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We have been growing this plant in all the tanks for years now. We always thought it was a java fern but it doesn't really look like all the pictures I've seen online of javas. It tends to looks very different depending on the lighting and if it is planted in gravel or tied to driftwood. Here is a link to the pictures.

http://home.comcast.net/~molanic/plant.htm

Uhh... if I had to take a guess, I'd say that's cryptocorene wendtii. Or some version of a crypt, anyway. Doesn't look a thing like my java fern.

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

No it most definately not Java Fern

It's Cryptocorene Wendtii. A low light very easy plant. In theory it should not survive tied to driftwood It's a heavy root feeder and needs to be rooted in the gravel to do well. It's available in Green and Brown varieties. The brown shows up when light is a little better. This will probably explain the variations in appearance you are seeing.

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Wow! When I clicked the first pic I was thinking to myself, "There is no way they got Cryptocorene Wendtii to attach to driftwood and be healthy!" Those plants are seriously thriving for you! If you have the crypts growing that well in situations in which they are not supposed to do well in, you HAVE to get yourself some java fern! You will love what it does attached to driftwood, etc., though it looks like you are having no problems attaching your crypts! I am still amazed. I have both the red and green versions of Cryptocorene Wendtii, and when it is really thriving, it is one of my favorites!

Well, no wonder it doesn't look like java fern It is really weird that it seems to better for me on the large piece of driftwood than it does planted. I knew it did better in the low light tanks, made lots of "baby" plants, and did better on the driftwood....so I guess that is why I didn't question that it was java fern for awhile.

I don't know why it does so well on that big piece of driftwood. It had a large pit in the top of it so I put some gravel in it and stuck a plant in. It took off quickly and has since filled in the whole top of the driftwood and is firmly attached. The wood is pretty old and spongy so maybe that is where the roots get their nutrition from.

I guess I need to go out and find some java fern now! Thanks everybody.

Java Fern looks somewhat similar, but doesn't have the stem like part that the crypts have, also ususally has much wider and taller leaves. Comes in a few varietes inclucding long, short, and lace.



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