Cryptocoryne Wendtii (Cryptocoryne wendtii)

Photo: Haplochromis / CC BY 2.5

Cryptocoryne Wendtii Care

Cryptocoryne wendtii · Araceae

🐾 Pet-safe 🎯 Easy ☀️ Low light 💧 Every 7 days

🕮 6 min read 🕓 Last reviewed: 2026-08-23

Care at a glance

Light

Low light

Temperature

22–28 °C (72–82 °F)

Soil

a nutrient-rich aquarium substrate (or attached to wood/rock)

Difficulty

Easy

Mature size

10–20 cm (4–8 in)

Pet safety

Pet-safe

Care effort Medium

The short version

Beginner-friendly and forgiving.
Give it Low light.
Water every 7–7 days.
Safe around cats and dogs.

The Cryptocoryne Wendtii (Cryptocoryne wendtii) is an aquatic plant grown submerged in freshwater aquariums. It comes from Sri Lanka and is rated Easy to keep, reaching 10–20 cm. Here is how to grow it underwater — lighting, substrate, CO₂, placement and propagation.

Also known asCryptocoryne wendtiiクリプトコリネ・ウェンティ温蒂椒草Criptocorina WendtiiWendts Wasserkelch

📋Quick facts

Growth rate	Moderate
Mature size	10–20 cm (4–8 in)
Native region	Sri Lanka
Plant family	Araceae
Toxicity	Non-toxic
Air-purifying	No
Ideal for	beginners, homes with pets, low-light rooms

⚖️Pros & cons

Pros

Non-toxic to cats and dogs
Tolerates low light
Hard to kill; great for beginners
Compact — fits a desk or shelf

Cons

Needs high humidity to look its best

🐟Growing it in an aquarium

Keep the water at 22–28 °C. Stable, gently moving water and regular partial water changes keep it healthy; sudden swings in temperature or chemistry cause melting.

Light

Give it Low light-equivalent aquarium lighting. Low-tech tanks suit undemanding species; brighter light (and often CO₂) brings out the best colour and compact growth but also feeds algae, so balance it carefully.

Soil

Plant it in a nutrient-rich aquarium substrate (or attached to wood/rock). Rooted species are hungry feeders — use root tabs or a liquid aquarium fertiliser (and CO₂ for demanding types). Epiphytes like Anubias, Java fern and Bucephalandra must NOT be buried: tie or glue their rhizome to wood or rock, or they rot.

Its size and habit suit a spot in the foreground, midground or background depending on how tall it grows; trim and replant tops to keep it dense.

✂️How to propagate, step by step

Spring and early summer, during active growth, give the best success. Here is how to do it, step by step:

division at repotting

Water the plant the day before to reduce stress on the roots.
Slide it out of its pot and gently shake off the loose soil.
Tease the root ball into sections, each with healthy roots and a few shoots.
Pot each section into fresh mix at its original depth.
Water them in and keep out of direct sun for a week while they recover.

offsets (pups)

Wait until the offset (pup) is about a third the size of the parent.
Unpot the plant so you can see where the pup joins it.
Separate the pup, keeping as many of its own roots as you can.
Let any succulent cuts callus for a day; pot rooted pups straight away.
Plant in suitable mix and water lightly until it establishes.

🔬Classification

Plant type	Aquatic plant
Genus	Cryptocoryne
Family	Araceae · Araceae
Native to	Sri Lanka

🩺Common problems

Symptom	Likely cause	What to do
Melting or dissolving leaves	Shock from a new tank (common when settling in)	Be patient — trim mushy leaves; new submerged growth usually follows.
Algae on leaves or glass	Too much light or excess nutrients in the water	Cut the lighting period, reduce feeding, and add algae-eating clean-up crew.
Brown spots on leaves	Inconsistent watering, cold draughts, or fungal issues	Water evenly, keep it warm, and remove badly affected leaves.

🩺 Plant Doctor →

🐛Pests & prevention

The usual indoor pests are spider mites (fine webbing, speckled leaves), mealybugs (white cotton-wool tufts), scale (small brown bumps), and fungus gnats (tiny flies from soggy soil). Inspect any new plant before it joins the others, wipe the leaves now and then, and let the topsoil dry to keep gnats away. At the first sign, isolate the plant, wipe or rinse off what you can, and treat with insecticidal soap or neem oil every week until it is clear.

🐾Is it safe for pets?

Good news for pet owners: the Cryptocoryne Wendtii is considered non-toxic to both cats and dogs by the ASPCA. It is one of the safer choices for homes with animals, though eating any plant can still cause mild stomach upset.

Toxicity information is a general guide based on ASPCA data. If your pet or child may have eaten any part of a plant, contact a vet or poison control right away.