Java Fern Petite
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Plant information
Java Fern Petite
About this plant
Want Java Fern that fits a nano tank? Java Fern 'Petite' is the smallest of the family — narrow upright leaves two to four inches tall, holding the same near-indestructible rhizome as the full-size plant. It gives you Java Fern reliability at a scale that doesn't swallow small hardscape.
What you'll receive
Sold as loose bare-root plants, bunched plants, or potted plants:
- Bare-root Plants: Approximately 6+ leaf portion, loose rhizome
- Bunched Plants: Approximately 6+ leaf portion bundled with foam and plant weight
- Potted Plants: Approximately 6+ leaf portion, potted in rockwool and net pot
- Photos are sample representations. Actual plants may vary in size, shape, or coloration. Unless otherwise specified, we do not guarantee plants are free of pests, pesticides, or exclusively submerged-grown.
- Never release aquarium plants into natural waterways.
Plant details
- Common name
- Java Fern Petite
- Scientific name
- Leptochilus pteropus 'Petite'
- Also known as
- Microsorum pteropus 'Petite' (the older name, still widely used)
- Origin
- Southeast Asia
- Placement
- Foreground to midground, on wood or stone
- Shipped size
- Approx. 6+ leaf portion, roughly 1-3 in
- Mature height
- 2–4 in
- Suits
- 5 gallons and up
- Growth rate
- Slow
Care guide
- DifficultyBeginner
- LightLow to medium. Low light keeps it compact; bright light means algae
- CO₂Not required
- Water68–82°F · pH 6.0–7.5, soft to moderately hard
- SubstrateNot required. Attaches to hardscape and feeds from the water column
- Growth habitAmphibious. Also grows emersed
- PropagationRhizome division, plus plantlets on mature leaves
At a glance
Grower's notes
- Never bury the rhizome. Tie it to wood or rock with cotton thread or fishing line, 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 roots, snap it off and attach it elsewhere — one portion becomes many over a year.
- Black spots on older leaves are usually plantlet sites or normal aging, not disease.
- Grown emersed at our nursery, which builds a strong rhizome. Expect a short transition as it converts to submerged growth.
- At 2-4 inches this is the one Java Fern that genuinely suits a 5-gallon tank. The standard form reaches 6-10 inches and will dominate that space.
Want the full-size version? See standard Java Fern, or the forked Trident Java Fern.
Looking to buy in bulk? Get 10 or 20 plants in one order with our Java Fern Petite Bulk Pack and save 40–50% per plant.
How it arrives
A sealed Vitro Culture® bag
Lab-grown plantlets in nutrient gel, free of snails, algae and pests.
- Keep it sealed at room temperature, out of direct sun, until you're ready to plant.
- Rinse off all the gel under lukewarm water. Left in the tank, it clouds the water and feeds algae.
- Split into small portions and plant with tweezers. Small portions spread faster than one big clump.
Normal: a little melt in the first weeks as underwater leaves replace the leaves grown in the lab.
Rooted plants in a net pot with rockwool
The most stable option, with roots already established.
- Rinse the plant under clean water.
- Plant the pot as is, or ease the plant out and gently tease away the rockwool. Either way works.
- For epiphytes like Anubias and Bucephalandra, keep the rhizome above the substrate or tie it to wood or rock.
Fresh-cut stems in a net pot with rockwool
Freshly cut stems without roots, held upright in a net pot for a quick setup.
- Rinse the stems under clean water.
- Plant the pot as is, or remove the stems and plant them one by one, an inch or two deep.
- New roots usually form within a couple of weeks.
Rooted plants bundled with foam and a plant weight
Easy placement plus the stability of roots.
- Rinse the bunch under clean water.
- Place the bunch as is, or remove the foam and weight and plant each one separately.
- Give each plant room so light reaches the lower leaves.
Fresh-cut stems bundled with foam and a plant weight
Freshly cut stems without roots, ready to drop in.
- Rinse the stems under clean water.
- Remove the foam and weight and plant stems one by one, an inch or two deep, for the fullest look. You can also place the bunch as is.
- New roots usually form within a couple of weeks.
Loose, rooted plants
No pot or foam, so you can place them exactly where you want.
- Rinse the plants under clean water.
- Plant the roots into the substrate, or tie the rhizome to wood or rock with cotton thread (never glue). Don't bury the rhizome.
- Trim any broken leaves; new growth follows once settled.
Loose, fresh-cut stems
Freshly cut stems without roots, for full flexibility.
- Rinse the stems under clean water.
