Want a background plant with pattern rather than plain green? Cryptocoryne spiralis 'Tiger' throws long, narrow leaves marked with dark tiger striping over olive to reddish-brown — and it does it in low light with no CO₂, which almost no other patterned plant manages.
What You’ll Receive
Enhance your aquarium with our versatile selection of high-quality aquatic plants, available in convenient formats:
- Bare-root Plants: Includes approximately 1 loose clump plants with roots. Perfect for flexible planting arrangements.
- Rooted Bunched: Approximately 1 clump plants with roots, bundled with foam and a plant weight for easy placement.
- Rooted Potted: About 1 clump plants with roots, securely potted in a net pot with rockwool, ensuring stability and healthy growth.
These pest-free, young plants were grown in a lab before transitioning ex-vitro for maximum hardiness. Expect natural variations in their initial size and color as they settle in and mature in your tank!
Plant Profile
- Common name — Tiger Crypt, Spiralis Tiger
- Scientific name — Cryptocoryne spiralis 'Tiger'
- Placement — Background
- Mature height — 8–14 in
- Growth rate — Slow
Care
- Difficulty — Beginner, once it settles in
- Light — Low to medium; brighter light deepens the striping and red tones
- CO₂ — Not required! It simply colors up faster with it
- Water — 72–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5
- Feeding — Root feeder; root tabs or nutrient substrate matter here
- Propagation — Substrate runners from the base
Grower’s Notes
- Expect it to melt after planting. Crypts shed most or all of their leaves on a change of conditions, then regrow from the roots over two to four weeks. Leave it in place — pulling it out is what turns a recoverable melt into a dead plant.
- Feed at the roots. This is a heavy root feeder, and in inert gravel it survives without ever building the long striped leaves you bought it for.
- Place it once and leave it. Crypts melt again every time they are moved, so decide position before planting rather than after.
- The striping strengthens with light and time. A newly planted Tiger often comes back plain green first, with the pattern developing as it establishes.
Want to go deeper? Read our complete Cryptocoryne Care Guide.
Notes
- Photos are for reference; leaf length, color and striping vary considerably with lighting and nutrients.
- Never release aquarium plants into natural waterways.
At a glance
- Free shipping on orders of $150 or more (after discounts) within the contiguous United States, by USPS.
- Free thermal protection is included with every shipment, all year round.
- Processing: most orders leave us within 1 to 2 business days. Tracking is emailed when your order ships.
- USPS (2 to 5 business days) ships Monday through Saturday.
- UPS 2nd Day Air® ships Monday through Wednesday. Order by Tuesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time for same-week delivery.
- UPS Next Day Air® ships Monday through Thursday. Order by Wednesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time for same-week delivery.
- Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and military addresses ship by USPS at a flat rate shown at checkout.
- Weather holds: during extreme heat or cold we may hold live orders until it's safe to ship.
- We ship within the United States only.
Please bring live plants indoors and unpack them the day they arrive. Every live order is covered by our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee.
The complete rules, including lost packages and address issues, are in our Shipping Policy. If anything conflicts, that policy applies.
Every live order is backed by our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee. If a plant arrives dead, we'll make it right.
How it works
- Tell us within 24 hours of the delivery time on your tracking.
- Send photos of the affected items in their original, unopened packaging, plus a photo of the shipping label, to hello@aquariumplantsfactory.com with your order number.
- We'll make it right with a replacement, store credit or refund for the affected item.
Good to know
- Some melting or yellowing as plants adjust from greenhouse to aquarium life is normal. They regrow from healthy roots and rhizomes.
- Please bring your package indoors and unpack it the day it arrives.
- Free promotional items and shipping charges are not covered.
The complete rules, including what's covered and what voids the guarantee, are in our Returns, Refunds & Live Arrival Guarantee. If anything conflicts, that policy applies.
Please review your state's regulations on restricted plants, as we are committed to not shipping plants that are restricted in your area. Do not release any plants into the wild or waterways, as this can harm local ecosystems by introducing invasive species.
