Cryptocoryne Wendtii Red

Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Red' is a popular, hardy, and beginner-friendly freshwater aquarium plant from Sri Lanka, valued for its striking reddish-bronze, textured leaves. It thrives in low to moderate lighting, does not require CO2 injection, and grows best as a foreground or midground rosette, reaching 10–20 cm tall.

Care Requirements

Lighting

• Low to moderate.
• Brighter light and nutrient-rich setups enhance deep red pigmentation.

Water Parameters

• Temperature: 20–28°C (68–82°F).
• pH: Stable between 6.0 and 7.5.

Substrate & Nutrients

• Heavy root feeder requiring nutrient-dense aquasoil or root tabs added under standard gravel or sand.

Growth and Maintenance

Growth Habit

• Slow-to-moderate growth rate, forming dense, low-maintenance clusters over time.

Propagation

• Spreads naturally via underground runners that produce new baby plantlets near the mother plant.

Crypt Melt

• Prone to melting (dropping old leaves) when first introduced to a new tank or when water parameters shift.
• Leave the roots alone, and it will reliably regrow new adapted leaves.