# Planted Tanks > Plant Talk > Cryptocoryne Club >  Cryptocoryne Parva

## qicheng

Does anyone know where I can find the dwarf crypt or if anyone can spare a few stalks? Thinking of trying it out...

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## jacian

I am looking for C. parva too. Didn't manage to see anyone selling it. Maybe I will check with Teo tomorrow, would let you know.

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## Phang

Hi All,

Anyone here with experience with the plant mentioned ???


Regards

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## tawauboy

very sloooooooow grower.
mine has lots of spot algae.

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## Phang

Hahaha...
Get the point....

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## FC

Questions:
1) Does anyone know where to buy Crypt Parva and its' price (state qty)?
2) Does anyone has this plant in matured state? Can you share the photo?

I am thinking of using it as foreground plant. Good idea?

Thanks.

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## geoffrey

You may want to try South Island Aquarium. Not sure if they have Parva. Although they do export only, occasionally they will help. Try give Florence or boss lady, Shirley a call and let them know if they can get them for you. When I first started, I got most of my plants from them.

Remember, you have to be persuasive. Their website.

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## naturetan

Get from Teo. Got it from them last time just a few to try, they gave me for free...[ :Grin: ]

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## checkerboard

use C. parva as foregound... it will take a very very long time for it to fill any area... it's a very slow grower... so you have to be really patient i think, and once planted in, do not touch it at all, they dun respond well to any shifting. :Wink:

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## tawauboy

c. parva is a real slow grower. in my tank, it took 1.5 yr to double their real estate. good as a foreground plant if you are looking for 'almost maintenance free'. however very prone to green spot algae.
leaves length about 1.5&amp;quot; and height about 1&amp;quot;.

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## Plantbrain

I've done well with C. parva, even submersed flowers.
One thing, it does like lots of light IME.
I placed it in a corner where sunlight hit it about 2-4 hours a day. It's done very well.
One plant that's close but easier and cheaper: C x willisii. 

Regards, 
Tom Barr

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## benny

Willisii does look quite similar but it's quite a fair bit taller. For smaller (or rather shorter) tanks, using it as a foreground may not be so suitable in my opinion.

I did try C. parva as a foreground plant. Don't really do well at all. Painfully slow and prone to algae. Easily &amp;quot;disturbed&amp;quot; by other invading plants such as moss or hairgrass or the long reaching roots of Echindoras spp. You do need a lot to cover a small area as it takes forever to grow. Definitey a sizable investment.

Have you considered Lilaeopsis sp? Looks similar at a glance and a lot easier to find. Very much more ecnomical too. Teo's definitely has it.

Cheers,

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## FC

From your opinions, Crypt Parva seems to be the right plant for me.

Thanks alot for the response!

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## freemann

http://aquabotanicwetthumb.infopop.c...p;m=5386043703

This is my parva tank

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## geoffrey

> ----------------
> On 5/14/2003 8:11:54 PM 
> 
> Get from Teo. Got it from them last time just a few to try, they gave me for free...[] 
> ----------------


Aye... the last time I asked the Teo brothers, they indicated they do not have (puzzled look). I must said, crypt species are really hard to tell apart.

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## Simon

naturetan, i think what teo gave u was C. Willisii not parva.. coz there is someone who constantly asking teo for them [ :Grin: ]

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## theodore

Just got my C. parva from Precious Aquarium. It's quite expensive given the amount I had to get to replace my current foreground (most of it at least).

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## Plantbrain

It's a pricey plant for larger foregrounds. .5w/l or so seem good, I've done well using a redder color bulbs down in the 3000K range.

If you slope your gravel with only 2-3cm in the front going up towards the rear of the tank, C x wilisii looks pretty good, leaf is a bit wider, it's a cheaper plant and still fits the bill in most cases.

But I'll tell you C parva lawns are the ultimate aquascapes as a Crypt fanatic would tell you.
C. crisptula var tonkinesis makes a nice semi foreground plant. 

Very high light keeps a number of species not much over 5-10cm.

If you like crypts and are serious about cultivating, emergent terrariums are excellent. Great for Anubias and other plants as well. Cheap too. 

Regards, 
Tom Barr

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## loupgarou

at the same time, I'm looking for a transition plant.

my mid foreground is potomageton gayi.. its looking like a e tenellus generally (except nicer greens and browns mixed and looks softer).
the corners of my tank are crypts of various types. but mostly wendtii...

so in order to make the shift from p. gayi to wendtii.. probably use wilisii or maybe lucens or e. quadricostatus?

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## juggler

Is C x wilisii non-demanding? Can I plant it in the shade like Anubias?

