All about Java ferns

[joe]

This got to be one of the most favourite plants of all times. You like it or dun like it, its present in almost every tank.
But do you know there are 21 species of this plant???? Shocking eh?
This plant is versatile as lorba would have put it. It can grow emmersed or submersed, and both forms are pretty attractive.

If you guys could, lets discuss more on this plant.
Why do you like this plant? Or maybe why you hate this plant??
Why is it always used in aquascapes? Anyone with pure java fern tank?
Tips & pointer on growing it nicely and quickly? Just shoot la

Some pics and a lil discussion over at petfrd
http://www.petfrd.com/forum/showthre...t=18878&page=3

[joe]

A literal translation from the magazine. Types of java ferns:

1) Microsorium pteropus
2) Microsorium pteropus "Narrow"
3) Microsorium sp "Narrow"
4) Microsorium sp Real Narrow
5) Microsorium semi-narrow
6) Microsorium "Smaller"
7) Microsorium pteropus philippines
Microsorium latiforia
9) Microsorium golden
10) Microsorium penang
11) Microsorium vietnam
12) Microsorium sumatra
13) Microsorium pteropus
14) Microsorium paracatu
15) Microsorium syapurihu (Found in Borneo) Serimbu?
16) Microsorium pteropus "Tropica"
17) Microsorium pteropus "Windelov"
1 Microsorium narrow "K"
19) Microsorium cross
20) Microsorium tropical
21) Microsorium pteropus "Undulata"

[yampeck]

Hi!
yup, i'l agree that java ferns are defnitely 1 of my favourite plants and just 1 - 2 mths ago my 6ft was all of java ferns. But recently i had to add some fast growing plants to compete with the algae.

And i also used to have a fava fern only 1 ft tank in my office. A hardy plant that can do well also in a non-CO2 tank. Really easy to keep and propagate too.

Ha didnt know there's so many species. i only of 3-4? perhaps those in our LFS are the common ones.

Cheers!

[grey_fox]

I personally love aquatic ferns. These are my favourites.

1) Microsorium pteropus
2) Microsorium pteropus "Narrow"
7) Microsorium pteropus philippines
16) Microsorium pteropus "Tropica"
17) Microsorium pteropus "Windelov"
20) Microsorium tropical

[guan]

not to mention about java fern. maybe there are other species of fern, but i had seen expensive fern, they are really beautiful.
just that, ultimately it is the skill of the scaper that make the fern looks nice
you can have a very good fern, but the poor arrangement makes it look awful.

[grey_fox]

Erm I believe Microsorum pteropus is the normal Java Fern.

[budak]

To clarify: there are 21 or more varieties of java fern, not 21 species. They all belong to a single species, just that because this species is so widespread across the Asia Pacific, many regional forms (e.g. those from Thailand or Philippines) exist. I suspect though, that many of those 'varieties' named in the magazine are just based on very superficial characteristics.

[zyblack]

Ok....the reason I adore this plant is....

It is the only plant my turtle doesn't eat!

Tried other plants like riccia and some long bladed grass plant...he ate them in a day. I think it is the rumored bitter taste of the ferns that caused him to spit it out when he chew a leaf the first time. Never seen him eat the plant anymore. For the record, the plant has been in the tank 3 weeks now.

Also the JF can stand the pH 8.0 - 8.5 alkaline water in my tank. Other plants probably will die even if my turtle didn't touch them. I did notice some black spots though...wonder if its the light (2wpg) or the pH. No CO2 injections as well.

One other feature is the toughness of the plant. My turtle frequently upsets the ferns (tied to driftwood) whilst hunting for ghost shrimps in the tank. It is pretty much trashed around, pushed apart and bulldozed through. End of the day, when I get back home, all I have to do is to push it right side up and move it back to it original place. Try doing that with other aquatic plants.

I placed it in there to cover a few functions:
1) Aesthetic value
2) Removing excess nutrients (fish waste)
3) Hiding places for fishes and shrimps
4) Oxygenator (high fish load)

Does all the above-mentioned perfectly.

Low light requirements, need no CO2 injections, hardy enough to survive abuse and highly alkaline water...what else can we ask for?

[Justikanz]

It's the only plant that can survive my sultan fish too... Though the tips do regularly get eaten still...

I only recently get to like the Java Fern... And I still think the fatter (original) leaved ones are much better looking than the many other varieties...

[andrewtyr]

Like what Lorba says, Java ferns are very tough and not fussy at all, gives the setup a natural rustic look. It can cover up the "empty" dark slots most plants cannot take. However I do have some problems with spot algae. I think it really cannot take CO2 otherwise spot algae will strike.

[primavera]

Ah, finally, the discussion is on. I've been meaning to post about java fern id but didn't get around to it. I was in Singapore a few months ago and bought 3 varieties. One was definitely needle leaf, one which I suspect might be "philippines" with bullated leaves ~10 cm long, and a mini one which only had small leaves about 5cm long. The were all sold in pots with rockwool. The thing is, the 'philippines' suspect and mini both grew new leaves, which bear no semblance to its original, but resembling each other! Both are grown in the same tank. Leaf length about 8cm.

I think i bought 2 from Colorful Aquarium and one from Nature Aq, if I recall correctly. I did look out for whether the mini could just be young plantlets of larger varieties, but it had even smaller plantlets already growing on some older leaves. So I reckon it was already in its mature state and bought it. Is anyone in Singapore growing these varieties? I would love for my mini to convert back to its 'mini' state. Just wondering if anyone's growing mini and philippines.