This plant is a variety of Thai fern. The variety has narrow leaves. For unknown reasons, it is rarely available on the market, although the “grass” is quite interesting. Aquarists like the simplicity of the content, slow growth and good decorative qualities. Let's learn how to care for it and how to properly use in aquascape.
How does a narrow-leaved Thai fern
Externally, the plant resembles a lush green bush, consisting of a large number of leaves. Each leaf is attached to a long fleecy stalk and as if pulled out of it.
Microsorum Pteropus “Narrow” (this is the Latin name of the plant) may have different sizes, depending on the conditions in the home water.
- If there is little light, and carbon dioxide is not supplied additionally, then the sheet will not grow more than 10 cm in length and 5 mm in width. In addition, the color will be too dark.
- If the light and food are abundant, then the length of the sheet will increase to 15-20 cm, and the width to 10 mm.
Narrow micro leaf in aquarium design
This fern is very compact. Perhaps this is what made him so popular in aquascaping. The plant can be used in both large and small aquariums. In the first case, it is planted in groups, and in the second, single bushes.
It should be in the background and in the center of the aquarium. The dark green of the long leaves of the microsurge will be perfectly combined with the light leaves of other aquatic plants.
If you want to create an imitation of a dense forest in your home pond, then the narrow-leaved "Thai" is ideal for this.
We create optimal conditions
Thistle thistle fern is considered undemanding plant. Note what you need to pay attention.
Water should be soft (no more than 6-8 degrees) and sour (5.5-8). Too hard water leads to the formation of "wounds" on the leaves - black spots. The permissible range of values for a temperature of 18-30, however, 24 degrees is considered optimal. In colder water, this fern slows or stops growth. Microsorum can also be contained in brackish aquariums.
Equipment. Frequent water changes are unacceptable, as they have a negative effect on growth. But good filtration, but without a strong flow is necessary.
To obtain lush thickets, an additional supply of carbon dioxide in the amount of 3-5 mg / l is needed.
Lighting. Narrow-leaf microsorum can adapt to different lighting, both low and diffuse bright, and even long-term shading. But if you want to get large beautiful bushes, then it is better to install bright enough lamps. The recommended light day is 12 hours.
Soil type unimportant, since the rhizome does not grow deeper, but over its surface, firmly attached by rhizoids to the bruises and stones.
Compatibility. Fish should be selected not too active and not digging the ground. Fern does not like all of the above, and it stops growing.
Breeding of thistle fern
It is vegetative and can occur in two scenarios:
- Rhizome division. In this case, a large bush neatly divided into several small ones. Next, the resulting bushes are planted in the planned places.
- Daughter plants periodically formed on old leaves. They are separated from the main plant along with the old leaf and float to the surface of the water. Some time drift there, until the root system is formed. After that, they become heavy and fall to the bottom.
How to plant shoots?
Before the procedure, it is advisable to put a piece of sour boiled peat in the place where you plan to plant the fern. The substrate itself can be any, including very large, because the roots do not grow deep into it, but crawl away over the surface. The rhizome can not be immersed and buried in the ground, since it will begin to rot. Squeeze a stone will be enough.
As you can see, the Thai narrow-leaved fern is a really easy-to-care and spectacular plant. He is able to decorate both large and small aquariums. And if your live-off fishes live, then it will also become an excellent substrate for their spawning.
Description and characteristics
Wild species of this fern grow in tropical regions of Thailand, the Philippines, or the island of Java. Thailand fern has adapted to grow on snags, sand banks, stones and completely submerged in water.
Small and narrow-leaved varieties bred by artificial means. Thai fern has lanceolate leaves, green or dark green. The rhizome of the plant stretches vertically, which contributes to the consolidation of cracks in the cracks or on the stones. The leaves are straight slightly wavy with a leathery surface.
Appearance of Thai fern
Features and species diversity
Aquarium fern does not require carbon dioxide. He has enough good lighting. In the natural habitat of fern leaves reach 50-70 cm, adapted to the aquarium.
Species diversity within 1000 species, differs in the form of leaves. Common Thai fern species for aquariums:
- Windel fern. The leaves of this fern have frequent branching.
- Trident. Got this name thanks to cutting the tips into three leaflets.
- Thailand narrow-leaved. It has narrow, sometimes filiform leaves. The length of fern leaves in normal conditions is up to 20 cm.
- Malay fern. Supply of fern in aquarium shops from the island of Java. Demanding to care, leaves of a light green color of dissected species. Under natural conditions, leaves grow to 40 cm.
- Salvinia. The only kind of fern that is not attached to the bottom of the aquarium. Salvinia swims an island on the surface of the reservoir, covered with spikes, villi.
Salvinia
Thistle thailand
Windel fern
Keeping a fern in an aquarium
In captivity, Thai ferns are aquarium plants, with moderate growth up to 25-30 cm, growing under artificial illumination for the entire period of their life. When kept in soft water with a temperature of up to 28 ° C, it provides additional oxygen for fish.
How to fix a fern in an aquarium?
The type of soil in the aquarium for Thai fern does not matter. The root system of the plant is not adapted for planting in the ground. Therefore, the roots of a fern can be fixed on a stone, snag or any other decorative object for an aquarium.
Before landing in the aquarium fern:
- Inspect for the presence of rotten roots or wilted leaves. They need to be removed, the fern does not like the clouding of water from decomposing enzymes.
- As a fastener, you can use a fishing line, nylon thread, rubber band. The rubber band is reliable, but does not look aesthetically pleasing.
