Yeah... Java Ferns are great, they'll thrive in any sort of tank more or less. I even have some in a coldwater tank with goldfish and because of their tough leaves the goldfish don't bother them at all. When you go looking to buy Java Ferns don't get put off by the little black spots on the undersides of the leaves. Lots of people think it's a parasite or a disease and they don't bother buying the plant, but it's actually to do with reproduction. The spots are sporangia.
One of the cool things about Java Ferns is that on the ends of some of the older leaves you'll get little baby plants growing, which you can give away to friends or what-have-you. In my experience they do grow pretty slowly, but that might be because they are in a coldwater tank. Either way you'll notice new leaves unfurling near the base of the plant after a while. Despite the fact that Java Ferns can grow on rocks and wood (by attaching them with a rubber band or fishing line), you CAN plant them in gravel. Just be sure not to cover the roots up completely otherwise you run the risk of the rhizome rotting. Just plonk it on the gravel surface and scatter a thin layer of gravel around the bottom... just enough to stop fish bothering it and to make sure it doesn't float off!
