Want Java Fern with a finer silhouette? Trident splits each leaf into narrow forked fingers instead of a single broad blade — more movement, more detail, and it reads far lighter on hardscape than standard Java Fern. Same near-indestructible plant underneath. What You’ll Receive Fresh, healthy Leptochilus pteropus 'Trident' cultivated and prepared by Aquarium Plants Factory®, available in convenient planting formats: Bare-root Plants: Approximately 3+ leaves per portion with loose rhizome and attached rootsBunched Plants: Approximately 3+ leaves per portion bundled with foam and a plant weight for easy placementPotted Plants: Approximately 3+ leaves per portion potted in a net pot with rockwool for stability and easy planting Each portion may consist of individual leaves with separated rhizome sections, which is completely natural for this species. All pieces are viable and will continue to grow once placed in your aquarium. Plant Profile Common name — Trident Java Fern Scientific name — Leptochilus pteropus 'Trident' (formerly Microsorum pteropus) Placement — Midground, on wood or stone Mature height — 6–10 in Growth rate — Slow Care Difficulty — Beginner Light — Low to medium. Bright light means algae on slow-turning leaves CO₂ — Not required Water — 68–82°F · pH 6.0–7.5 Substrate — Not required. Attaches to hardscape and feeds from the water column Growth habit — Amphibious. Also grows emersed Propagation — Rhizome division, plus plantlets on mature leaves Grower’s Notes Never bury the rhizome. Tie or glue it to wood or rock with the rhizome fully exposed — buried in substrate it rots, and this is how most Java Ferns are lost. It clones itself. Small plantlets form along the edges and tips of mature leaves. Once one has a few leaves and visible roots, snap it off and attach it elsewhere — this is how a single portion becomes a wall of fern over a year. Black spots on older leaves are usually plantlet sites or normal aging, not disease. If whole leaves brown from the base, look at light and flow instead. Trident grows faster and stays narrower than standard Java Fern, which makes it easier to use in smaller tanks without it swamping the hardscape. Want to go deeper? Read our complete Java Fern Care Guide. Notes This plant is grown ex-vitro in controlled environments, meaning it has been cultivated outside of water under optimal nursery conditions. Upon introduction to your aquarium, minor transition changes may occur as the plant adapts to submerged growth. Never release aquarium plants into natural waterways.
