Bolbitis heudelotii [Tc]

Description

The African water fern is a beautiful, time-tested aquatic fern with transparent bottle green pinnate fronds. It has a wide distribution across tropical Africa, growing attached to rock along the mean waterline of fast-flowing waters, partly together with Anubias species. Also under aquarium conditions, Bolbitis heudelotii attaches itself to solid objects by its blackish roots, but it will also grow when it is fastened to the substrate surface. Just make sure you do not cover the rhizome as it might otherwise rot away.
Bolbitis heudelotii is mostly delivered in its emersed (terrestrial) form. The emersed fronds mostly look different to the submerged foliage, and blackish leaf tips or spots are frequent. This does not mean in any way that its vitality is reduced. Good growth conditions provided, the plant will develop new entirely green submerged foliage without dark tips or spots.

Growth is sped up a lot by the addition of CO₂ and fertilisation via the water column. Bolbitis heudelotii develops best in soft, slightly acidic water, however, it is a relatively undemanding plant and will also grow in medium-hard water. The plant has a low light demand but also thrives with intense lighting when a good nutrient and CO₂ supply is provided. This fern is easy to propagate: Simply cut the creeping rhizome. When the bush has become too large, Bolbitis heudelotii tolerates hard pruning. Very much like Java fern (Microsorum pteropus) and Anubias, Bolbitis heudelotii possesses a creeping rhizome, on which the leaves and roots grow. Its submersed leaves are single to double pinnate, transparent and bottle-green, whereas the emersed leaves are single pinnate, of a matte green, and rather hard. The entire plant is brittle.
There seem to be several forms of B. heudelotii in cultivation, which differ a bit even when kept under the same conditions.

This fern is a slow grower (every 1 to 2 months a new leaf will form), and in the aquarium it develops best if attached to rocks or driftwood to which it will adhere with its fine yet rather stable roots. Like the rhizomes of Microsorum pteropus and those of Anubias plants, those of B. heudelotii should not be covered by substrate to prevent them from rotting.
A place with a strong current close to the filter outlet and the addition of CO2 are recommendable to further the growth of Bolbitis heudelotii. Soft, slightly acidic water is optimal.
This fern is easily propagated by parting its rhizome. The rhizome pieces should at least have three leaves. Very rarely, young plants may form on old leaves.

The pinnate, dark green, transparent leaves make this plant a beautiful addition to almost any aquarium layout. Of all the aquatic ferns cultivated in the hobby, Bolbitis heudelotii is probably the one that corresponds best with the image everybody has of a fern. It is most beautiful in the middleground of a tank layout. Together with driftwood and mosses, dense groups of African water fern can evoke the sense of a primeval jungle waterscape.