Java Fern
Microsorum pteropus
A virtually indestructible epiphyte that attaches to wood and rock — perfect for beginners.
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| Care Difficulty | Beginner |
| Lighting | Low to Medium |
| CO2 Requirement | Not required |
| Growth Rate | Slow |
| Placement | Midground/Background |
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Description
Java fern is one of the easiest aquarium plants, thriving in low light with no CO2 or substrate. It must be attached to hardscape, never buried, as a buried rhizome will rot.
Care Guide
Tie or glue the rhizome to driftwood or rock. It grows slowly but steadily and propagates via plantlets on its leaves. Brown spots are usually plantlets or nutrient deficiency, not disease. Tolerates a wide range of conditions and is ignored by most plant-eating fish.
FAQ
Why is my java fern turning brown?
Often it's producing baby plantlets, or it needs more nutrients. Avoid burying the rhizome, which causes rot.
Does java fern need CO2?
No. It grows fine in low-tech tanks without CO2, just more slowly.