Bolbitis heudelotii 'Difformis'

A compact, ruffled twist on the African Water Fern

Bolbitis heudelotii 'Difformis' is a rare and compact variant of the classic African Water Fern, cherished by aquascapers for its distinctive, finely dissected fronds and slower growth habit. With lush green, feathered foliage and a delicate, curly structure, it brings a graceful, forest-like ambiance to any aquarium setting—especially in shaded or low-flow areas.

This species is epiphytic by nature and thrives when attached to hardscape such as driftwood or porous rock. Its small, wavy-edged leaves and moderate pace make it ideal for nano tanks, low-tech aquascapes, or aquariums with shrimp and delicate fish species.

🌿 Key Features

• Scientific Name: Bolbitis heudelotii 'Difformis'

• Common Name: Mini African Water Fern or Dwarf Bolbitis

• Growth Form: Rhizomatous epiphyte

• Leaf Size: Smaller and more dissected than standard Bolbitis heudelotii

• Placement: Midground to background; best attached to rock or wood

• Growth Rate: Slow to moderate

💡 Optimal Growing Conditions

• Lighting: Low to medium light preferred; high light may encourage algae on leaves

• CO₂: Not required, but enhances growth and coloration

• Water Parameters:

  • pH: 5.5 – 7.5

  • Temperature: 68 – 79°F (20 – 26°C)

  • Water Hardness: Soft to moderately hard

• Flow: Gentle to moderate; avoid high turbulence

🌱 Aquascaping Benefits

• Creates a lush, natural look with minimal maintenance

• Ideal for shady or low-tech tanks

• Provides excellent shelter for shrimp and fry

• Pairs beautifully with mosses, Anubias, and Bucephalandra

✂️ Propagation & Growth

• Nutrient Substrate: Not required (rhizome should not be buried)

• Can Be Grown Emersed: Yes, under high humidity

• Propagation occurs by dividing the rhizome. Simply cut between leaf clusters and reattach to hardscape for new growth to begin.

📦 What You’ll Receive

Available in three formats:

• Bare-Root Plants: 4+ healthy fronds with rhizome, loose for flexible placement

• Bunched Plants: 4+ fronds tied with foam and weight for easy setup

• Potted Plants: 4+ fronds rooted in rockwool and net pot for secure anchoring

⚠️ State Restrictions Notice ♻️ Be a Responsible Aquatic Plants Owner

Please check your state regulations before purchasing. Bolbitis species are generally unrestricted, but always verify for local compliance.

📢 Disclaimer

As a slow-growing fern, Bolbitis heudelotii 'Difformis' may take time to adjust and establish in new environments. Avoid burying the rhizome in substrate, as it may rot. Attach with thread or glue to wood or rock for best results.

Shipping Policy

At Aquarium Plants Factory, we carefully package and ship all orders to ensure plants and livestock arrive healthy and ready to thrive.

Order Processing Time

Most orders are processed within 1–2 business days after payment is received.

Orders placed on weekends or holidays will be processed on the next business day.

Orders containing out-of-stock, pre-order, or backorder items may require additional handling time.

Once your order ships, tracking information will be sent to your email.

Shipping Schedule

Live Plants

Live plant orders ship Monday through Saturday when using United States Postal Service (USPS).

Most plant-only orders ship within 1–3 business days, excluding products that are out of stock, pre-order, or backorder.

Estimated USPS delivery time is 2–5 business days, depending on your location.

UPS Express Shipping

We offer the following UPS expedited shipping options:

UPS 2-Day Air®

Estimated delivery: 2 business days

Please note that UPS 2-Day Air® is not a guaranteed service in the event of carrier delays, weather disruptions, or operational issues.

UPS Next Day Air®

Estimated delivery: 1 business day

This service is guaranteed by UPS according to their service guarantee policies.

UPS expedited orders ship Monday through Wednesday only to ensure packages arrive within the same week and avoid weekend delays.

Please note that orders require 1–2 business days of handling time before shipment.

To help ensure same-week delivery, please place UPS orders on or before Tuesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time (PT).

Live Animals Shipping

Live animal orders ship Monday through Wednesday only.

This schedule ensures animals arrive within the same week and do not remain in transit over the weekend.

Handling time for live animal orders typically ranges from 1–5 business days, depending on:

• Weather conditions

• Livestock health

• Shipping destination

Tracking information will be emailed once the order has been shipped.

Free Shipping

We offer Free Shipping on eligible orders over $150 within the contiguous United States.

Estimated delivery time for free shipping orders is 2–5 business days.

