Growing African Water Fern (Bolbitis Heudelotii) In The Aquarium

This is an aquatic plant. Its natural habitat is fast-moving, African rivers in Ethiopia and RPA.

It grows hooked in the crevices of rocks, between stones, on the tree roots. This plant has creeping rhizome with roots and rosulate leaves on the long and straight leaf stems. Singular leaves at nodes are arranged alternately towards each other. The leaf blades are green, semi-translucent with attractive and decorative shape. The plant looks like a fern.

This species grows very slowly – about 1 leaf per two months. This is undemanding species. It good grows in different lighting conditions and it doesn't need additional fertilization. The weaker light, the darker colour of the plant. Their leaves are often covered with algae. The plant prefers strong water flow.

It should be planted in the middle of the aquarium between pale green and red plants. We may also arrange this plant on the decorative elements with help of the fishing line, sewing thread or rubber band. We can't cover up the rhizome with a substrate because it will be rotted. We must only cover roots of the plant.

In aquarium we reproduce it vegetatively – by dividing the rhizome.