Save the Little Fish

Sign in
Cryptocoryne wendtii, Cryptocoryne wendtii

Plant · Rosette

Cryptocoryne wendtii

Cryptocoryne wendtii · Sri Lanka · also Wendt's water trumpet, Crypt wendtii

Photo: Haplochromis, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Expect it to melt and lose its leaves after planting or a big water change; leave the roots alone and it grows back. It likes a rich substrate or root tabs and should be moved as little as possible.

At a glance

Light

Low light

CO₂

No CO₂

Growth

Steady growth

Where it goes

Middle

Temperature

22–28°C

pH

5–8

Height in a tank

10–30 cm 4–12 in

Difficulty

Easy

What it does for your tank

A hardy low-light plant whose leaves give cover to bottom fish and shrimp.

Fish that eat or uproot it

Rarely eaten, but goldfish, big cichlids and digging fish can uproot it.

Growing more

Sends out runners under the gravel; dig up the new plants and replant them.

Grows well with

Same light and temperature, but a different spot in the tank, so they fill it out together.

Amazon frogbit

Amazon frogbit

Plant · FloatingEasy

  • Low light
  • No CO₂
  • Fast growth
  • Floats
  • 20–27°C

Long dangling roots shelter fry, bettas and gouramis, and the plant soaks up nitrate fast.

Central and South America

Amazon frogbit

Limnobium laevigatum

Central and South America

Temperature
20–27°C
pH
5–8
Height
2–6 in · 5–15 cm
Light
Low
CO₂
Not needed
Growth
Fast
Goes
Floating
Difficulty
Easy

More plants. Sends out runners with new plants that break off on their own.

Goldfish and some snails eat the spongy leaves; strong filter flow pushes it under and kills it.

Full care guide

Photo: Cardex, Public domain

Anubias barteri

Anubias barteri

Plant · RhizomeEasy

  • Low light
  • No CO₂
  • Slow growth
  • On wood, rock
  • 22–26°C

Tough leaves give shade and spawning spots and survive plecos and cichlids.

West Africa (Nigeria, Cameroon, Bioko)

Anubias barteri

Anubias barteri var. barteri

West Africa (Nigeria, Cameroon, Bioko)

Temperature
22–26°C
pH
6–7.5
Height
10–18 in · 25–45 cm
Light
Low
CO₂
Not needed
Growth
Slow
Goes
On wood or rock
Difficulty
Easy

More plants. Cut the rhizome into pieces with a few leaves each.

Herbivorous fish leave its tough leaves alone; big cichlids may uproot it.

Full care guide

Photo: Tocekas, CC BY-SA 3.0

Anubias nana

Anubias nana

Plant · RhizomeEasy

  • Low light
  • No CO₂
  • Slow growth
  • On wood, rock
  • 22–28°C

Tough, low leaves that bottom fish and plecos rest on and that do well in shady corners.

West Africa (Cameroon)

Anubias nana

Anubias barteri var. nana

West Africa (Cameroon)

Temperature
22–28°C
pH
5–8
Height
2–6 in · 5–15 cm
Light
Low
CO₂
Not needed
Growth
Slow
Goes
On wood or rock
Difficulty
Easy

More plants. Cut the rhizome into pieces with a few leaves each.

Almost nothing eats it, so it is a top choice for cichlid, goldfish and pleco tanks.

Full care guide

Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0

Bucephalandra

Bucephalandra

Plant · RhizomeEasy

  • Low light
  • No CO₂
  • Slow growth
  • On wood, rock
  • 20–26°C

Small, colourful leaves that suit nano tanks and rocky scapes and give shrimp a grazing surface.

Borneo

Bucephalandra

Bucephalandra

Borneo

Temperature
20–26°C
pH
5–7
Height
2–4 in · 5–10 cm
Light
Low
CO₂
Not needed
Growth
Slow
Goes
On wood or rock
Difficulty
Easy

More plants. Cut the rhizome into pieces with a few leaves each.

Almost nothing eats it, though pieces can be knocked loose by digging fish.

Full care guide

Photo: Manuel Werner, CC BY 4.0

← All plants