{"product_id":"cryptocoryne-wendtii-tropica-potted-freshwater-crypt-plant","title":"Cryptocoryne Tropica (Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Tropica') - Potted","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"background:#E8F5E9;border-left:4px solid #2E7D32;padding:10px 14px;margin:0 0 14px;font-size:0.95em;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIn-store pickup only.\u003c\/strong\u003e Your order is reserved, we hold off on bagging until you arrive so it stays healthy in its display tank.\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCryptocoryne Tropica\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eCryptocoryne wendtii\u003c\/em\u003e 'Tropica') is the most heavily textured of the wendtii forms. Its leaves are long and strongly crinkled, running from olive bronze to deep reddish brown depending on how much light they get, and the puckered surface catches light in a way the smoother crypts do not. Like the rest of the family it is genuinely undemanding: low light, no CO2, a root tab, and patience. Browse the rest of our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/collections\/freshwater-aquarium-plants\"\u003elive freshwater plants\u003c\/a\u003e to fill in around it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:14px 0 4px;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;line-height:1.25;border-left:4px solid #2E7D32;padding-left:8px;\"\u003eCare Guide\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;margin:6px 0 10px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScientific Name\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eCryptocoryne wendtii\u003c\/em\u003e 'Tropica'\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003eSri Lanka, nursery cultivar\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCare Level\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003eEasy, beginner friendly\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLighting\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003eLow to moderate, moderate keeps it compact and bronzed\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCO2\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003eNot required\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTemperature\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e72 to 82F\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003epH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e6.0 to 8.0\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardness\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e2 to 18 dGH\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlacement\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003eMidground\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLeaf Character\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003eLong and strongly crinkled, bronze to reddish brown\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Rate\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003eSlow, spreads by runners\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeeding\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003eHeavy root feeder, wants root tabs\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSold As\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #C8E6C9;padding:6px 10px;vertical-align:top;\"\u003ePotted nursery plant in rock wool\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:14px 0 4px;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;line-height:1.25;border-left:4px solid #2E7D32;padding-left:8px;\"\u003eAbout Crypt Melt\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery crypt does this, and knowing about it in advance is the difference between a happy plant and a thrown-out one. A week or two after planting, the leaves may turn soft and translucent and fall apart. \u003cstrong\u003eLeave the plant in the substrate.\u003c\/strong\u003e The roots and rhizome are alive and are already building a new set of leaves suited to your water instead of the nursery's. Trim away the mush, hold your parameters steady, and expect new growth within two to four weeks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:14px 0 4px;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;line-height:1.25;border-left:4px solid #2E7D32;padding-left:8px;\"\u003eWhich Wendtii Should You Get?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe carry four forms of the same species, and they differ only in leaf color and texture while sharing identical care. \u003cstrong\u003eTropica\u003c\/strong\u003e is the most crinkled, in bronze to reddish brown. \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/cryptocoryne-wendtii-red-potted-freshwater-crypt-plant\"\u003eRed\u003c\/a\u003e is the darkest and most strongly red toned. \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/cryptocoryne-wendtii-bronze-potted-freshwater-crypt-plant\"\u003eBronze\u003c\/a\u003e sits between red and green. \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/crypt-wendtii-green-potted\"\u003eGreen\u003c\/a\u003e is plain green and the tallest in dim light. Because care is the same across all four, planting a mixed group is an easy way to get color variation in the midground with no extra work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:14px 0 4px;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;line-height:1.25;border-left:4px solid #2E7D32;padding-left:8px;\"\u003eHow to Plant\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSlide the plant out of the pot and rinse every bit of rock wool off the roots, since buried wool rots and fouls the substrate. Split the mass into individual crowns if you want to spread them, then plant each with the roots buried and the crown, where leaves meet roots, sitting level with the substrate surface. Burying the crown is the most common way people kill a crypt. Add a root tab underneath, then resist moving it, because crypts dislike being disturbed more than almost any other plant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:14px 0 4px;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;line-height:1.25;border-left:4px solid #2E7D32;padding-left:8px;\"\u003eRecommended Pairings\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"margin:4px 0 10px;padding-left:22px;\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/cryptocoryne-lucens-potted\"\u003eCryptocoryne Lucens\u003c\/a\u003e for a shorter, narrower crypt in front of it.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/seachem-flourish-tabs\"\u003eSeachem Flourish Tabs\u003c\/a\u003e, the root tabs this heavy root feeder actually uses.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/anubias-coffeefolia-potted-freshwater-plant\"\u003eAnubias Coffeefolia\u003c\/a\u003e on hardscape above, another heavily textured leaf.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/java-moss-taxiphyllum-barbieri-freshwater-moss\"\u003eJava Moss\u003c\/a\u003e to soften the substrate line around the crowns.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/caribsea-pyroflora-volcanic-substrate-6-lbs\"\u003eCaribSea PyroFlora Substrate\u003c\/a\u003e as a nutrient-rich base to root into.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:14px 0 4px;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;line-height:1.25;border-left:4px solid #2E7D32;padding-left:8px;\"\u003eFAQ\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat color will it actually be?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSomewhere between olive bronze and reddish brown, set mostly by light. Moderate light gives a compact plant with warmer, darker leaves; low light gives taller, greener, more stretched ones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe leaves melted after planting. Is it dead?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlmost certainly not. Crypt melt is a transplant response. Leave the roots undisturbed, remove decayed leaves, keep conditions stable, and new growth follows in two to four weeks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it need CO2 or strong light?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNeither. This is a low-tech plant that does well on a basic LED and a root tab, which is exactly why crypts are so widely recommended.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill it spread?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes, slowly. It sends runners and puts up daughter plants around the parent, so one pot becomes a small stand over a season. Thin them out if it gets crowded.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it safe with shrimp and snails?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes, completely. Nothing eats the tough leaves, and shrimp graze biofilm off the crinkled surface.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Squeaky's Aquatics","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49051151794395,"sku":"PLANT-CRTROP","price":7.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0767\/5209\/3403\/files\/Tropica2.jpg?v=1785486054","url":"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/cryptocoryne-wendtii-tropica-potted-freshwater-crypt-plant","provider":"Squeaky's Aquatics","version":"1.0","type":"link"}