Cryptocoryne parva

Quick facts

Max height

8 cm

Growth rate

slow

Difficulty

intermediate

Placement

foreground

Propagation

runners

Water parameters

Temperature

22–28°C

pH

6.0 to 7.5

Hardness

2 to 18 dGH

Light and nutrients

Lighting

medium

CO2

not required, but boosts growth and color

Substrate

nutrient rich

Feeding

feeds from both water column and roots (liquid ferts plus root tabs)

Substrate

What this plant roots into (or attaches to). The substrate affects both plant nutrition and water chemistry; see each linked page for full effects.

This plant feeds primarily from the water column, so substrate choice matters more for its fish-tank compatibility than for plant nutrition.

With fish

Plant-eating fish

safe with plant-eating fish (tough leaves or unpalatable)

Diggers (corydoras, loaches)

may get uprooted by active diggers

Root-disturbing fish

sensitive to root disturbance, plant where roots stay undisturbed

Habitat

Native to central Sri Lanka, found in shallow, clear streams with gravelly substrate in the island's wet zone. The species (Cryptocoryne parva) is the smallest Cryptocoryne in the genus, with individual leaves only 3–6 cm long and 0.5–1 cm wide. The tiny, grass-like form makes it one of the very few Cryptocorynes suitable for foreground carpeting. Leaves are narrow, bright green, and relatively stiff compared to larger Cryptocorynes. Unlike most species in the genus, C. parva does not change appearance dramatically between emersed and submerged growth; the submerged leaves closely resemble the emersed form in both shape and size. This is the slowest-growing commonly available Cryptocoryne, which is notable in a genus already known for deliberate growth rates. First described in the early 1900s from Sri Lankan collections.

Care notes

The most patience-demanding foreground plant in the planted tank hobby. Growth is extremely slow: a single plant may produce one new leaf every 2-3 weeks under good conditions, and it takes 6-12 months for a group of individually planted specimens to merge into a continuous foreground carpet. Moderate to high light improves growth marginally, but even under optimal conditions (high light, pressurized CO2 at 25-30 ppm, nutrient-rich substrate with fresh root tabs), C. parva grows at a pace that tests the commitment of most hobbyists. Root tabs are essential; the tiny root system needs concentrated nutrition within its immediate root zone. Plant individual specimens 2–3 cm apart across the foreground area and wait months for runner-produced daughter plants to fill the gaps. CO2 injection helps but doesn't transform the growth rate. Under low light, the plant survives but barely adds new leaves. Many experienced aquascapers buy a large quantity (20-30+ tissue culture cups for a 30x30 cm foreground) to achieve immediate coverage rather than waiting for natural colonization. Propagation by runners, which appear slowly. Crypt melt during transition is possible and especially frustrating because every lost leaf represents weeks of growth. Not recommended for impatient keepers. For those who wait, the reward is a natural-looking, grass-like foreground that needs almost zero maintenance once established. Temperature: 22–28°C.

Further reading

• How to cycle a fish tank
• Water chemistry for fishkeepers: pH, GH, KH, and what they mean