Aquatic Fern

[unspoken930]

the other day i picked up a plant from petsmart and i can not identify it... at all. Ive been to countless web pages and cant find it anywhere. It resembles this http/www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/webb/...S/FilmyFern.jpg
however, that is some sort of hawaiian fern or something, and says nothing about being aquatic. The leaf structure of that fern is almost identical to mine. The only difference i can see is that mine is a forest green and that one is very light green.

If anyone can help ID this, and tell me if its actually an aquarium plant, it would be appreciated... it did come from petsmart, so i duno if i can trust what the person said.

 

[unspoken930]

no.... thats not it, mine has almost identical leaf structure to the one in the pic that i posted... its not veiny i guess but it looks rough and has little hairs poking out of the top of the leaf and little black things underneath it, which i think are spores.... maybe... i duno

its kinda sad i took biology this year and spent 2 months on plants and cant think of anyhting better then little black things..

It did come in alittle pot and someone else, the bottom has black thread tied around it like its holding the plant together but i dont want to take it off becuase if it is holding it together then i have a nice 5 inch leaf floating around my tank that ill never get back tied to the others lol. However, it does have roots that all seem connected. I got the plant 2-3 weeks ago and i think its got a nice root systemm or id take it out of the water and take a pic of it (my cam + aquarium glass=badddd idea)

 

[MrWaxhead]

Is this what you have Selanginella wildenowii , I have seen it as Spike Moss or Malayan Aqua Fern in two different stores? If so, I think it is more of a terrarium plant and will not prosper when completely submerged in a aquarium. A guy from a LFS here, said he has used them on his waterfall that cascades into his tank, but they slowly die in the tank its self.

http/animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/plan...yanAquaFern.php
http/www.fernsiam.com/FernWorld/Taxonomy...ae/struc-01.jpg

It sure looks like its from the Selaginellaceae family from the photo you gave, I passed up on it as I wanted to have things that would take hold and thrive in my tank, and not slowly break part, they sure are neat looking though. Does yours have very hard crisp feeling stocks, ie not very flexable, as the stuff I was looking at was very firm.

 

[unspoken930]

Is this what you have Selanginella wildenowii , I have seen it as Spike Moss or Malayan Aqua Fern in two different stores? If so, I think it is more of a terrarium plant and will not prosper when completely submerged in a aquarium. A guy from a LFS here, said he has used them on his waterfall that cascades into his tank, but they slowly die in the tank its self.

http/animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/plan...yanAquaFern.php
http/www.fernsiam.com/FernWorld/Taxonomy...ae/struc-01.jpg

It sure looks like its from the Selaginellaceae family from the photo you gave, I passed up on it as I wanted to have things that would take hold and thrive in my tank, and not slowly break part, they sure are neat looking though. Does yours have very hard crisp feeling stocks, ie not very flexable, as the stuff I was looking at was very firm.

It is very firm, it feels like touching a rough plastic and right now its under where the filter puts water back in the tank and it doesnt even really move... just stands there. Leme see if i can get a picture of it, i doubt i can though.

Edit: got some pics... not good ones though lol suprisingly when i took it out of the water the root system wasnt too big so it came right out with a little pull.



On the top of the leaves are little straight pokey things that remind me of new tires (you know the rubber things that are on the tread that stick out) and on the bottom are black things that looks like black sesame seeds with the pointed end touching hte fern and the bigger curved end hanging away from it....

The little lime green things are duck weed, i didnt notice them when i took the plant out.

 

[unspoken930]

anyone???

 

[nicole14]

anyone???

i came across your post while trying to identify what i think is the same plant you are referring to.  dark forest green in color, black stringy roots, very firm, also came from petsmart. i realize its been years ago but has identified it yet? 

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Its non aquatic.

 

[This Old Spouse]

As far as I've been able to tell, there are only two aquatic ferns: Java fern and Bolbitis Heudelotii. Others that you might find in a LFS are for terrariums and won't survive underwater for long.
 
I tried to view your photo, but apparently I don't have permission (?)