Variety of Java fern
Fishtail java fern
Leptochilus pteropus 'Fishtail'
One of 15 varieties of Leptochilus pteropus · See all varieties →
Also known as Microsorum pteropus 'Fishtail', Microsorum pteropus 'Fish Tail', Java fern Fishtail, Fish Tail java fern
FreshwaterBrackishRhizomeRhizome divisionPlantlets
Varieties · Leptochilus pteropus
See all 15 →
Care at a glance
- Light
- Low light
- CO2
- No CO₂ needed
- Temperature
- 64–82°F
- 18–28°C
- Max height
- 7.9 in
- 20 cm
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Placement
- Epiphyte
- Type
- Rhizome
- pH
- 5.0–7.5
- Hardness
- 2–15 dGH
- Spread
- 7.9 in (20 cm)
- Nutrient uptake
- Water column
- Growth region
- Submersed or emersed
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Family
- Polypodiaceae
- Origin
- Cultivated form (nursery selection, no wild range)
Overview
Fishtail java fern goes on wood or rock, tied or glued with the rhizome above the substrate so it does not rot. It reaches about 20 cm and suits the midground. It grows slowly in low light with no CO2. Brighter light and a regular liquid fertilizer bring out the orange tips. New plants tend to drop leaves after big swings in water or light, so change things gradually while it settles in. Leaf shape and color vary from plant to plant, and the one you buy may not match the shop photo.
In the wild
Fishtail java fern is a trade form with no known wild population and no recorded place of origin, though Nature Aquariums lists Indonesia. Glass Aqua has sold it since 2020. The parent species grows on rocks and roots in and beside shaded forest streams across Southeast Asia, both underwater and above the waterline where its roots stay wet.
Good to know
Fishtail is a cultivar of Leptochilus pteropus (family Polypodiaceae), sold as Microsorum pteropus 'Fishtail' or 'Fish Tail'. Each narrow leaf splits once near the tip into two broad lobes shaped like a fish's tail fin. The blades are yellow-green with a dark brown midrib and netted veins, and the tips flush orange, amber or pink. Trident forks into several finger-like lobes along the leaf, and Windelov's tips break into fine lace.
Did you know
Fishtail java fern shares its name with the houseplant fishtail fern, Microsorum punctatum 'Grandiceps', a leathery fern 50 to 60 cm tall grown in potting mix. Check the label for java fern or pteropus before buying one for a tank.