Cryptocoryne wendtii – Low-Light Crypt for Natural Planted Tanks, No CO2
Bronze color that grows without the gear.
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Brown' is a compact crypt with wavy, bronze-brown leaves 4–8 inches tall. It's one of the hardiest foreground-to-midground plants in the hobby, and it looks at home next to driftwood and leaf litter.
The Father Fish way
Crypts are root feeders, and a Father Fish tank is built around living soil. Planted in the sand cap over Aqua Preta, this crypt feeds for years with no CO2, no root tabs and no bottled fertilizers.
Your plan
- Plant it in the sand cap. Push the roots about one inch into the sand, not into the soil, and keep the crown at or just above the sand. The roots find the soil on their own.
- Leave it where you put it. Crypts dislike being moved. Pick the spot once.
- Expect a melt, then growth. Farm-grown leaves often melt back in the first weeks. Trim the melted leaves at the base, leave the roots alone, and new underwater leaves will follow. Give it 3–4 weeks.
What you get
- 1 plant, bare root
- Height 4–8 inches, growing slowly to moderately
- 72–82°F, pH 5–8, soft or hard water
- Low to medium light. The color deepens under stronger light.
- Spreads slowly by runners
Why it matters
Give up during the melt and you'll throw away a plant that was about to take off. Leave it be and it becomes a permanent, self-spreading bronze patch.
Plant it over Aqua Preta Complete Substrate for years of root feeding.
FAQ
- Why is it melting? It's switching from farm-grown to underwater leaves. Keep the roots in place.
- Does it need CO2 or root tabs? No, not in a soil-based tank.
- Will it stay brown? The color is strongest under medium light.
- Will it spread? Yes, slowly, by runners.