If your order contains both live plants and live animals, the shipment may be combined and the appropriate shipping rate will be shown at checkout.

Free Shipping is not available for customers located in:

• Alaska

• Hawaii

• Puerto Rico

• Guam

• U.S. Virgin Islands

Customers in these locations must select Expedited or Express shipping options at checkout.

Delivery Time Estimates

Delivery times shown at checkout are estimates provided by the shipping carrier.

While we work hard to ship orders quickly, delivery times may vary due to factors outside of our control, including:

• Weather conditions

• Carrier delays

• High shipping volumes

• Transportation disruptions

Aquarium Plants Factory is not responsible for shipping delays caused by the carrier.

Delayed or Lost Packages

Occasionally, shipments may take longer than expected.

A package is considered lost only after 15 business days (approximately 3 weeks) from the ship date.

If a package is confirmed lost by the carrier, we may offer a 50/50 replacement, meaning:

• Aquarium Plants Factory covers 50% of the replacement cost

• The customer covers 50% plus shipping

Address Accuracy

Customers are responsible for providing a complete and accurate shipping address when placing an order.

Please ensure that your address is correct when using payment methods such as:

• Credit / Debit Card

• PayPal

• Apple Pay

• Google Pay

• Amazon Pay

• Shopify Pay

• AliPay

Orders returned due to:

• Incorrect address

• Refused delivery

• Failed delivery attempts

may not be eligible for a refund.

Order Cancellations

If you need to cancel an order, please contact us as soon as possible.

Orders can only be canceled before they have been shipped.

Once an order has been shipped, it can no longer be canceled.

Returns

Due to the sensitive nature of live goods, all sales are final.

We do not accept returns or exchanges for:

• Live plants

• Live animals

For any shipping questions, please contact us before placing your order.

Aquarium Plants Factory
https://www.AquariumPlantsFactory.com

 WHAT WE GUARANTEE

24 Hours Live Arrival Guarantee* - In a rare case of live stocks dead on arrival, we must be notified within 24 hours by the same day of delivery. Please take clear photos of the damaged product and send it to us within 24 hours.  Live Arrival Guarantee will be void after 24 hours of delivery. All replacements are considered final and we will not replace the replacement.

1. Picture requirements: Take at least 2 clear photos of damaged product in their original, unopened & sealed transparent packing and send photos and orders information to our email within 24 hours: aquariumplantsfactory@gmail.com 
2. Please do not take picture of damaged plants, or animals in your aquarium. Once they have been introduced to your aquarium's ecosystem. It is no longer covered by our guarantee.

Please be aware that our Live Arrival Guarantee is subject to certain conditions. Specifically, the guarantee will not be applicable in cases where the package is marked as 'invalid address', 'undeliverable' or is 'returned to sender.' This includes situations such as a vacant delivery address, a missing apartment number, or any other issues that prevent the postal service from delivering your package.

It is crucial to provide accurate and complete shipping information to ensure the successful delivery of your order and the applicability of the Live Arrival Guarantee.

Please keep in mind that Live Arrival Guarantee only guarantees that live stocks will be alive upon arrival. We cannot guarantee that you will continue to have success with them. Many factors, including the aquarium environment, water quality, nutrient, temperature, lighting, filter, and CO2 system, can contribute to the failure to grow live plants and live animals.

WHAT WE CAN'T GUARANTEE

Even though our plants are very clean, but we can't guarantee they will be 100% pest-free because we cannot be responsible for your aquarium. Please use it at your own risk. We recommended all customers rinse the plants with clean water and quarantine them before use.

However, plants in tissue culture will be 100% free from pests, algae and never have been contacting with any aquarium.

1. Due to the nature of the product. We don't guarantee our plants will be pests free. ( snails, algae, hitchhikers )
2. We don't guarantee our plants will be free of pesticides. We use homemade, organic pesticides in our greenhouse to control pests. We do not use pesticides that contain copper. Copper is toxic to invertebrates such as aquatic snails, crabs, shrimps, etc
3. We don't guarantee your aquarium success or are responsible for your aquarium inhabitant including but not limited to fish, shrimp, snail, turtle, etc. So please quarantine all plants when use!
4. Unless specific, we don't guarantee aquatic plants will be grow emerged or submerge.

Please review your state's regulations on restricted plants, as we are committed to not shipping plants that are restricted in your area. Do not release any plants into the wild or waterways, as this can harm local ecosystems by introducing invasive species.

Your cooperation in protecting the environment is appreciated. For continuously updated information, refer to the USDA State Noxious Weed list here.

Thank you for your responsible commitment to environmental preservation.