Java fern
Microsorum pteropus
The Java fern is a classic attachment plant with bright green lance-shaped leaves, a staple of the aquarium hobby. Hardy and highly adaptable, it thrives in almost any conditions. It is one of the easiest plants to grow.
Parameters
- Water type
- Freshwater
- Min volume
- 20 L
- Temperature
- 20–28 °C
- pH
- 5.5–7.5
- Hardness (GH)
- 2–18 °GH
- Adult size
- 30 cm
- Difficulty
- Débutant
Environment
It is suitable from 20 litres, between 20 and 28 °C, pH 5.5 to 7.5. Like Anubias, it is a rhizome plant that attaches to roots and rocks rather than rooting in the substrate. It tolerates low to moderate light and is ideally used in the midground or background.
Feeding
It does without CO2 and a rich substrate, drawing its nutrients from the water column; light liquid fertilisation promotes its growth. Overly intense lighting is unnecessary and encourages algae.
Tips & tankmates
The rhizome must not be buried: attach the plant to a support, leaving the rhizome exposed in the water. Burying the rhizome is the classic mistake that causes the plant to rot. It propagates spontaneously through plantlets that appear on older leaves: let them develop, then detach them. Small brown dots under the leaves are sori (reproduction), not a disease.
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Information provided for guidance only; it may vary between individuals and conditions. If in doubt about an animal's health, consult a vet.