- Secure the fern roots on the selected decorative addition to the aquarium.
- Conduct mineral water once a month. The store manager will help you choose the makeup.
You can not use the glue moment to secure the roots, the plant will not die, but will be injured.
Reproduction and growth
Thailand fern and its varieties multiply vegetatively. The bushy plants can be divided into several parts and reattached to the bottom.
Fern seated in another way. On the leaf of the plant buds appear for the development of a new process. The old sheet perishes, the new one grows and develops rising upwards. For a week fern rhizomes will be attracted to the ground and will be fixed on the pebbles.
The fern grows slowly, without stopping its development. The average plant height is 25-35cm. During your stay in the ornamental pond, the fern must be checked for rot and transplanted to a grown-up plant.
The desirable placement of a fern in an aquarium
Compatibility with other inhabitants
These include catfish, agamixis, cichlids. Swordsmen, guppies, angelfish, and fish that love to eat fresh vegetation are side by side with the Thai fern. Fern leaves contain enzymes that are not edible for fish.
From the plants in the neighborhood can grow hatch, cryptocoryne. If there is a valisneria in the aquarium, the growth of the fern will slow down, because the vallesneria does not tolerate large amounts of light.
Thailand fern is popular among aquarists. They create separate ornamental ponds, filling only the species diversity of this plant.
Maintenance and care
Thai ferns are very easy to maintain and, unlike most other aquarium plants, do not need soil and will grow well without the supply of CO2. These plants can not be buried in the ground, but they can be tied to stones and bark. It is enough to tie a bush of a fern to a small stone in order to weight it, and you can place the plant in any place of the aquarium. In addition, all varieties of Thai fern are a wonderful decoration, they look particularly good with snags, and therefore are often used in the creation of natural aquaddesign. This plant is also especially loved by aquascapers due to the slow growth of plants - they will not often have to be cut and trimmed.
In order to tie a plant to a stone or bark, you can use a fishing line, a dark silk thread or glue the plant with super glue. Some use rubber harnesses, but they are more visible and look ugly.
The Thai fern does not require special lighting, and if the light is too intense, they may suffer. Even an ordinary incandescent lamp is suitable for them, but it is better to choose a fluorescent lamp with low brightness white light. Determine that the lighting is too strong, you can on the leaves of the fern: if they turn brown and transparent, then you need to reduce the lighting, and then the ferns will be restored.
The only thing you need to remember when growing Thai ferns is about the regular supply of fertilizers. These plants do not have "true" roots, they get most of the fertilizer from the water. If you want your plants to grow truly beautiful, be sure to add liquid fertilizer after each weekly water change. Tableted fertilizers that are placed under the roots of plants are useless for a Thai fern - it cannot use them because it does not have a root system.
Several types of Thai fern, which can be found on sale.
Thailand narrow-leaved (Microsorum pteropus "Narrow K")
A very interesting form of water fern, used to create landscapes of incredible beauty. Unpretentious view. Distribution among aquarists, amateur received relatively recently. The price is average.
Thailand narrow-leaved (Microsorum pteropus "Narrow")
The rhizome of this species reaches 10-15 cm in length, the leaves grow to 10-20 cm. Suitable for small aquariums. It is often used in the design with snags, it looks just wonderful with them!
Microsorum pteropus "Undulata"
This species is much softer and more tender than other species. The leaves are light green in color, wavy, in shape more like Atonogeton. A very rare species of Thai fern, not often seen on sale, but you can buy if you wish, the price, respectively, is higher than that of other species.
Philippine Pterygoid (Microsorum pteropus "Philippine")
Narrow, graceful leaves - this type of Thai fern only recently gained popularity. This plant feels bad in soft and acidic water, which is not surprising, because in nature it lives in slightly brackish waters. Under unsuitable water conditions, holes and black spots appear on the leaves of the plant. Suitable parameters for the content: hardness 10 dGH and pH not less than 6.6. This plant is an excellent candidate for keeping in salt water. As well as other types of ferns, it needs a little light and CO2. It grows faster than other species, the leaves sometimes reach a length of 40 cm.
Windelov (Microsorum pteropus "Windelov")
A very attractive interesting species of fern, attracts with the shape of leaves with branched tips - this makes it one of the most beautiful aquarium plants. In length and width reaches 15-20 cm, simple in content, suitable for beginners. Herbivorous fish do not eat it.
Thailand "Tropica" (Microsorum pteropus "Tropica")
This fern bears some resemblance to a dandelion rosette: its leaves branch out for 3 clean. Old leaves in length reach 30-40 cm. The plant is large, suitable for forming the background. The conditions of detention are normal.
Willow-leaved (Microsorum pteropus "Fork Leaf")
Quite a rare species, it is also called "horned." In length it grows up to 25 cm, in width up to 20 cm. Unpretentious view, able to live in a fairly wide range of water parameters, growth is slow.
Small leaf (Microsorum pteropus "Small leaf")
Incredibly small species of fern with very small leaves, up to 5-6 cm long. Very unpretentious plant, can withstand water parameters pH 5-8, hardness 0 - 30 ° dGH, water temperature from 4 to 30 degrees Celsius.
Thai fern red (Microsorum Pteropus "Red")
Thai red fern has the same leaf structure as the common (common) Thai fern, but the color of young leaves of this species is red, which becomes light green with age. This plant is originally from Thailand. Plant care is similar to that described at the beginning of the article.
