Java Fern Stats
Minimum Tank Size: 10 Gallons
Care Level: Easy
Water Conditions: 6-8 ph and Soft to Moderately Hard
Temperature: 22–27 °C (72–82 °F)
Maximum Size: 13 ½ inches (35 cm)
The Java fern (Microsorum pteropus) is an aquatic fern native to South East Asia. There are many different varieties of this fern, and the size of the plant and leaf shape will vary greatly from variety to variety. The four most commonly available are the narrow leaf, the needle leaf, the Windelov and lance leaf.
What makes the Java fern so attractive to aquarists, is that it is one of the easiest aquatic plants to grow. Even in the most basic aquarium setup, it will usually grow like a weed and spread across the aquarium. With that being said, some may take a while for their growth to really ramp up, so don’t worry too much if it doesn’t grow for the first few weeks after it has been planted.
Once it has started growing, it can grow up to 13 ½ inches (35 cm) in height, and up to 6 inches (15 cm) in width. Because of its size, it makes a good addition to the rear or mid-ground of the aquarium.
Care
Java ferns are an incredibly easy plant to grow, and to fail with this plant you almost have to actively be trying to kill it. Unlike many other plants, it doesn’t need a specialized substrate, and it will also do well without the addition of carbon dioxide.
It can be planted nearly anywhere in the aquarium and can be placed on driftwood, rocks or directly onto the gravel (but make sure not to bury it in the substrate). When placing it on driftwood or rocks, it needs to be attached until the roots have fastened to the surface.
To attach the Java fern, you can use either fish line or dark colored thread. Most people tend to prefer thread, since it will dissolve over time after the plant has rooted to the object. Other people prefer to use rubber bands or zip ties, but these are usually noticeable and ugly. If you use rubber bands or zip ties, you may want to remove them after the plant rooted to the surface.
Java ferns do not require any special lighting, and will actually suffer if the lighting is too strong. They will flourish under the incandescent bulbs provided in small, basic aquariums – but they will do especially well under subdued fluorescent bulbs. You can tell if the lighting is too strong for the Java ferns by looking at the leaves. If they start to become brown and transparent, you should cut back on the lighting until the plant recovers.
The one thing to remember with Java ferns, is that they require a regular fertilizer. Because they have no “true” roots, they get most of their fertilizer from the water column. If you want your Java fern to truly thrive, you should add a liquid fertilizer after every weekly water change. Tab fertilizers are useless with Java ferns, since they don’t have a proper root system to utilize them.
Propagation
Like several other common aquarium plants, Java fern propagate through adventitious plantlets. You will see small adventitious plants begin to form on old leaves, which can be broken off safely from the rhizome.
The new plants can then be attached to their new location, and should be tied down in place while the roots grow over several weeks. As these new plants develop, new rhizomes will form and the whole process can be repeated.
Compatibility
One of the great things about Java fern is that very few fish seem to bother with it – even fish that are constantly on the prowl for a tasty aquatic plant salad. While it probably still won’t survive for long in a goldfish tank, it does do quite well with larger cichlids and many herbivore fish.
There are several reasons given for its relative hardiness around fish that normally devastate plants. Some sources claim that it has a bitter taste, but more reputable sources seem to believe that the tough structure of the leaves make them unattractive to fish.
Thank you for your advice. Java ferns are very hardy plants.
Thanks for the article. I’ve been wondering why some Java fern I bought weren’t doing well. It seems like I’ve been “actively killing” my java ferns for a while now. I was burying them, and now all the single leaves are brown at the bottom but still green and producing rhizomes further up the leaf. Because the java ferns only came as leaves in the first place, I think I’ve made it even worse.
Do you think they will survive if I attach them to drift wood now?
Can I place a Java fern in a tank that already has fish or do I have to wait a month or so
It would be fine adding it to a tank that already has fish. Just make sure you dip in it a bleach solution before adding it to the tank. The bleach should kill off any snail hitchhikers and algae on the plant. The solution should be about 1 part bleach to 20 parts dechlorinated water and the plants should be rinsed off in clean declorinated water prior to be added to the tank.
Do I have to plant the Java or can I just drop it in to the tank?
