Tropica Microsorum Pteropus on Root XL

The very easy to care for Microsorum pteropus, or Java fern, comes from Southeast Asia. The epiphyte is 10 to 25 cm high and is perfect for tying onto roots or stones in the middle ground and tolerates soft to hard water.

The Java fern Microsorum pteropus from the jungle streams of Southeast Asia has a permanent place in the aquarium hobby. The long, medium green leaves of this beautiful water fern grow rather slowly. Java fern is robust and quite undemanding and doesn't need a lot of light.

Microsorum pteropus also grows in nature as an epiphyte. The rhizome (the thick green rhizome) of the water fern grows crawling along the ground. The rhizome should not be planted because it can begin to rot in the substrate in the aquarium. Java fern is, therefore, best tied or glued to an aquarium root or a beautiful stone. When planting in the substrate, you have to make sure that the rootstock is definitely not covered with gravel or soil.

The easy-care Microsorum pteropus fits very well into the middle ground on hardscape like roots and stones. It is not really picky about water values and also grows under little light and without CO2 fertilisation. What the Java fern needs, however, is a good supply of potassium. If this is not the case, it can develop unsightly black spots, especially on the older leaves.