Decorating an artificial underwater world is not an easy task, but a Thai fern will help to perform this work easily and qualitatively, quickly filling the tank with green plantations. It can be planted in groups, in the form of a single spectacular bush, realizing any fantasies for decorating your home aquarium.
Thai fern - description
The wild species of this plant inhabit the coastal areas of the countries of South-East Asia, growing to a solid 50 cm. In captivity, Thai ferns are aquarium plants with moderate sizes up to 25-30 cm, slowly growing under artificial sun during the year. Microsorum pteropus settle on stones, brought in by silt, large snags , attached to the supports with the help of rhizoids in the form of thin filamentous formations. On the leaves of water ferns, spores darkening during maturation are clearly visible.
Thailand fern - species
Among the popular among fans of Thai fern for the aquarium there are several varieties. Some plants appeared in a natural way, others were deduced by skilful experimenters, who cared about the appearance of new varieties of underwater flora for artificial domestic water bodies. The most widespread were two aliens from Southeast Asia, significantly different in shape and size of bright leaves - the Thai fern narrow-leaved and Thai fern-wing fern.
Fern Thai Thai-leaved
The main difference between these ferns in the aquarium from the species of classical pterygoid is the presence of elongated and narrow leaves. With good care, Microsorum pteropus "Narrow Leaf" reaches 20 cm, but if the conditions do not suit him, then the plant does not stretch more than 10 cm. Thicket fern thickets look like dense forests in which it is convenient for fish to spawn. The growth rate is small, approximately 1 leaf per month appears. Fans always note that this dark green form always looks chic in the composition, along with light-colored aquatic plants.
Fern Thai pterygoid
Lovers of fish appreciate the pterygoid fern in the aquarium for ease of care, a peculiar kind, low growth rate. In an artificial environment, the beautiful dark green lanceolate leaves of Microsorum pteropus reach a length of 30 cm, often forming dense attractive thickets. In aquariums, it is advantageous to plant this plant around the perimeter of the tank or in the central part of the underwater kingdom.
There is an original version of this plant, derived artificially by experts of the company Tropica Aquarium Plants, highly appreciated by aquarists all over the world - the Thai fern Vindelova. It has a decorative appearance due to the unusual carved tips on the leaves that make the green rosette much richer. The size of Microsorum pteropus "Windelov" is inferior to a simple fern, growing to a height of 15 cm, so it is planted more often in the center of the container or closer to the front wall.
Thailand fern - content
This water plant does not give owners much trouble, but if the basic rules of care are not observed, it can significantly inhibit the development of the root system and leaves, which will affect decorativeness. Thai ferns like a quiet content in the aquarium, when they are rarely used for mechanical effects. Microsorum pteropus does not tolerate intensive purging of water and proximity to voracious active fish, constantly turning the soil in search of food.
Fern in the aquarium - care
There are several criteria that strongly influence the successful growth and development of this underwater organism - the temperature of the environment, its chemical parameters, soil quality, lighting. Thailand ferns in the aquarium can contain at home newcomers who have recently begun to master the art of maintaining exotic fish, but for the successful accomplishment of this task they need to master the basic rules for caring for the amazing plant Microsorum pteropus.
The main conditions for good growth and reproduction of Thai ferns:
- Chemical composition of water. The liquid should be used with stiffness values within 6dH with acidity parameters of 5.5-7 pH. Similar characteristics in many cases have old aquarium water, for this reason it is often not necessary to replace the environment. There is a partial replacement of 20% of the liquid in the container once every 14 days.
- Water temperature. A Thai fern does not tolerate cool water. Reducing the temperature to 18 ° C causes it to stop the growth of leaf mass and roots, so the best conditions for Microsorum pteropus is considered to be an aqueous medium at 24 ° C.
- Quality of lighting. If you dream of getting a potent plant with bright exotic leaves in the aquarium, it is advisable to maintain a light day for it within 12 hours.
How to plant a fern in an aquarium?
It is not necessary to study thick books and leaf through a lot of information to study the question of how to plant a fern in an aquarium. It develops well on any soil without the supply of carbon dioxide, being artificially attached to a heavy object - a stone, a massive snag. The slow growth of Microsorum pteropus for the aquarist is a big plus, lovers do not have to engage in frequent pruning and removal of unnecessary shoots.
How to fix a Thai fern?
In the case, how to plant a Thai fern, you can use different ways. All of them are quite good and easy to use, both amateurs and professionals aquarists. Here is a list of the tools that will help decorate the aquarium without unnecessary hassle in the home environment:
- Fastening with a fishing line.
- Tying a fern to snags or stones with a kapron thread.
- Use of rubber harnesses. This type of attachment is reliable, but looks in the aquarium is not aesthetically pleasing.
- Often, amateurs use the high-quality waterproof super-glue type "Moment" to solve the problem. It is necessary not to lubricate the entire sheet, but apply a few droplets in the required place. At the point of contact, the roots will die, but by this time the Thai fern will grow and will be able to securely anchor itself to the support.
Thailand fern - reproduction
For successful reproduction of this plant, lovers will need to divide the existing plant Microsorum pteropus into pieces, each of which will have a couple of leaves and part of the rhizome. In the question of how to multiply aquarium ferns Thai, you can use the second method with growth buds, appearing on an old, almost destroyed leaf, where a new rhizome begins to develop. With the complete destruction of the leaf, the young fern breaks away from the mother plant, rising upwards. Then the roots develop, pull it down to the soil.
Thailand fern diseases
There is no real rhizome in the plant, all microelements it receives directly from the liquid. With a shortage of nitrogen and other components, the growth in Microsorum pteropus slows down and problems arise. Often, the fern of Thai black leaves with increased rigidity of the medium, so fans need to periodically monitor the chemical composition of the liquid. Harm to the rhizome is brought by bottom fish, digging the soil, careful removal of the damaged parts of the plant promotes the rapid growth of new leaves and roots.
Making a small aquarium ferns
A water landscape in a home aquarium requires a special approach and imagination from its creator. You can buy ornamental fish and expensive tank, equip capacity with the necessary appliances, but with poor design all the works will be in vain, and your water world will have a poor and neglected appearance. Thai fern helps to build any compositions from decorative objects and stones in a short time, turning even small reservoirs into green gardens.
This decorative plant forms an elegant rosette of leaves, but in general the place inside takes a little. The presence of a beautiful Microsorum pteropus instantly animates an artificial ridge of stones or a lone snag. A water fern for an aquarium is great for creating an underwater alley. A frame of the desired shape and size is being constructed, and the prepared rhizomes of the seedlings are attached to it with a fishing line or other material. After a couple of months you get a decorative fence of bright green leaves.