Cryptocoryne Costata
Cryptocoryne costata
Scientific Name: Cryptocoryne costata
Common Name: Crypt Costata
Cryptocoryne costata is a slow-growing crypt in the aquarium hobby, and it has bright green leaves that contrast nicely with the tinted water of a botanical method, blackwater, or biotope aquarium. Its long, slender leaves can vary from bright green to bronze-red depending on lighting and nutrient availability. This blackwater aquarium plant grows slowly but steadily, making it an excellent choice for aquarists who don't want to be constantly pruning plants.
Like other crypts, costata spreads by runners beneath the substrate, forming small colonies over time. Once planted, it appreciates stable water parameters and should not be uprooted or disturbed. A nutrient-rich substrate or root tabs will support its growth, especially in inert sand setups. Its upright growth makes it well-suited to the midground, where its narrow leaves sway in gentle currents among leaf litter and botanicals.
When first introduced, costata may experience the classic “crypt melt,” losing its emersed leaves before producing new submerged foliage. This is normal and temporary—patience is rewarded as the plant acclimates to the aquarium environment.
Caring for Cryptocoryne costata in Blackwater Aquariums
- Care Level: Easy
- Light Requirements: Low; higher light may bring bronze-red coloration
- CO₂: Not required
- Growth Rate: Slow
- Tint Tolerance: Accepts low–medium tannin levels
- Native Habitat: Southeast Asia; often found in shaded streams and forest pools
- Tank Placement: Midground
All Plants may contain snails or snail eggs. We keep them in all of our tanks for the benefits they provide. Our blackwater aquarium plants are provided by H2OPlants in adherence to their Shipping and DOA Policies. Your curated selection will arrive in their packaging separate from your botanical & merch orders.
Cryptocoryne Costata
Home is getting more natural
While the aesthetic appeal of botanicals and tinted water can be quite attractive to us, the recreation of nature to emulate water conditions, feeding patterns, spawning displays, and territory building are the true benefits botanicals provide to our critters.
Botanical FAQs
Compostable Packaging Promise
Our packaging is designed to return safely to the Earth, just like the botanicals inside. Every bag is BPA- and Phthalate-free, GMO-free, and contains no animal products. Each meets ASTM D6400 composting standards, ensuring it can fully break down in a home compost bin.
What are the Fluffy White Growths on my Botanicals?
That’s biofilm and fungi—what we call the “goo phase.” It’s one of the clearest signs that your aquarium is alive and functioning. These growths wax and wane naturally as botanicals decompose. They’re harmless, even beneficial, and will disappear on their own once microbial populations stabilize.
Will botanicals lower the pH of my water?
That depends entirely on your source water. In very soft or RODI water, botanicals can gradually lower pH as tannins and humic substances accumulate. In medium to hard tap water, buffering capacity often resists these shifts, and you may not notice much change. At Betta Botanicals HQ, our very hard water (350+ ppm) shows almost no pH change unless we use botanicals like Alder Cones or Macaranga Leaves.
When should I replace leaves or pods in my tank?
We recommend allowing botanicals to fully break down into detritus, since this fuels microbial life and enriches the substrate. You can remove them once they stop tinting the water, but you’ll lose some of their ecological benefits. Each time you add new botanicals, follow proper preparation and observe your livestock until you learn your aquarium’s rhythm.
Are your products just for bettas?
Nope. Our botanicals are safe for almost all aquariums, terrariums, vivariums, and paludariums. The only exceptions are goldfish and axolotls, which may ingest small pods like alder cones or casuarina cones. For those species, we recommend large leaves such as Indian Almond, Loquat, or Jackfruit.
What are Tannins?
Tannins are natural compounds released by leaves, seed pods, and bark as they decompose in water. They soften water, gently lower pH, and create the characteristic tea-stained tint found in blackwater habitats. But their role goes far beyond color—tannins fuel beneficial bacteria, fungi, and biofilms, which form the foundation of a healthy ecosystem. They also offer mild antifungal benefits and help reduce stress in fish by replicating the natural conditions they’ve evolved in. At their core, tannins are plant-derived antioxidants that connect your aquarium to the same processes at work in wild flooded forests and streams.