I wouldn’t recommend dropping it in the tank. It will eventually anchor to a surface, and so when you first place it in a tank, you want to tie it to something until it can anchor. I usually place mine on driftwood (though rocks, decorations and other things will work as well), and I hold it in place with either fishing line, or thread. I’ve lately been using thread more, since it’s easier to work with, and causes less problems if it comes loose.
I m Qanet from Libya .. This plant amazingly I left my house a year and a half because of the war and when I came back and found him alive , without for a year and a half attention !!!!
That’s pretty amazing. I’m surprised there was even any water left in the aquarium when you returned. I guess the other inhabitants of the tank weren’t so lucky?
The aquarium was well closed no water evaporates completely .. There Gopi did not unlucky fish completely decomposed .. Java ferns resisted all the circumstances I’ve managed to survive without any help from me in the lighting is very, very weak ..
^^ I apologize because I am weak in English , but I liked to participate in this special topic ♡
Hello! I know this is an old comment, but I wanted to tell you I’m thankful you were able to return to your home. I hope you and your strong java fern stay safe and prosperous!
Thank you Rachel. You are wonderful
What do you mean by adding fertilizer? Is there a brand you recommend and a specific application method? I’ve just started to experiment with live plants in my betta tank. So far so good but I’d like both the plants and fish to be as happy and healthy as possible. Also the man at my aquarium shop recommended that I just stick the java fern into a crevice in the drift wood, should I take it out and make sure the roots are tied down as I notice a few seem to be drifting aimlessly in the water. Thanks for all the great advice on this site.
I would always tie them down to begin with, otherwise it can be difficult for the roots to really latch on. Especially, if you have curious fish in the tank.
As for fertilizer, I quite like Seachem Flourish Plant Supplement, which provides most of the nutrients the plant would be missing. But any of the other fertilizers specifically made for aquariums should also work.
lol, I have one of these and it is 17 inchs tall and 30 inches wide! XD
And it was not ferterised at all
Can I keep them in cold water over winter as my tank has been dismantled in prep for a move in about a month?
How cold does it get there? If it’s average room temperature, they may be fine, but they probably will suffer a fair bit. Anything lower than room temperature, and you’ll probably have a die off. Also, you’ll need to make sure to give them plenty of light in what ever you’re keeping them in.
Thank you Robert, they are inside at Port Macquarie.I will keep a close eye on them. Not too cold up here.
Do They Nd fertilizer to keep them alive or the water is gd enough to keep them nourish as i have anubias and java fern but no fertilizers
They’ll survive without fertilizers as long as you keep on top of water changes, but they won’t thrive. I strongly recommend adding fertilizers to the water for Java ferns.
I originally purchased two of these hardy little plants attached to bogwood. After the ferns started developing young plants I no longer bothered with attaching them to anything and just pushed them a little into my substrate (sand in my case). I’ve never added fertiliser to either of my tanks and the ferns are thriving (so much so that I regularly have to throw some away!) but I do keep on top of water changes.
It definitely sounds like you’re doing something right. And it’s great when the plants really get going, and you can let them spread on their own. Regular water changes definitely help, as most water carries traces of minerals for the plants.
I just stuck mine in bottom gravel or put a small stone on top to keep in place. No feeding and no water changes for almost 2 years and am giving it away by handfills.
The water changes probably help, since it keeps the levels of nitrates up for the plants. But it definitely sounds like you’re doing a good job keeping the plant.
I purchased a java fern plant from a aquarium shop yesterday .The plant is in a plastic pot with many holes and decently attached to a fibre substrate.Do i need to remove the plant from this pot to plant it or is it OK to keep it like this in my aquarium. .
It’s fine to leave it in the fibre, but what you probably want to do is peel away as much as possible, without damaging the roots. Over time, it will move away from the fibre and you can safely remove it, though you’ll probably have to remove some of the plant as well.
Can I use Glue? If so, what kind. Great info. Merry Christmas!I
Unfortunately, I don’t think glue would work. It would bind the roots and rhizome on the plant, so it couldn’t continue to expand and it might even kill the plant outright. It might work if you just glued one part, and didn’t mind that part dying, but I would stick with something like thread or fishing line if you can.
can java fern grow if it is just free floating?
