Java Fern
Microsorum pteropus
Check Java FernJava Fern is one of the hardiest and most popular aquarium plants, thriving in low-light conditions without CO2 injection. Its distinctive dark green, leathery leaves grow from a rhizome that should be attached to driftwood or rocks rather than buried in substrate. It propagates by producing tiny plantlets on mature leaves, making it virtually maintenance-free.
Lighting
Low to moderate
CO2
Not required
Growth Rate
Slow
Placement
Midground to background
Difficulty
beginner
Recommended Products
Everything you need to grow Java Fern in your planted tank.
Accessories
Seachem Flourish Liquid Fertilizer
Comprehensive micronutrient supplement that Java Fern absorbs primarily through its leaves and rhizome. A small weekly dose provides iron, manganese, and trace elements for new frond production and dark green, leathery coloration. Low doses prevent algae on slow-growing leaves.
CO2 Systems
Seachem Flourish Excel
Liquid bioavailable carbon source — an effective CO2 alternative for Java Fern. A small daily dose provides the organic carbon this epiphyte needs for steady growth in tanks without pressurized CO2. Also helps control the algae that commonly grows on Java Fern leaves.
Substrate & Soil
Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum
Premium volcanic soil substrate that creates the soft, slightly acidic conditions Java Fern thrives in. While Java Fern is an epiphyte and should not be buried, this substrate is ideal for the other plants sharing its tank, and provides the water chemistry Java Fern prefers.