If you’re an enthusiast of aquariums, you are aware of the significance of selecting the appropriate plants to establish a healthy aquatic habitat. The most well-liked option among enthusiasts is Cryptocoryne. These adaptable plants are a favorite in many tanks because of their distinctive beauty and reputation for hardiness. Exploring various Cryptocoryne varieties can be exciting and rewarding, whether you’re setting up a new aquarium or looking to update an old one.
This post will examine 21 common Cryptocoryne varieties, highlighting their unique characteristics and including images to make each kind easier to see. Every variety of Cryptocoryne, from the colorful Cryptocoryne wendtii to the graceful Cryptocoryne balansae, adds something unique to your aquarium. We’ll go over their colors, growth patterns, and ideal growing environments so you can select the one that’s best for your tank.
Knowing the various Cryptocoryne varieties can help you make wise decisions and improve the aesthetic appeal of your aquatic setup, regardless of experience level. Let’s investigate these intriguing plants and discover how they can create a lush, colorful underwater world in your aquarium.
Cryptocoryne Variety | Photo |
---|---|
Cryptocoryne wendtii | |
Cryptocoryne balansae | |
Cryptocoryne retrospiralis | |
Cryptocoryne undulata | |
Cryptocoryne lutea | |
Cryptocoryne nurii | |
Cryptocoryne ciliata | |
Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia | |
Cryptocoryne albida | |
Cryptocoryne beckettii | |
Cryptocoryne parva | |
Cryptocoryne spiralis | |
Cryptocoryne affinis | |
Cryptocoryne becketii "Petchii" | |
Cryptocoryne wendtii "Green" | |
Cryptocoryne wendtii "Red" | |
Cryptocoryne crispatula | |
Cryptocoryne nurii "Red" | |
Cryptocoryne usteriana | |
Cryptocoryne x willisii | |
Cryptocoryne becketii "Petchii" | |
Cryptocoryne wendtii "Bronze" |
- General information
- Types, photos and names of cryptocorynes
- Aponogetolistina
- Albida
- Affinis affinis (C. affinis)
- Cryptocoryne balanse
- Cryptocoryne beckettii
- Cryptocoryne blassa
- Cryptocoryne splendens
- Cryptocoryne grandis
- Cryptocoryne wendtii (C. Wendtii)
- Griffith
- Gudoro
- Cryptocoryne lutea or Walker
- Cordata rosanervig
- Curly
- Cryptocoryne Nuri
- Cryptocoryne Neville
- Cryptocoryne obspiralis
- Parva
- Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia
- Cryptocoryne purple or cryptocoryne red
- Cordial
- Care and cultivation in an aquarium
- How much soil should be provided
- Rules for preparing soil for planting
- The effect of peat on plant maintenance
- Specifics of keeping cryptocoryne
- Planting and propagation
- What plants can be planted with cryptocoryne
- Diseases and prevention
- Video on the topic
- Cryptocorin Balance, corridors of Sterba and Venezuela Black (September, 2025.)
- How I turned the entire aquarium / transplanting cryptocorins of Parva / Results of the unpacking competition
- TOP 5: Beautiful and simple aquarium plants, which even a beginner can handle
General information
Plant indigenous to Asia’s tropical regions. It can be found in both flowing rivers and the still, lake- and pond-filled waters. a tiny shrub with five to fifteen leaves arranged on a prominent petiole.
The long, oval leaf blades have tiny pimples all over their surface and can occasionally have a point at the tip.
The amount of light falling on a plant determines its color. For instance, in a shaded reservoir, the leaves will be nearly red, and in brightly lit waters, they will range in color from olive to brown-green.
The inflorescence of a cryptocoryne is originally arranged. A cob is contained inside the flower cover, which is a long tube that expands toward the bottom. There’s a valve separating this part. The tube’s waterproof nature is noteworthy.
The algae has a shallow root system.
Types, photos and names of cryptocorynes
In home ponds, cryptocorynes are the most prevalent type of algae. Although they are incredibly diverse and numerous, a few species are the most well-known.
Aponogetolistina
A huge, exquisite native plant from the Philippines. Only large aquariums are appropriate for this type of cryptocoryne because of its height, which surpasses half a meter.
The foliage has a vivid green hue, with elongated, strongly pimply leaf blades.
Albida
This cryptocoryne representative is found in Burma and Thailand in addition to living in East Asia. An unusual visitor in the field of aquaristics.
Its graceful structure and diminutive size (up to 20 cm) set it apart. There are two available colors for it:
- green – with a light green color;
- brown – reddish-brown shade.
Affinis affinis (C. affinis)
Southeast Asia is home to Cryptocoryne affinis. The leaf blades of the compact, roughly 35 cm shrub are originally colored burgundy below and deep green above.
