Cryptocoryne wendtii is the most unpretentious of the cryptocorynes. Very decorative, so it is well-deserved love among amateurs, as well as professionals. Possesses great adaptability accompanied by a large phenotypic variability. Despite the adaptability badly reacts to sudden changes in the environment. Cryptocoryne Wendt likes stability. If you follow some simple rules will please your eyes with long lanceolate leaves that give the room pond the appearance of a tropical forest.
| domain | Eukaryotes |
| kingdom | Plants |
| Division | Flowering |
| class | Annuals |
| order | Passionflowers |
| Family | Aroids |
| genus | Cryptocoryne |
| species | Cryptocoryne wendtii |
Habitat.: Widespread in Southeast Asia. The main habitat is the island of Sri Lanka.
Prefers swampy areas. Can exist as a terrestrial plant. It also does well underwater.
Cryptocoryne wendtii Description
Cryptocoryne wendt is a bush without a stem. The lanceolate leaves come in a rosette directly from the root, sitting on very short petioles. The root is powerfully creeping. This is the most general description of the species. Then the maze of systematics begins. Since Cryptocoryne wendta is very adaptable to the conditions of maintenance. As a consequence of this adaptability, it’s very variable. Everything that can change changes. The color of the vegetative mass from light green to chocolate.
The size of the leaf lamina under ideal conditions is three to five centimeters wide. Its length is up to twenty centimeters. But when the conditions of maintenance change, leaves of a different size, a different color, a different degree of corrugation appear. The plant is so variable that leaves of different sizes, colors, shapes can be present on the same specimen, at the same time. Or under the same conditions, adjacent specimens of the same species may look completely different.
The species is currently divided into four subspecies.
- «Rubella» (brown)
- “Tropica”
- “Green”
- «Tall form» (high).
The Rubella and Green subspecies are the most common among hobbyists.
Cryptocoryne wendtii Keeping in the aquarium
Cryptocoryne wendtii is probably the most unpretentious of cryptocorynes. It will feel better when decorating a tropical aquarium with it. The volume of the water body is not critical. It will grow well in a small volume of the aquarium, but the size of the bush will be smaller.
Soil
The soil should be loose and contain a large amount of nutrients. The best option is coarse river sand mixed with small pebbles. The substrate should be well silted. It is desirable under the bush to add a lump of clay mixed with a small amount of peat, you can also add crushed charcoal. The layer of soil should be about 5 centimeters.
Water parameters
Optimum holding temperature is 23 to 26°C. Relatively well tolerates lower temperatures. However, at 18 – 20 ° C growth is sharply slowed down. Likes medium hardness. It should be from 7 to 15 °dH. Water reaction can be from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. pH 6,5 – 7,5. With sudden changes in water parameters, it can immediately shed all the green mass.
This happens more often if the water hardness is soft or very soft when the pH is lowered. It is better not to lower the hardness below 5°dH.The pH level should not drop below 6. In this case, you should not be immediately upset. The plant can still grow green mass from the remaining rhizome. It is necessary to remember what you did during the previous few days, which could lead to changes in the indicators of the aquatic environment. And try not to do that again. You need to check and correct temperature, hardness, acidity. After a while, new leaves will appear from the surviving root.
Lighting
Requires bright but diffused light. Poorly tolerates direct sunlight. Illumination should be from 0.3 to 0.5 W/l. It is better to illuminate with fluorescent lamps Flora Fillips. Among the lamps of this series, you can pick up models with a predominance of red rays in the spectrum of radiation. This will be to your pet’s liking.
Cryptocoryne wendtii Compatibility
Can grow well under dense shade formed by tall green neighbors.
Nutrition
Very not demanding to nutrition. Does not need not only fertilizers, but even water changes are not always necessary. Well grows well as with old water, and after its replacement with fresh water. Sometimes it is recommended to bring into the aquarium microelements, such as manganese, boron, divalent iron. These elements are easy to overdose. So if you decide to use them, it is better to buy these chemicals in a store for aquarists and using them strictly adhere to the instructions.
Cryptocoryne wendtii Breeding
Cryptocoryne Wendt is propagated in artificial conditions only vegetatively. Near the mother specimen grow daughter bushes, which should be planted in a new place when their height reaches a length of about five centimeters. In the hole prepared for planting, put a piece of clay mixed with peat and charcoal. Sometimes it is recommended to propagate cryptocoryne wendtii, cutting off all the petioles from the root and letting it float freely, and when the rhizome forms young plants to separate them and plant them separately. This method can be used when cryptocoryne wendtii has lost all green mass.
It grows well in humid greenhouses or paludariums, but the soil should be heavily moistened or even waterlogged. Greenhouse conditions promote good rapid growth and flowering. Which is practically not the case during underwater cultivation. Specimens grown in a humid greenhouse or paludarium can be easily transferred to an aquarium.
Cryptocoryne Wendt will look good in the middle or foreground of your aquarium, giving your water body additional volume. However, very tall specimens can somewhat block the panorama. Therefore, when planting Cryptocoryne wendta at the viewing glass, it is better to move it closer to one of the side windows to the right or left.
If you decide to get acquainted with the wonderful genus Cryptocoryne, start with Cryptocoryne Wendt. This plant is relatively easy to maintain, and its long lanceolate leaves of different colors with corrugations of different depths look very spectacular in any aquarium.
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