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Pisces Live Plant Microsorium Indo (Java fern) - Medium Driftwood

The Java fern is native to the tropical jungles of Southeast Asia, where it grows on rocks and near waterfalls, and is often submerged partially or entirely underwater.

The Java fern is a green, leafy plant made up of two main components — the rhizome and the leaves. A rhizome is a group of thin brown stalks that act as a stem for the fern by attaching themselves to surfaces.

Java ferns absorb carbon dioxide from the water, making them a beneficial addition to any tank. This plant also requires minimal lighting, which reduces the likelihood of algae growing in the tank, and the plant’s leaves provide a great hiding place for small shy fish.

Java ferns are easy to care for because they have minimal requirements and are resilient in nature. In the wild, you’ll typically find them in shady areas, so the plants require similar low-lighting conditions in the tank.

They don’t require substrates such as gravel or sand, making them ideal for bare-bottom tanks. If you include substrate in the tank, don’t bury your fern in it, because doing so will rot the plant. Instead, grow your fern on a rock or piece of driftwood.

Java ferns decorate best in the mid-ground or background of the tank. Having a large fern at the front of your tank can obscure the view of fish or decorations.

These plants can grow to be bushy, so if you’re planting a few ferns in one tank, plant them far apart from each other.

The Java fern’s ability to draw nutrients from the water through its leaves means it doesn’t require fertilizer. However, if you want to encourage quicker growth, introduce a liquid fertilizer to the tank during water changes.

While CO2 isn’t necessary for Java fern growth, adding it to the tank will speed up the plant’s growth.

Avoid planting a Java fern in substrates such as gravel and rocks because doing so will rot the rhizome. You can tell if the rhizome is rotting when the Java fern turns brown.

Aquarists sometimes mistake black spots on the fern’s leaves as a disease when in fact, this is where the fern’s sprouts bud. However, if the black spots don’t grow new ferns after a few weeks, the black spots could indicate burns, so reduce the lighting level in the tank.

• Scientific name: Microsorium indo
• Common names: Java fern
• Origin: Southeast Asia
• Height: 12–14 inches
• Growth rate: Slow (1 inch per month)
• Color: Green
• Aquarium placement: Midground
• Water type: Freshwater
• Temperature: 20–26°C
• pH: 6.0–7.5