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## hwchoy

> ----------------
> On 6/22/2003 9:10:57 AM 
> 
> But I'll tell you C parva lawns are the ultimate aquascapes as a Crypt fanatic would tell you.
> C. crisptula var tonkinesis makes a nice semi foreground plant. 
> 
> ----------------


Tom, wonder why you say _C. crispatula var tonkinensis_ is suitable for semi foreground as it has long strappy leaves?

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## budak

choy, tonkinensis has the finest (i.e. narrowest) leaves in the crispatula group, not really strappy... but i have seen specimens over 1.5 ft tall...

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## hwchoy

yes budak, you gave me some remember?  :Smile:  still its not something I associate with any phrase containing the word &amp;quot;fore&amp;quot; [: :Smile: ]

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## Plantbrain

> ----------------
> On 6/22/2003 2:10:13 PM 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ----------------
> On 6/22/2003 9:10:57 AM 
> ...


Under high light mine have been shorter, moderate light they will get longer. I like them because they make nice height variation and leaf shape with something like C parva/ x willisii etc. 

But no, they would not be &amp;quot;a true&amp;quot; foreground plant like say C parva. I usually place them in the front corners. 

Regards, 
Tom Barr

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## anttz

FC, 

If u are still interested, have sighted some parva at TPFP. It is in the small dispaly tank inside the shop. They just planted some about 2 weeks ago.

I think they do sell them but have to order beforehand.

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## FC

anttz,

Thanks!

After my encouter with some small foreground plants, I think cannot not use Parva because of my addition of cory stebai. They just wacked most of small plants to gain gravel grounds for their use. :Sad:  

At first I thought of giving the cories away but after seeing the adult cory at Bioplast, I change my mind. They are very very adorable (fat fat).

Thanks!

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## happy

2 months ago, I've ordered 60 pots of parva from East Ocean aquatic trading centre.

Add : Blk 22, Havelock Rd, #01-699.
Tel : 6275 9220

Remember to quote the following to the shop owner;
"The aquarium handbk" from Oriental Aquarium,
Page 65, Code WP087.

This will ensure that they order the correct plant for you.

Hope this info is useful to you.

Extra : Do take note that this plant is a super slow grower and algae  :Smug:  magnet!

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## |squee|

Anyone cultivates this in their tanks? I find it a really nice foreground plant to have! 

I'm hoping someone can tell me more info on this plant. Main points I want to know are:

- Is it slow-growing? ( most foreground plants get bloody messy too often for my liking  :Razz:  ) 

- Where can I get this ( Gratiola? ) and is it a expensive plant? 

Thanks in advance  :Smile:

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## budak

the foreground of my main 3.5 ft tank is predominantly parva + moss + nana petite. they are VERY slow growing, but once settled in (try not to disturb them), will branch out slowly. Best if you don't plant together with fastgrowers like ET, glosso........ moss is ok. In my low maintenance, no-CO2, no fert tank they do ok too... just even slower..... with CO2 systems, keep the CO2 and fert up, or BBA will cover them.... and they like a wee more light than most crypts. If you really want to use them as foreground, ask your LFS to order...

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## |squee|

Thanks budak! Hmm... from what you say, BBA is a problem with it, and it likes medium light? Check out nicky's reply in Petfrd.

Planting it in a tank of Java Fern and Crypt Balanse/Wendtii/Beckitii should have no problem right? And as usual, it rots after being placed into the tank? 

Thanks man

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## freemann

Hi all
This is my 25 lt parva tank currently.
I have it for 12 years continously. Forest soil substrate with a very thin amount of gravel on top 1 cm or less. It run with quite a lot of light no CO2 no external nutrients for all this time, last month I had to add CO2 and column nutrients to the tank cause the plants were starving. Tank is doing really well at the moment I was impressed to see all the yellow leaves recover and turn into dark green in 2 days after the addition of CO2, ferts, iron at the moment the plant grows much faster. Easy to keep no worry plant but veeeery slow specially with low maintenance layout.
 :Smile:

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## Cacatuoides

very nice tank you have.... C. Lucens also looks similar to parva....i'm now trying both in my crypt tank...

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## benny

I used t have it too. Painfully slow growing. And I had problem with BBA too.

Cheers,

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## ranmasatome

> I used t have it too. Painfully slow growing. And I had problem with BBA too.
> 
> Cheers,


thats what i love about this plant...its sooooo slow!!! :Smile:

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## Fei Miao

I have some as well, painfully slow  :Smile:  good way to cultivate patience  :Grin:

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## michael lai

Hi Squee,
The plant is not expensive, I paid about $4.00/pot at my LFS( Bedok north ).
As the others have pointed out, it grows slowly and there is tendency for algae to grow on its leaves. Found a faster way to propogate though, from the original pot you can break it into smaller pieces and replant. (It comes in a 'bundle', the roots.) Albeit becareful of the roots though when you are breaking it.  :Smile:

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