Cryptocoryne Albida Costata

Quick facts

Identity

Also known as

Broadleaf Crypt; Costata Crypt; Cryptocoryne Costata

Synonyms

Cryptocoryne costata Gagnep.; Cryptocoryne retrospiralis subsp. albida; Cryptocoryne retrospiralis var. costata

Environment

Freshwater

Native to

Thailand, Malay Peninsula, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh

Habitat

Muddy and sandy banks of slow-moving rivers and forest streams, submerged in the rainy season and partially emersed during the dry season, in clayey nutrient-rich sediment.

Sourcing

Aquacultured

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Easy

Growth form

Rosette

Max height

3 – 12 in (7.6 – 30 cm)

Spread

6 in (15 cm)

Growth rate

Slow

Placement

Midground, Background

Water

Temperature

72 – 82 °F (22 – 28 °C)

pH

6.0 – 7.5

dKH

2 – 12 dKH

PAR

35 – 50 PAR

Flow

Low-Moderate

Light

Low

CO₂

Beneficial

Planting

Substrate

Nutrient-rich preferred

Feeds from

Roots

Fertilizer needs

Medium

Colors

Green, Brown, Red

Feeding & breeding

Propagation

Runners, Rhizome division

Something wrong or missing? Submit a correction

Care guide

Overview

Populations range across Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, Sri Lanka, India, and Bangladesh, where this crypt roots in muddy, nutrient-rich river banks. It forms a low rosette of narrow, ruffled lance-shaped leaves in green to bronze-red tones, spreading slowly by runners once settled. Best left undisturbed after planting to avoid melt, it tolerates a broad parameter range in modest tanks.

Care

This crypt forms low, dense rosettes of narrow lance-shaped leaves with a ruffled edge, and it tolerates a wide range of water parameters once established. It grows steadily under low to moderate light without CO2, though supplemental CO2 and stronger light bring out the deeper bronze-red leaf tones. Leave newly planted specimens undisturbed, since crypts resent being uprooted and moved and will often melt back in response.

Planting & trimming

Remove any wool or pot material from the roots before planting and bury the rhizome fully in substrate, spacing individual crowns a few inches apart so rosettes can spread. Trim runners periodically once the clump matures to control spread, and replant daughter plantlets from runners directly into substrate. Avoid moving the plant once it is rooted, as repeated disturbance triggers melt.

Fertilizing

Roots take up most of its nutrition, so a nutrient-rich substrate or root tabs placed near the rhizome support steady growth. Pale or yellowing new leaves usually point to an iron or micronutrient shortfall and respond well to root tab dosing. Liquid fertilizer dosed to the water column offers a secondary boost but is less important than root feeding for this species.

Propagation

Propagates readily by runners sent out from the rhizome; daughter plants can be separated once they have their own root system and replanted elsewhere in the tank. Division of mature clumps is also possible, cutting apart connected crowns along the rhizome.

Problems

New arrivals frequently experience "crypt melt," where leaves dissolve after a change in water chemistry or when moving from emersed to submersed growth. This is a normal adjustment and not usually fatal; the rhizome and roots typically survive and send up fresh submersed leaves within a few weeks. Keeping parameters stable and avoiding replanting once established reduces the frequency and severity of melt episodes.

Sources

1. Costata Crypt Aquarium Plant Profile | TankFlare
2. Cryptocoryne Albida Costata - Buce Plant
3. Cryptocoryne costata Aquatic Plant Care | Atlarium
4. Cryptocoryne Albida | Barr Report Forum - Aquarium Plants

More Crypts

Cryptocoryne Affinis RedCryptocoryne AponogetifoliaCryptocoryne AxelrodiCryptocoryne BalansaeCryptocoryne BeckettiiCryptocoryne Blassii