Ctenanthes are members of of Marantaceae family, which contains all prayer plants. Ctenanthes are grown for their foliage, which often resembles a softly rounded rectangle (e.g., Ctenanthe "Gold Mosaic"). Ctenanthes are more demanding than many of the other plants profiled on this website, and are not the best choice for beginners. However, given that the most common cause of houseplant death is overwatering, and that ctenanthes like to stay on the moist side, I personally believe that the difficulty of growing ctenanthes is overstated for the typical grower who over-showers their plant with affection (and water).
Note that these plants are often mislabeled as calatheas, and certain species / cultivars of stromanthe (e.g., stromanthe "Triostar") also seem to have names in the Ctenanthe genus. I don't believe I've found any retailer that reliably labels their prayer plants. These plants will often come unlabeled from wholesalers, and nursery personnel will often just google to attempt to identify the plants they have in stock. Mistakes are common, so always do your own research to identify your new plant.
I do not suggest allowing ctenanthes to get any direct light. While they might appear to thrive at first - especially if you improve other variables, like water, from their nursery habitats - they will eventually sunburn, dry, and struggle to keep new growth healthy. Direct light is especially deadly if your plant is not staying adequately moist. Aim for moderate indirect light.
Ctenanthes need to stay moist, but not wet, at all times. (Don't know the difference? Get a moisture meter! If my ctenanthes are toward the bottom of the "moist" range in the top couple inches of soil, I water them.) If your potting medium drains very poorly, you might struggle to decide when to water, as the middle of the tight root ball may almost never dry out. My advice: Repot into better medium (see below).
Many growers say that ctenanthes (and all prayer plants) seem to do best with distilled or filtered water, and that minerals from tap water will tend to result in the leaves getting brown and crispy. I haven't found great evidence for this claim with a cursory search of scientific literature.
I do not suggest keeping ctenanthes in terra cotta pots, especially for inexperienced growers, unless you really cannot restrain yourself from watering the plant multiple times a week. The upkeep of keeping a ctenanthe moist in terra cotta seems overly burdensome for the average grower.
To keep your ctenanthe looking its best, you really need a humidifier. These plants do best for me above 55% humidity, which is just not achievable in most locales (especially when you take into account the drying effects of central heat and air conditioning) without a humidifier. There are good humidifiers on the market for $30 or less that will help keep your (less be honest, somewhat pricey) plants in tip-top shape.
Even though ctenanthes like to stay moist, I still keep mine in well-draining soil and repot out of the nursery soil as soon as possible. Ctenanthes can still experience root rot, and since their roots get quite dense, I find that the soil nurseries sell them in can stay soaking wet almost indefinitely.