Cryptocoryne balanse
Balance is a Cryptocoryne crispa variety. Its range includes the waters of China, Laos, Thailand, South Vietnam, and eastern India.
Reaches a maximum height of half a meter, so maintaining it would be best in a tall aquarium. Its long, narrow leaves, which are strongly corrugated, give it a lovely appearance. They create a dense curtain.
Take note! It is best to plant in areas closest to the back of an aquarium.
Cryptocoryne beckettii
In Sri Lanka, swampy reservoirs are home to Beckettii. Narrow leaf blades with nearly no petioles form a rosette, forming a low bush (up to 12 cm) with a weakly expressed stem.
The leaf’s color is very interesting; it can be red or brown below, with green on top. At the same time, the corrugation is nearly undetectable and the leaves are nearly smooth.
Cryptocoryne blassa
Thailand is its native country. a stunning plant that rises to a height of over fifty centimeters and has oval, multicolored leaf blades that rest on long petioles.
The leaf’s lower portion is reddish-violet in color, while the upper portion is olive in hue.
Take note! It stands out due to its sluggish growth.
Cryptocoryne splendens
Similarly, Cryptocoryne lucens. Sri Lanka’s freshwater reservoirs are home to it. The plant Cryptocoryne splendens is semi-aquatic, low (no more than 12 cm), bush-like, and has long, green leaves.
Cryptocoryne grandis
A tall plant from the island of Kalimantan (Borneo) that can occasionally reach a height of half a meter or more. The leaves are big, green, oval-shaped, and narrow at the base.
Cryptocoryne wendtii (C. Wendtii)
There are two subspecies of a semiaquatic plant found on the island of Sri Lanka:
- Vendta green – a bush-like, stemless plant with long green leaves.
- Wendt"s brown – taller (up to 30 cm) than the green bushy growth, with long brown leaf blades.
Divers are aware of the following Cryptocoryne Wendt subspecies:
- Cryptocoryne flamingo;
- Cryptocoryne tropica;
- gecko or green gecko.
Griffith
A plant native to Indonesia’s marshlands. Ovoid leaves with a slightly pointed tip that are borne on petioles form the bush.
The bush is roughly 35 cm tall. The leaf’s lower portion is a light green shade with a silvery tint, while the upper portion is green with dark spots.
Gudoro
Species: Borneo Island. A rare plant that grows in clear, shallow rivers. The bush is quite lovely and compact, measuring no more than 25 centimeters.
The leaves have a distinct relief texture and are elongated. The leaf blade has a green upper portion with a dark edge and a greenish-crimson lower portion.
Cryptocoryne lutea or Walker
A different choice is lutea. a native of Sri Lanka, small, bushy, up to 20 cm, without a stem. In contrast to the name, the color is either brown or grassy-green.
Cordata rosanervig
When Peter Schneider made the initial discovery of the rare variegated cryptocoryne in 1972, it was unknown exactly where it originated. Later on, the southern region of Thailand was designated as the range.
The ends of the algae’s oblong leaves can be slightly pointed. Their distinctive trait was their dark green leaf blade with variegated pink and white veins.
The leaves of the bush are arranged in a rosette structure on long petioles. The length as a whole can be up to 40 cm. relates to types that are semi-aquatic.
Curly
Indigenous to Thailand’s southern regions. Two subspecies of curly cryptocoryne are recognized:
The plant has a small stem with long, wavy leaf blades on it.
The lighting of the reservoir affects the shape of the leaves; the more sunlight that reaches the cryptocoryne, the more wavy the leaves get.
Cryptocoryne Nuri
Originates in Malaysia. An extremely rare and stunning cryptocoryne. The leaves of the bush grow in rosette shapes and can grow up to 25 cm in height.
The color varies depending on the maintenance conditions and can range from light green to brownish-brown.
Cryptocoryne Neville
The marshy regions of Sri Lanka are home to the plant. The bush is only 20 cm tall. There are two varieties recognized: broad- and narrow-leaved.
The long, elongated leaf blades have a distinct central vein; the lower portion is pale green, while the upper portion is deep green. Compared to the leaves, the petioles are longer.
Cryptocoryne obspiralis
The west coast of India is home to cryptocoryne. Some specimens of the tall plant Retrospiralis reach a height of half a meter.
The leaves are long and narrow, with a smooth or corrugated surface. Leaf blades often twisted in a spiral pattern.
Hue ranging from bronze to green. The underwater portion is where the purple or pink flowers form.
Parva
Sri Lanka is the home country of the algae. With a maximum length of 7–10 cm, this is the shortest variety of cryptocoryne.
The size and color of the leaves are unaffected by the state of maintenance. It needs more lighting in the aquarium to be successfully grown.
Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia
Indigenous to the Sumatra island. Heart-shaped leaves with sharp tips that are borne on long petioles form the bush. The bush can grow up to thirty centimeters tall. It’s a vivid green color.