- Plant stems one by one, an inch or two deep, with a little space between them.
- New roots usually form within a couple of weeks.
A bulb, ready to sprout
Bulbs ship either dormant or already sprouted with leaves, depending on the option you choose.
- Rinse the bulb under clean water.
- Rest it on the substrate or press the base in slightly. Don't bury the top.
- A dormant bulb can take a few weeks to send up its first leaves.
A young sprouted tuber
Ready to pot up and grow into a full plant.
- Pot it in a wide container of heavy garden soil, crown just above the soil.
- Start shallow and lower it deeper as the leaves grow.
- Give it full sun once the leaves reach the surface.
Attached to hardscape
Already growing on rock or wood, so it's ready to place.
- Rinse the piece under clean water.
- Place it anywhere in your layout. No planting needed.
- Keep the rhizome out of the substrate.
Packed fresh to travel well
- Open the box as soon as it arrives.
- Rinse the plants under clean water.
- Plant or place them the same day if you can.
Check your plants within 24 hours of delivery. That's your Live Arrival Guarantee window.
Shipping & Live Arrival Guarantee
Live Arrival Guarantee
Every live order is backed by our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee. If a plant arrives dead, we'll make it right.
How it works
- Tell us within 24 hours of the delivery time on your tracking.
- Send photos of the affected items in their original, unopened packaging, plus a photo of the shipping label, to hello@aquariumplantsfactory.com with your order number.
- We'll make it right with a replacement, store credit or refund for the affected item.
Good to know
- Some melting or yellowing as plants adjust from greenhouse to aquarium life is normal. They regrow from healthy roots and rhizomes.
- Please bring your package indoors and unpack it the day it arrives.
- Free promotional items and shipping charges are not covered.
The complete rules, including what's covered and what voids the guarantee, are in our Returns, Refunds & Live Arrival Guarantee. If anything conflicts, that policy applies.
Shipping Information
At a glance
- Free shipping on orders of $150 or more (after discounts) within the contiguous United States, by USPS.
- Free thermal protection is included with every shipment, all year round.
- Processing: most orders leave us within 1 to 2 business days. Tracking is emailed when your order ships.
- USPS (2 to 5 business days) ships Monday through Saturday.
- UPS 2nd Day Air® ships Monday through Wednesday. Order by Tuesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time for same-week delivery.
- UPS Next Day Air® ships Monday through Thursday. Order by Wednesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time for same-week delivery.
- Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and military addresses ship by USPS at a flat rate shown at checkout.
- Weather holds: during extreme heat or cold we may hold live orders until it's safe to ship.
- We ship within the United States only.
Please bring live plants indoors and unpack them the day they arrive. Every live order is covered by our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee.
The complete rules, including lost packages and address issues, are in our Shipping Policy. If anything conflicts, that policy applies.
FAQs
What is your return policy?
All sales are final, so we don’t accept returns or exchanges once your order ships.
The one exception: if your plants arrive dead or damaged, our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee covers a replacement, store credit or refund. Just email clear photos of the plants in their original, unopened packaging, plus a photo of the shipping label, within 24 hours of delivery.
Can you cancel my order?
We can only cancel your order if it hasn’t been fulfilled yet, and we can’t guarantee the cancellation will be possible. Please reach out to us as soon as possible and we’ll do our best to help.
What is your shipping policy?
We ship your order as soon as possible. Most orders ship within 1–2 business days, except live animals and backordered items.
Shipping speed depends on the carrier; you can choose the shipping service at checkout.
View more at Shipping Information.
Can I change my shipping address?
We can only update your shipping address if the order hasn’t been fulfilled yet, and we can’t guarantee the change will be possible. Please contact us with the updated address as soon as possible and we’ll do our best to help.
How does “Buy 2 Get 1 Free” work?
Add 3 or more eligible plants from our Buy 2 Get 1 Free Collection to your cart to activate the automatic discount. Mix and match freely. For every 3 eligible plants, your lowest-priced eligible plants are free at checkout.
View the Buy 2 Get 1 Free Terms.
Would it be possible to hold my order?
Unfortunately, we’re unable to hold orders for live plants because of high demand and quick sell-outs. Please place your order when you’re ready for us to ship it promptly.
What is your Live Arrival Guarantee policy?
We offer a 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee. If your order arrives dead, email at least two clear photos of the plants in their original, unopened packaging and a photo of the shipping label within 24 hours of delivery. After 24 hours, conditions are out of our control.
View more at 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee Policy.
Are your plants free from pests, algae, and pesticides?
