Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus)

KyleT

Java Fern takes up most nutrients through its leaves. Make sure there are sufficient nutrients in the water column, especially with higher light levels. Nitrate deficiencies will lead to black areas on leaves.

Thomas

Wasserpest

First plant i had in my tank, So easy to keep, do not bury the roots it needs to feed from the water colume, Pretty hard to kill, Over a year mines now a huge 14 inch center piece.

Deano

Deano's comment is definately right; do not bury them in the gravel. All the aquariums do this, i guess because there only there for a few days before being sold. They often look unhealthy in the shop, but once home in your tank on some driftwood they look great and make a full recovery. A really nice, easy to care for plant. They can get quite a bit of algae on the leaves, but most types of catfish/loaches will eat it off without damaging the leaves.

Nick

I picked up this plant a couple of months ago, and it adds a very nice green colour amongst the other plants. I weigh it down with a rock so that the roots stay above the gravel. Every once in a while it gets knocked free and I have to set it back. My kulhi loaches are always hanging out in there. It is a pretty addition to my tank!

Dominique

Takes cold water ok. Mine survived temperatures close to freezing (no joke).

William

I transplanted a few very small (<.5") java ferns from my momma leaf(they grow on the underside of large leaves) into my girlfriend's 10 gallon tank. They grew like crazy in a crack in some driftwood and loosly rooted in the gravel (they send out roots above the substrate). If you have lonely driftwood in the tank, shove the roots of the java fern into any crag you can find and it'll do the rest.

Evan

This was my first plant as well. I bought one with the intent of tying it to a small rock to anchor it. Through mishandling I ended up breaking it into four pieces with only a couple of leaves each. Now, a year later, I've got four big, healthy plants spread about over two tanks. This is a slow grower but give it some time in a mature, well-lit tank and it will sneak up on you.

Mister Priapus

I bought a ready matured driftwood piece with java fern and moss on. Recently i have had problems with high phosphates in tap water and the algae has started growing all over the edges of the leaves, they're starting to look like moustaches! Although i have alot of new shoots coming out and unrolling which is good. Java fern is also quite hardy as when it gets damaged by snails or boisterous fish it just heals over the damage and carrys on! Very nice plant indeed.

David Slade

I have a small tank with a driftwood and lots of Java Fern in it. This tank has no filter and aeration at all. I just change the water 50% once a week. The water is crystal clear and the fish are healthy. Thanks to the fern, it balances the ecosystem in my litle tank.

edison

This one is a slow grower for sure. I attached some small baby cuttings on to some drift wood, and it did nothing for months...just now it is starting to produce new leaves and attach itself. Hopefully it will pick up the pace!

justin

I've found that my Java Ferns take off rather slowly when first tied to rocks/wood. After a few months they really pick up the pace and start growing. I started out with one plant, about four leaves. Today that plant is hovering around 25 leaves or so and doing quite well. Anyone growing this plant will find it quite hardy and easy to care for. None of my fish bother it and some enjoy resting on it (Oto, Kuhli Loach).

Burks

Easy plant to care for. I had bought a fern an!d had propagated it into about 10 plants now. Also I have some baby plants along with them. If you get them in less then perfect condition, just wait about 2 weeks and it should be looking alot better

James

A true low light plant. I had a 30watt & 18k lums. bulb on a 29 gal. tank and they started to turn yellow and brown from to much light. I switched to 20watts & 2,700 lums.. Now they are growing new leaves daily. some are even planted. Bigger substrate.

knuggs

mrbelvedere

Java fern can be a quick growing, gorgeous plant. Provide it with heavy current, high CO2, and high light, and it will grow like a weed. Otherwise, it kind of just sits there.

@marko@

my java fern is ill and nobody seems to know what it is. i believe it may be a disease, though i have never heard of it in an aquatic plant. none of my other plants are affected, but ferns in multiple tanks all got it. the ferns developed brown splotches on the leaves, the splotches spread, eventually the leaves rotted away. the rotting splotches have a crips outline, they dont really fade into the healthy tissue; there is a clear division.

Allen121

This is a wonderful plant. I bought a small one at my favorite LFS down south and it flourished under 2wpg with no ferts and no CO2 for the first few months, but then I had to leave the tank in my room mates care for several months and it became choked with algae and stopped puting out new leaves. I moved the tank u north and over the first month it put out one leaf then all leaves paled and turned yellowish white and eventually melted. I finally thought to test my PH and as it turns out it's coming out of the tap at 8.4+ so I've done water changes using bottled water and intend to replace it and see if the new one will fare better. The 'Windelov' variety I purchased last week seems to be doing just fine and is beginning to grow new leaves already.

ghostsword

I attached a couple of older leaves to a 30cm long piece of bogwood. I under a year it has covered the whole piece of wood. My pride and joy.

I will now put it with current and allow it to get more light, to see if it grows faster.

If it takes hold, then I will try to have it grown outside the water.