Planting
How to plant each type
Rhizomes, stems, rosettes, carpets, and floaters need different treatment. Get the base right.
Wood & rockView on AquariumFish.com ↗
Java fern
Microsorum pteropus
Long, textured green leaves bring a natural woodland feel to driftwood and stone. A dependable place to begin if you want a planted aquarium without a demanding setup.
- Care level
- Easy
- Light
- Low
- Added CO₂
- Optional
- Growth
- Slow
- Placement
- Midground
- Growing style
- Wood & rock
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How to plant it
Attach the plant to wood or rock with a loose aquarium-safe tie. Keep the horizontal rhizome—the thick stem the leaves grow from—above the substrate. Roots can grow into crevices as the plant establishes.
Everyday care
Give it gentle circulation and avoid placing slow-growing leaves directly under intense light. Remove damaged leaves near their base without cutting the rhizome. New growth matters more than the condition of older leaves after a move.
Growing more
A mature plant can be divided into sections that each retain healthy leaves and roots. Plantlets may also develop on older leaves; let them develop roots before separating them.
What to watch for
Dark dots on the undersides of mature leaves can be reproductive structures. Soft, spreading decay is a different issue: inspect the rhizome and remove rotting tissue.
Care levels are a practical starting point, not a growth guarantee. “Optional CO₂” means added CO₂ is not essential for a suitable low-demand setup. Check the exact listing for the supplied plant form and current options.
Product identification and imagery: AquariumFish.com: Java Fern. Additional growing guidance: Tropica plant directory.
Keep learning
Give it a good start.
Nutrition
Substrate & plant nutrition
Choose a rooting medium and feeding routine that work with the plants and water you have.
Troubleshooting
Plant melt: what to check
Separate normal adjustment from ongoing decline by inspecting the base and watching new growth.