Our plants are very clean, but we can’t guarantee they will be 100% free of hitchhikers (snails, algae, pests), because we can’t be responsible for your aquarium. We recommend rinsing all plants with clean water and quarantining them before use.
Plants in our Tissue Culture collection are 100% free of pests and algae and have never been in contact with any aquarium.
We don’t guarantee our plants are free of pesticides. We use homemade, organic pesticides in our greenhouse to control pests, and never pesticides containing copper, which is toxic to invertebrates such as snails, crabs, and shrimp.
We don’t guarantee your aquarium’s success and aren’t responsible for its inhabitants, including but not limited to fish, shrimp, snails, and turtles. Please quarantine all plants before use!
Are your plants grown emersed or submerged?
It depends on the species. Most of our plants are grown hydroponically in a controlled-environment greenhouse.
Common stem plants such as Ludwigia, Bacopa, and Myriophyllum, and rheophyte/epiphyte plants (Anubias, Bucephalandra, Microsorum, Bolbitis, etc.) are grown emersed, hydroponically, in a controlled high-humidity environment.
True aquatic plants that can’t grow emersed — such as Vallisneria, Elodea, Najas, Cabomba, Potamogeton gayi, and Ceratophyllum demersum — are always cultivated submerged, underwater.
Should I remove the foam, weight, or pot before planting?
It’s totally up to you — we usually keep them as they are!
What’s the difference between fresh-cut, bare-root, and potted plants?
All options offer the same high quality; they differ in how they are prepared and packaged:
- Fresh-cut Plants: loose, freshly cut plants without roots. Great flexibility if you prefer to plant them your own way.
- Fresh-cut Bunched: freshly cut plants without roots, bundled with foam and a plant weight, ready to place in your aquarium.
- Fresh-cut Potted: freshly cut plants without roots, potted in a net pot with rockwool for stability and a quick setup.
- Bare-root Plants: loose, rooted plants you can position exactly where you want.
- Rooted Bunched: rooted plants bundled with foam and a plant weight — easy placement plus the stability of roots.
- Rooted Potted: rooted plants potted in a net pot with rockwool — maximum stability and a low-maintenance setup.
Choose based on your planting preference and your aquarium setup.
Noxious weed info
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.
Why Aquarium Plants Factory?
How we grow, clean and pack your Petite Java Fern.
Aquarium Plants Factory
Typical online shops
This aquatic plant arrives healthy and thriving in tanks, though packaging varies. Customers praised the "great condition" and noted "some even had leaves with more little ferns starting to grow." However, some received individual leaves rather than clumped plants as pictured. Ideal for smaller tanks with its petite size.
- Plants are in great condition and have done very well since I put them in the aquarium
- These arrived looking exactly as pictured on the website
- These plants came in good shape, healthy and ready to go!
My potted fern came as individual leaves. Made it difficult to plant as a cohesive plant. Good number of leaves at least.
Each piece had one leaf and a very tiny piece of rizome. I guess this will be a slow process to grow a full plant. I knew I was getting bare root, but I expected a plant, not just seperate leaves.
These arrived looking exactly as pictured on the website. Now the fun begins fitting them into nano tanks and the “petite” is the choice I wish I had from the start. 😀
Plants are in great condition and have done very well since I put them in the aquarium a little over a week ago. I’m actually going to order more!
Alot of individual leaves with small rhyzomes but they look great and some even had leaves with more little ferns starting to grow
awesome!
I received 4 or 5 loose leaves. Fortunately the leaves does seem to have some semblance of roots that are hopefully viable. Definitely nothing like the photo.
green, crispy, looking like lettuce.
Very cute very small just as expected! Granted each leaf was cut individually but attached to their respected ryzome. Would highly suggest they are very cute!
These plants came in good shape, healthy and ready to go!
I was looking to put a java fern in my 2.5 gallon tank, and the petite version is perfect for my size tank.
I ordered the loose rhizome. The whole purchase went smoothly and I couldn't be happier with the plants that I recieved. If I get more aquatic plants, I will definitely order from this site on the future.
I was looking for a smaller variety of java fern and decided on the "petite" variety. Purchased 1 potted plant which arrived looking healthy and had a mix of large and small leaves.
As far as being smaller than I might have expected I feel like this is incredibly common with most plants purchased at most places since covid. Both aquatic and terrestrial. Just seems to be life lately. I should probably just put a tag at the end of most reviews about it. Because I was still very happy with my purchase. Very healthy, perfect condition, shipped well. It's been about a week, not much growth yet but looking great in my tank.
