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Cryptocoryne: plant species
In nature, Cryptocoryne Wendta is found on the islands of Southeast Asia in streams of water and lakes filled with water during the rainy season. Due to its ability to live completely under water and easily adapt to changing conditions, the plant is used to decorate aquariums.
Description of Wendt’s Cryptocorynes
The plant is a bush that does not have a stem. Under favorable conditions, it grows up to 30 cm, but it all depends on the size of the aquarium – in a small container, the plant will not be able to reach its maximum size. Lanceolate leaves have short petioles that emerge directly from the root. The width of the leaves, depending on the type of Cryptocoryne, is from 3 to 5 cm, the length is up to 20 cm.
Depending on the conditions of detention, the appearance of Wendt’s Cryptocoryne may vary.
There are several subspecies of the plant:
- the tropics;
- green;
- high;
- brown.
The most popular subspecies among aquarists are cryptocoryne brown and green. The bushes grow all year round and have the unique tendency to change their appearance depending on the conditions of their keeping. Specimens differing in color, shape and size of leaves can grow next to each other. Even on one plant, Cryptocorynes can have leaves of different shades.
Keeping Cryptocorynes in the aquarium
The shrub has powerful roots, so it requires silted soil with a thickness of at least 5 cm. It is recommended to use river sand with small pebbles as a substrate. The presence of a large fraction will lead to the formation of stepchildren, who will take micronutrients from the mother bush.
Since the plant is native to the tropics, the optimal water temperature for it is 24-28 ° C. When the temperature drops to 20 ° C, the bush will not die, but its development will slow down significantly. The plant prefers medium hard water. Keeping in too soft water can lead to its weakening and loss of leaves.
The leaves of the bush stretch upwards, so it is recommended to plant it in aquariums with high walls.
Both artificial and natural light sources are suitable for lighting the aquarium, but direct sun exposure on the leaves of the shrub should be avoided. For the normal development of the bush, the duration of daylight hours should be at least 12 hours. The power of fluorescent lamps is selected at the rate of 0,3 W per 1 liter of water.
Cryptocoryne Wendt will fill the landscape of the aquarium with rich shades and will serve as an excellent shelter for its inhabitants and a place for spawning. Bushes look great in the foreground in single and group plantings.