Most preferred Midground plant - Crypts (Cryptocoryne) - Beginners Guide

Crypts (Cryptocoryne) is one of the low maintenance plants and mostly used as a midground plant in large tanks and background plant in nano tanks or small tanks. Crypts provides great texture to the aquascape.

Why need a beginner’s guide for Cryptocoryne? Beginner’s guide for Cryptocoryne has required information for growing and maintaining the Crypts in a home aquarium.

Cryptocoryne – Overview

Common Name	Crypts
Color	Dark Green to Pale green, olive, and mahogany.
Habitat/Origin	Natives to Southeast Asia and New Guinea.
Average Size	Depending on the variety, the size differs – 2 Inches to 17 inches (5cm to 50cm).
Growth Rate	Slow growers, in ideal conditions the plant produces one leaf for every one week.
Placement	Mostly preferred as a midground aquarium plant and in smaller tanks, they are used as foreground plants as well.
Maintenance	Low in maintenance, they are tolerant and adaptable. Don’t require Co2, however, they would do well in soft water.
Planting Methods	There are 2 popular methods, use a larger plant, split them into smaller plants, and replant them. Naturally, they reproduce through runners (New stems/rhizomes develop from the roots) and they spread.
Ideal Setup	Most suitable for low tech aquarium because of the less maintenance nature and spread in the tank.
Care Level	Relatively Easy, one of the most suitable beginner’s aquatic plant.
Supplements	Iron-Rich dosages.
Lighting	Low to moderate lighting required for the ideal growth of Crypts.
Water temperature	The preferred range of temperature is 75 to 82 Degree Fahrenheit or 23 to 28 Degree Celsius.
Propogation	Crypts reproduce through runners, once the runners have a few leaves they can be disconnected from the mother plant and can be planted in a different tank.
Approx. Cost	A pot of Crypts would cost 15 to 17 Dollars in the USA and in Southe East Asia, they are around ½ price of the USA.
Common Diseases	Hole in the leaves leading to Crypt Rot.
What to look for when buying	Don’t buy if there are Snails or eggs on the leaves. If the leaves are pale yellow in color, dotted holes in leaves, and algae don’t buy them.
Related Specifies	Cryptocoryne albida, Cryptocoryne cilliata, Cryptocorne crispatula var. ‘balansae’, Cryptocoryne moehlmannii, Cryptocoryne parva, Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia, Cryptocoryne retrospiralis, Cryptocoryne spiralis, Cryptocoryne undulata, Cryptocoryne walkeri (“lutea”) , Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Florida Sunset’, Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘green’, Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Mi Oya’, Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Tropica’.
FAQs	Check out the most asked questions about Cryptocoryne