# Java Fern From Petco



## Momotaro (Feb 21, 2003)

_Microsorium pteropus_ is the Latin name for the plant we all know as Java fern, so you are alright there! I have never seen it grown out of water, although it can be, and is found that way in nature all of the time. 

I have no experience taking a Java fern that was grown emmersed, and grown it submersed. That being said, I would treat the plant like any other Java fern. Attach it to some wood or stone. If you plant it in the substrate, be sure not to bury the rhizome. I honestly don't know if it will shed it's leaves like an emmersed grown _Echinodorus_, so be patient with it!  

Mike


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## bigpow (May 24, 2004)

Very very slooow growth = extra patience


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## EricSilver (Feb 23, 2004)

lamthuyduong said:


> I bought a live java fern from a petstore called Petco and I'm not really sure if it's a real aquatic plant or not. The java fern came in a long, round, plastic container and on the bottom of the container was a jello-like substance. It was sold on the shelf with other plants. The plants were not in an aquarium. On the package, it was not called java fern, but rather tropica fern. Although the latin name is microsorium pteropus. The company that produced the so called tropica fern is Complete Aquatic Systems (this information was on the back of the package) Will this java fern live? Has anyone bought this type of java fern from this company before?


I'm surprised that PetCo actually labelled a plant. They normally throw everything into the plant tank and make you guess what it is. 

What shelf was it on? I am envisioning my local PetCo and don't recall seeing plants on shelves.


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## ninoboy (Jan 26, 2004)

EricSilver said:


> I'm surprised that PetCo actually labelled a plant. They normally throw everything into the plant tank and make you guess what it is.
> 
> What shelf was it on? I am envisioning my local PetCo and don't recall seeing plants on shelves.


Exactly what I was gonna say :icon_bigg At my Petco, usually they just dump many plants in a tank filled with whole bunch of snails.


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## fishfry (May 9, 2004)

I've seen those before at Petco....they are just different emersed aquatic plants that are sold in little plastic containers. The company that makes them labels them, not PETCO! haha They also have sword plants, bolbitis, and some other plants.


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## lamthuyduong (Aug 1, 2004)

Fishfry is right. The company that produced the java fern labeled them not Petco.


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## Dapple (Dec 14, 2003)

Yep, I work for Petco...and if it weren't for the java ferns in the tubes, I would say they are the worst idea ever to clutter the endcaps... Well, okay, maybe not the worst, goldfish coffin anyone? But still...

The plants themselves are fine, the javas seem to grow well and that's the only way we seem to be able to get them at my store. (I have high hopes for our new vendor though). My problem with them is that two thirds of the plants sold in the tubes are non aquatics!


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## Urkevitz (Jan 12, 2004)

My Petco doesn't even have a light over the live plant tanks!!!! There are two tanks, one is swords and the other is Hornwort, very sad.


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## ming (Dec 6, 2003)

At my local petco, there are plants covered in BBA which doesn't look pretty. Would be surprised if anybody bought it thinking thats the way its suppose to look.


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