Broad-leaf water sprite
Ceratopteris cornuta
Broad-leaf water sprite
- Fast-growing aquatic fern
- Light green
- Undemanding
- Suitable as submerged and floating plant
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Description
Ceratopteris cornuta is a water sprite species with markedly broader leaf lobes than the much more filigree "Sumatra fern". This medium large aquatic fern grows as submerged, rooted plant as well as free-floating plant. It gets at least 30 cm tall. On nutrient-rich, wet bottom it develops emersed spore-bearing leaves that become considerably longer than the submerged ones.
Structure of the submerged leaves
Ceratopteris cornuta is undemanding and tolerates harder water; medium lighting is sufficient. The optimum temperature lies between 22-28 °C. Good CO2 and nutrient supply enhances its already fast growth. This aquatic fern multiplies by many adventitious plantlets on older fronds.
It is recommended to put the leaf rosette of Ceratopteris species not too deeply into the substrate. The "heart" of the plant where new fronds develop should remain above the bottom surface.
However, when water sprite is delivered as potted plant, it often has hardly roots and detaches easily from the rockwool substrate during transport. But the plants will grow new roots in the aquarium. They can be floated until the roots are long enough for planting, or pinned onto the ground with a plant pin (e.g. JBL - ProScape - Plantis) right away. New plantlets may sprout on broken leaves.
Also the planting of young Ceratopteris plants from tissue culture may be somewhat difficult. The plantlets are often entangled and not easy to separate from each other. Also in this case they can be floated until their roots are grown longer. It is also possible to plant or attach clumps of several plants.
Freshly sprouted frond of the Broad-leaf water sprite
This water sprite looks well in the midground as solitary plant or loose group; it is recommendable for initial planting of new tanks and also for beginners. Used as floating plant, it is ideal for labyrinth fish breeding tanks.The water sprite Ceratopteris cornuta has been placed in the species C. thalictroides by various authors. In aquaristics, however, those forms with more coarsely pinnate/lobed leaves are known under the name of C. cornuta, and those with more finely pinnate leaves as C. thalictroides.
Ceratopteris richardii is quite similar to C. cornuta and can only safely be discerned by close examination of the spores. This species is used as model organism in plant genetics. It is even possible that C. richardii is kept in the hobby, however, that it is mistaken for C. cornuta.
Like Ceratopteris thalictroides, C. cornuta can be planted in the substrate as well as cultivated as a floating plant.
To be continued ...
| Synonyms | Pteris cornuta P. Beauv., Ceratopteris thalictroides (L.) Brongn. f. cornuta (P. Beauv.) Glück |
| Complete botanical name | Ceratópteris cornúta (P. Beauv.) Le Prieur |
| Family | Pteridaceae |
| Genus | Ceratopteris |
| Difficulty | medium |
| Usage | Background, Plant for spawning, Midground, Specimen plant, Water surface |
| Growth | very fast |
| pH value | 5 - 8 |
| Temperature tolerance | 18 - 30°C |
| Carbonate hardness | 0 - 21°dKH |
| General hardness | 0 - 30°dGH |
| Propagation | Proliferating leaves, Spores |
| Can grow emersed? | yes |
| Source | Flowgrow |
| Synonyms |
| Pteris cornuta P. Beauv., Ceratopteris thalictroides (L.) Brongn. f. cornuta (P. Beauv.) Glück |
| Complete botanical name |
| Ceratópteris cornúta (P. Beauv.) Le Prieur |
| Family |
| Pteridaceae |
| Genus |
| Ceratopteris |
| Difficulty |
| medium |
| Usage |
| Background, Plant for spawning, Midground, Specimen plant, Water surface |
| Growth |
| very fast |
| pH value |
| 5 - 8 |
| Temperature tolerance |
| 18 - 30°C |
| Carbonate hardness |
| 0 - 21°dKH |
| General hardness |
| 0 - 30°dGH |
| Propagation |
| Proliferating leaves, Spores |
| Can grow emersed? |
| yes |
| Source |
| Flowgrow |
How many plants do I need?
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Customer reviews
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Typical for aquasabi, the plant was clean and the quantity was acceptable. Looked exactly like the photo.