You’ll most likely have moderate growth, but it won’t do very well. It does much when anchored to the substrate, or on an ornament in the aquarium – especially if you have a lot of current.
I zippy tied mine to a petrified wood rock for about 2 months but it did not attach itself to the rock, and is green mostly on the tips. How long does it take for them to root?
It’ usually only takes a few weeks at most. How smooth is the petrified rock? If the surface is too smooth, it may not be able to attach. It might be a good idea to plant it in the gravel next to it, and allow to grow onto the wood by itself.
The rock is pretty rough. How deep should it be planted in the substrate, and if it keeps floating off would there be any harm in making an anchor using moist red clay with Osmocote, and chelated iron embedded in the clay then rolled into a “worm” and wrapped around the roots then planted? Thanks, Rod.
You have to make sure not to plant or cover the rhizome of the plant, so you should only try to anchor the roots, and nothing near the base of the leafs. The clay may cause problems and cause rhizome root, which would be a problem, unless you can keep it only on the roots. But if you can do that, it should be fine.
If I use Seachem Flourish to fertilize java fern, would that be safe for the fish in the tank?
Also, when I dose it, do I need to remove my carbon in the filter?
Thanks!
It will be safe for the fish, and to be honest with you, most people don’t use the carbon insert in planted tanks. It can remove important chemicals, and while it likely won’t absorb all of the trace elements, it may still remove some of them.
Did not know about the carbon in the filter removing elements for the plants, total novice here, what type filter insert would be right?
Thank you, owen
What sort of filter do you have? Most filters have a carbon insert, a biological insert and a sponge insert. Just remove the carbon and you should be fine.
I just purchased some java fern but they come in a mat is it ok to leave them in the mat or should I take them out and anchor to objects?
When you say a mat, is it the brown planting material they often come it? If it’s that, then I’d remove as much as possible, but you have to leave the closest to the roots to prevent damaging them.
It’s a little brown mat around 3″x5″ and the roots are all intertwined with it. It would be a pretty big task to try and take them out. I think I would damage the roots really bad if I tried to take them out of the mat. Will they die if they stay in the mat?
Thanks for your help,
Scott
They won’t die and it’s fine to leave for now. It’s planting medium, so it’s fine. Over time, you’ll be able to remove the newer Java ferns from the material.
Can java fern be placed in the strong current of an aerator
It’s best to keep it out of strong current. I would at least create some sort of current-break in front of it so it’s not constantly waving in the current.
Hello, how many hours should I leave my lights turn on? And what lightning needed for a 15 gallons tank? How many watts?Is the java fern compatible with Buenos Aires tetra? Thankyou..sorry for my English..
A good rule of thumb is to have at least 3 watts of light per gallon. So depending on the light you use, something greater than 60 watts would probably do (you’d have to convert it if it’s fluorescent wattage). And the lights should be on for at least 8 hours; You can adjust it upwards if algae doesn’t become a problem.
Is Seachem Flourish Plant Supplement safe for use in planted shrimp (only) tank? Pls. help.
The amount of copper is so tiny in there, that it shouldn’t hurt the shrimp. It’s only copper medications that can be toxic for shrimp and other invertebrates
Hello,
I have been experimenting with aqua plants like Java fern and Java moss, and both aren’t flourishing well. I have used gravel to anchor the fern, but out of 6 plants 4 have died and the last 2 are browning a bit and also giving shoots from the leaf tips. Half of the Java Moss has turned brown and becoming bits and floating in the water.
I use tap water that i have stored for over 12 hours to remove the chlorine and also add a few drops of lemon juice to de chlorinate the water. ( I live in India )
Can you advice on what I’m doing wrong?
What sort of lighting are you using? Do you know the pH and hardness of your water? Are you using any fertilizer?
Also, lemon is never a great idea to put in an aquarium – it lowers the pH suddenly and has sugars which can create some unwanted effects. Also, chlorine needs at least 24 hours to dissipate so I would leave it out longer.
also if you have chlorimine rather than chlorine, 24 x doesn’t dissipate it either. Seachem prime lasts forever , if you can use it .
thank you Kelly for your information