Cryptocoryne costata Care Guide
Cryptocoryne costata is a narrow-leaved Southeast Asian crypt of the C. crispatula group, an undemanding midground plant with bullate olive-green leaves.
Overview
Cryptocoryne costata is a narrow-leaved, relatively small crypt of the genus Cryptocoryne, closely related to and often treated under Cryptocoryne albida. It belongs to the Cryptocoryne crispatula group and is a highly variable species, with aquarium forms ranging from green to brownish. It is grown as an undemanding foreground-to-midground plant.
Taxonomy
- Family: Araceae
- Order: Alismatales
- Genus: Cryptocoryne
- Scientific name: Cryptocoryne costata
- Group: Cryptocoryne crispatula complex (treated under C. albida)
Habitat
The species is distributed in southern Myanmar and Thailand. As with other crypts, it occurs in streams and rivers of lowland areas and tolerates seasonal changes in water level, growing both submersed and emersed.
Tank requirements
- Temperature: 22-28 °C (72-82 °F)
- pH: 5.5-7.2
- GH: 2-10 °dGH
- Lighting: low
- CO2: not required
- Growth rate: slow
- Maximum height: about 20 cm
- Placement: midground
Planting and care
Cryptocoryne costata is an easy plant that grows well under low lighting and requires no CO2 supplementation, tolerating a wide range of water parameters. It has one of the broader temperature tolerances in the genus. Regular substrate or liquid fertilization supports steady production of new leaves on the compact rosette. Some leaf melt may occur when the plant is first introduced to a new aquarium; this is a normal acclimation response and the plant recovers once established.
Propagation
Propagation is by runners. The plant produces daughter plants on runners around the parent rosette without aggressive spreading; offsets can be separated and replanted when large enough.