Cryptocoryne wendtii
You have probably heard of Cryptocoryne wendtii before and for good reason too - it's one of the most well known cryptocorynes because it was introduced into the hobby in the early days..
History: Originating from Sri Lanka, Cryptocoryne wendtii is a bit of a generic name for cryptocorynes in general. Although there are several different species with lots of different colours such as green and brown (as these are the most common). You might also find them in reds, but these are probably more brown - we actually sell 4 different varieties and you can find them by clicking here. Cryptocoryne wendtii will have a variety of different shaped leaves and some being surprising lengthy at 30cm. Another positive is how easy Cryptocoryne wendtii are to grow. Perfect for beginners as you can grow them in low to high light which makes them unchallenging. In some tanks you don't even need to fertilise as they are heavy root feeders (but I don't personally recommend this).
Where to position: Generally Cryptocoryne wendtii should be placed in the foreground of your tank because of the height they grow to. In general most are quite small but there's the odd taller one that would suit a midground location. Once they have settled in, I recommend that you leave them where you planted them - moving them can cause issues.
Cryptocoryne wendtii melt: Yes crypotocorynes definitely can and do melt and some are more susceptible than others. Melting is when the plant is placed into an aquarium and then over the period of a few days, the Cryptocoryne wendtii will literally appear to rot away and look terrible. If this happens, the cryptocoryne is simply readapting to its new environment. Simply cut off all the leaves leaving about 2cm from the base and then within a week you will see new growth.
How to stop Cryptocoryne wendtii melting: Lots of CO2 and fertilisers. If you give this plant what it really wants then its unlikely that you will see this problem - add some root tabs to into the base. Crypotocryne's such as Mi Oya are less likely to melt.
