About the species

Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Mi Oya' is named after the river Mi Oya in Sri Lanka, where it grows wild. The leaves are red-brown with a slightly hammered surface and reach 20–35 centimetres, while the rosette spreads 15–30 centimetres. That makes it one of the larger forms of wendtii. In its home waters it stands in streams above 30 degrees, so warmth is no problem for it.

Facts

• Latin name: Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Mi Oya'
• Plant type: Rosette plant
• Origin: Asia
• Height: 20–30 cm
• Growth rate: Slow
• Position: Background

Light requirement

Low light requirement. It manages with the lighting that comes with most aquariums and is happy in partial shade behind or beneath taller plants. Strong lighting does not harm it, but raises the risk of algae on the leaves because the plant cannot use all the available light.

CO₂ & nutrition

Manages entirely without added CO₂, which makes it as suitable for a simple aquarium as for an aquascape. Liquid carbon or injected CO₂ speeds up growth but is never a requirement. Dose an all-round fertiliser with iron and micronutrients every week.

Planting

Plant the root ball in the substrate so the roots are covered but the crown — where the new leaves emerge — sits just above it. Burying the growth point makes the plant rot. Give it plenty of room, since the leaves spread out in a rosette.

Rinse all the gel off in lukewarm water before planting, otherwise it can cause bacterial cloudiness. The cup holds many small plants — divide them up and plant them in several portions.

Care & propagation

Cut old outer leaves off at the base once they start to look tired, and the rosette stays fresh. The plant propagates itself with daughter plants from the rootstock; separate them from the mother plant once they have their own roots and a few leaves.

Position in the aquarium

Given its mature height it belongs at the back or along the sides, where it forms a dense wall of greenery and hides equipment. In a smaller aquarium it can also be used as a solitaire in one corner.

Difficulty level

🟢 Easy — grows in most aquariums without CO₂ and under ordinary lighting.

Delivery format

Delivered as 1-2-Grow! — a laboratory-grown cup holding many small plants in nutrient gel. Because the plant is cultivated in vitro it is completely free of snails, algae, planaria and pesticides, which makes it the safest choice for a shrimp aquarium.

Recommendation

A good choice in warm aquariums where other plants start to falter, for instance alongside discus. Give it plenty of room — the rosette spreads wider than you first expect.