Your cooperation in protecting the environment is appreciated. For continuously updated information, refer to the USDA State Noxious Weed list here.
Thank you for your responsible commitment to environmental preservation.
Customers praised this aquatic plant for its beautiful color, with "pretty pink" leaves and bright green sections. Most plants arrived healthy and adapted well to tanks without CO2. However, shipping damage was reported in several cases, with plants arriving melted, rotted, or smaller than expected. Successfully established plants showed good growth and resilience.
- It never melted, just rooted in and started growing in looking pretty and pink in gravel
- This a stunning plant. The green sections are bright and the outer edges are such a pretty pink
- Came in healthy and clean. Holding up well so far and no signs of melt!
K
Two plants had rotted roots. I'm floating them and hoping for new roots to grow in. The third plant arrived in pieces, nothing to salvage. Very unhappy with this out come.
A
Healthy plant
Will see how it’ll adapt to my conditions
R
This a stunning plant, and I can't wait for it to settle in and grow tall. They arrived a little on the smaller side, and I was afraid that they would not make it at all since they're a little more delicate, but they melted and bounced back (eyeroll; typical crypt lol). I just did not realize what a beautiful contrast the leaves have. The green sections are a bright, almost "cheery" green, and the outer edges of the leaves (in my tank) are such a pretty pink color. I have a low-tech tank, so I imagine that someone running high lights and CO2 will produce better results, but this is an awesome plant either way. I know my pic does NOT do the plant justice, ...but it's proof that they are growing!
B
Mine are looking great and are so pink. Camera is broke so pic sucks sorry. All plants are from APF and this is my first aquascape and live plants. Just changed lighting so my carpet will start growing.
C
Just a great crypt. Grown in a 5g cube with a surface skimmer only.
J
I bought these seeing the picture they showed on the description. I got a very tiny slimy plant no bigger than my palm. Not the four inches in the pic. The other plants I got were very nice
A
Plants arrived very healthy
M
I love this plant and I can’t wait for them adjust to my tank.
M
I love these plants and I can’t wait for them to adapt to my tank,Thanks
K
Unfortunately the only plant that didn’t make the trip. But.... all the others made it , and are beautiful!
K
I ordered 9 plants various varieties that were all bare root. Most survived the shipping although the tiger Cryptocoryne spiralis was completely melted (it was stuck an entire extra day at the post office so blaming them). And the Schismatoglottis Prietoi was in rough shape but savable. The plants that did survive have been doing great and I was happy to receive more than I thought I would in the bare root bunch and I was happy with the size of plants received as well.
J
I've always gotten good portions which arrived safe and healthy. It's absolutely worth the extra shipping cost for the assurance that the plants I order here are going to arrive exactly as expected.
M
I love this plant, especially when it mature.
G
Cryptocoryne Spiralis Tiger is doing great after one month! It never melted, just rooted in and started growing in looking pretty and pink in gravel in a newly cycled tank with no CO2. Highly recommend!!!
M
Nice bear root specimen
D
Cryptocoryne Spiralis Tiger
D
I was very disappointed when all of my plants came in with brown leaves and had to throw some away. I will not order again.
H
These were a bit mushy on parts but overall good portion sizes and large enough plants that i expect good things from them.
L
very tiny and not recognizable as a spiralis but it isn't melting so that is a bonus with crypts
M
Although a little small they still came in healthy and look great in my tank.
M
Came in healthy and clean. Holding up well so far and no signs of melt! Can’t wait to see them grow in
F
Look no further aquarium plants factory is the best. They never disappoint me , it’s my 4th order from them. Everything package well , Tons of fresh plants.
S
Smaller than I thought but healthy and growing
J
I have looked for this particular plant for awhile and every place I checked showed that it was unavailable until I found Aquarium Plants Factory where it was in stock. The plants arrived well packaged and appeared very healthy, showing good color and a healthy root system. I have planted them in a new aquarium set up and so far have not experienced any melting back. I am very pleased with this plant as well as the good price and service!
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