Cryptocoryne purple or cryptocoryne red
Expands throughout Malaysia. The bush is 40 centimeters tall. A rosette is made up of long, oval, multicolored leaves with a green upper portion and a red lower part.
Cordial
Thailand is the home of this cryptocoryne. The bush reaches a height of 35 cm. The leaves are bicolored; the tops are bluish-green, while the bottoms are olive with a hint of reddish-green.
It’s hard to enumerate every variety in the large family of cryptocorynes. Aquaristics also makes extensive use of a number of species:
- cryptocoryne petchii;
- cryptocoryne sri lanka;
- Cryptocoryne usteriana (C. usteriana).
However, Cryptocoryne willisi is misclassified as Cryptocoryne nevilleii, despite the fact that aquarium design does not employ this variety.
Care and cultivation in an aquarium
Called "algae for the lazy," this plant is generally low maintenance.
The majority of the varieties can tolerate the aquarium’s lighting and quietly adjust to standard maintenance conditions.
How much soil should be provided
Clay soil is preferred by cryptocoryne. It ought to be sufficient (at least 5-7 cm) for the root system to form.
Rules for preparing soil for planting
If the soil is not prepared using an industrial method of processed substrates, it must be thoroughly rinsed and disinfected before being placed in the aquarium.
The prepared substrate is arranged so that there is at least a 5 cm layer of it where the plants are planted. Selecting loose nutrient mixtures is preferable because they facilitate easy rooting of plants.
The effect of peat on plant maintenance
Water parameters are improved when there is a layer of peat in the aquarium substrate:
- lowers pH;
- softens water;
- reduces the activity of pathogenic bacteria;
- enriches water with useful microelements;
- contains substances necessary for the full growth and development of plants.
Specifics of keeping cryptocoryne
Because cryptocoryne is thermophilic, it may perish in water that is less than 23 °C. The ideal growing temperature range is thought to be between 24 and 28 °C.
Crucial! Keep the soil from becoming acidic and promptly clean the bottom.
Fresh water is preferred by the algae, so a weekly water change (up to 15% of the tank’s total volume) is necessary.
Not too bright, but moderate lighting is ideal.
Planting and propagation
Because cryptocorynes grow slowly and dislike being transplanted frequently, the location of the hydrophyte in the aquarium needs to be carefully considered to avoid having to move the bushes later.
Since achieving flowering at home is difficult, cryptocoryne is propagated vegetatively.
- by dividing the bush;
- root cuttings.
What plants can be planted with cryptocoryne
Possibly, issues might only occur in close proximity to vallisneria, as it seems to favor more shaded reservoirs.
However, competent zoning and plant selection in compliance with it can generally easily resolve the issue of a "difficult" neighborhood.
Diseases and prevention
Cryptocoryne rarely becomes sick, but occasionally the disease does break out and the algae’s leaf plates rot and become sluggish, almost like they are made of glass.
The rhizome must be preserved; in the reservoir, the water and substrate must be changed, and the damaged sections must be removed.
The illness typically enters from the exterior through the growth of new algae or a dramatic shift in the microclimate.
Examining the wide world of cryptocoryne varieties reveals that these plants provide an amazing array of choices for aquarium hobbyists of all skill levels. Every variety of Cryptocoryne, from the gorgeous Cryptocoryne wendtii to the striking Cryptocoryne parva, adds a special charm and versatility to an aquarium environment. The images featured in this post demonstrate the adaptability and beauty of cryptocorynes in various tank settings.
There is a cryptocoryne for everyone, be it an aquascape enthusiast seeking to improve your aquascape or a novice wanting to add some greenery to your aquarium. They’re a popular choice for creating vibrant, lush underwater landscapes because of their adaptability to a variety of conditions. These plants have the potential to significantly improve the health and aesthetic appeal of your tank with careful selection and maintenance.
Keep in mind that every type of cryptocoryne has unique requirements and characteristics as you choose which one to add to your aquarium. Understanding these and adjusting them to the circumstances in your tank will guarantee a flourishing, lovely aquatic garden. Happy planting! I hope the gorgeous cryptocoryne varieties grow in your aquarium!
Discovering the fascinating world of Cryptocoryne plants is essential if you enjoy aquariums. We’ll examine 21 well-known Cryptocoryne varieties in this post, highlighting their distinctive qualities with eye-catching images. You will receive an up-close look at how these plants can improve the aesthetic appeal of your tank along with helpful information on their compatibility and maintenance, ranging from the striking Cryptocoryne wendtii to the delicate beauty of Cryptocoryne nurii. Whether you’re looking to add some variety to your aquatic garden or set up a new aquarium, this guide will help you identify the ideal Cryptocoryne.