Java Fern
Microsorum pteropus
Aquatic Plants Difficulty: Easy
📖 About this plant
One of the most iconic and beginner-friendly aquarium plants, with distinctive leathery, elongated green leaves. Grows attached to hardscape rather than planted in substrate. Extremely tolerant of low light and poor conditions. Baby ferns develop on mature leaf edges, creating a charming cascading effect over time.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
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Light
Low to moderate light
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Water
Submerged in aquarium
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Humidity
N/A (fully aquatic)
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Temperature
18-28°C
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Soil
Should not be buried — attach to driftwood, rocks, or decorations with fishing line or glue
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Fertilizer
Liquid aquarium fertilizer every 2-3 weeks, slow grower so needs less than most plants
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Southeast Asia — Java, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia
- 📏 Max height
- 20-35 cm
- 📐 Spread
- 20-45 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Non-flowering
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Insignificant (small white sporangia on leaf undersides)
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Dark Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Slow
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic to fish and humans
- 🌱 Propagation
- Division of the rhizome, adventitious plantlets on leaf tips and margins
🛡️ Health & Safety
🐾 Pet safe
✅ Non-toxic
Non-toxic to fish and humans
Common issues
- Rhizome rot if buried in substrate, Black spots on leaves (often harmless sporangia), Algae growth on slow leaves in bright tanks, Very slow growth rate
💡 Care tips
- Do not bury the rhizome or it will rot,Tie to driftwood or rocks using fishing line until attached,Propagates by producing tiny plantlets on leaf undersides,One of the best plants for low-tech aquarium setups
🪴 Add to My Plants
One click — added instantly. Watering every 7 days, fertilizing every 18 days.
