Crypt' in the aquarium hobby. Native to the shaded streams of Sri Lanka, it has been cultivated into numerous stunning varieties including green, brown, red, and the textured 'Mi Oya'. It serves as an excellent midground plant, providing natural structure, visual contrast, and resting places for fish and invertebrates.

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Is it right for your tank?

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Where Cryptocoryne Wendtii comes from

Native range

South Asia

Countries / regions

Sri Lanka

Habitat

Shaded streams, slow-moving rivers, and marshes, growing rooted in mud and gravel both submerged and along the banks.

Endemic to Sri Lanka, but heavily cultivated globally for the aquarium trade.

Similar species

Cryptocoryne beckettii
Cryptocoryne beckettii
Cryptocoryne undulata
Cryptocoryne undulata
Cryptocoryne lutea
Cryptocoryne lutea

We’re adding more full species guides as the catalogue grows.

Compatible tank mates

Reviewed guidance based on this species' recorded traits.

View all compatibility

Cherry Shrimp
Neocaridina davidi
Shrimp love grazing on the biofilm that forms on the broad leaves without causing any damage to the plant.
Great
Corydoras
Corydoras spp.
Peaceful bottom dwellers that will shelter under the broad leaves and generally do not uproot established plants.
Great
Betta Fish
Betta splendens
Bettas highly appreciate the broad, gentle leaves of this plant as natural resting hammocks.
Great
Silver Dollar
Metynnis argenteus
Herbivorous fish that will quickly consume soft-leaved plants like Cryptocoryne wendtii.
Not recommended
Oscar
Astronotus ocellatus
Large, boisterous cichlids are notorious for digging in the substrate and will completely uproot and destroy the plants.
Not recommended

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