Leaf colourgreen, bronze or brown
Native range
- Assam
- Bangladesh
- Cambodia
- China South-Central
- China Southeast
- India
- Laos
- Myanmar
- Thailand
- Vietnam
rosette background midground specimen nano tank Conservation status: LC
A variety from the limestone rivers and streams of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and southern China: narrow, hammered (bubbled) ribbon leaves are its main feature. Long popular, and sold under the old species name Cryptocoryne balansae.
- Light
- low
- Difficulty
- easy
- Height
- 20 – 60 cm
- Temperature
- 8 – 30 °C
Parameters
Plant typerosette
Growth ratemedium
CO₂ demandlow
Tolerates lightlow – high
pH6 – 9
Carbonate hardness5 – 21 °dKH
General hardness0 – 30 °dGH
Placementbackground, midground +2
Propagationrunners, rhizome division +2
Grows emersedyes
Appearance
Narrow, hammered (bubbled) leaves are the main feature of the variety; several forms exist in the hobby, usually about 2 cm wide, though width ranges from 1.5 to 4 cm, and colour from green to bronze. It grows taller than 50 cm. It differs from the similar var. flaccidifolia (often sold as 'C. retrospiralis'): that one has narrower leaves, 0.5–1.2 cm, without hammering, but often with a wavy edge.
Keeping
Medium to strong light is preferable — with enough light the hammered texture is strongly expressed; CO₂ speeds up growth but is not required. Calcium matters: when it is lacking, the leaves curl and deform. Conditions should be stable; with sharp changes, as with most crypts, the leaves may melt. Offshoots are strongest from old stands; underground runners spread well beyond the allotted space and need periodic trimming. Easy, growth moderate, CO₂ 5–40 mg/l, temperature 20–26 °C.
Placement
Background, tall tanks; in Dutch-style layouts a well-kept clump serves as a centrepiece and focal point, in nature-style it adds height to a horizontal piece of driftwood and sets off stones.
Trade names
Originally described as a separate species, Cryptocoryne balansae — and that is the name it goes by in the hobby and the trade; it is now considered a variety of Cryptocoryne crispatula.
Fish and this plant
Water conditions match
The water suits 990 of 1249 species in the catalogue — these are the ones people look up most often.
Swordtail GuppiesCobra GuppyBlood Red MollyButterflyfishRed Zebra CichlidJulii CorydorasRed-finned ParotocinclusGastromyzon monticolaEgg-shaped GoldfishFlame TetraGardner's KillifishAfrican TetraKenyi CichlidCuckoo CatfishGolden SwordtailHypsolebias picturatusCommon ZaccoLabeo BicolorGambusiaFlying barbGastromyzon scitulusAlbino Zebra DanioGeophagus BrokopondoZebra Mbuna
Will eat this plant
These species damage plants, especially when their diet is short of vegetable food.
Bengal LoachZebra LoachBurmese Border LoachEmperor BotiaSpined LoachMarbled HeadstanderPellegrin's LeporinusLeporinus striatusFalse Black TetraCommon MetynnisMylossoma duriventreRed Whiptail CatfishMolly sphenopsBalloon MollyLyretail MollyMarble MollyHi-Fin PlatyHawaii PlatyBlue PlatyPintail PlatyBlack PlatyChocolate MollyMoonlight GouramiMelanotaenia parva
Will uproot it
These species dig through the substrate and pull rooted plants out.
Marble LoachPeacock EelForktail LoachGuntea LoachLong-nosed LoachHorseface LoachPearlscaleBlack Moor GoldfishShubunkinPainted PlecoFeatherfin SynodontisReddish Mystus CatfishBlue AcaraAulonocara maylandiAulonocara multicolorAulonocara OrchidGeophagus altifronsGeophagus winemilleriPearlscale CichlidPearl CichlidRedbelly CichlidRed-spotted CichlidChuco godmanniHaplochromis philanderRed ChromideJack Dempsey cichlid