Origin: West Africa Care | Common Names: African Water Fern | Level: Easy | Growth Rate: Very Slow | CO2: Not Necessary | Light: Low to Medium | Temp: 68-83F | PH: 5—7.5 | Placement: midground tied to rock/wood | Propagation: A healthy and happy plant will split along the rhizome.
Bolbitis is found in tropical West Africa. It’s a plant that many people seem to struggle with when trying to successfully keep it in their aquariums. I am going to give you two ways to help you outsmart this plant and get it to grow!
Similar to Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus), this plant is rhizomatous and prefers to grow attached to or wedged between hardscape items such as rocks or driftwood. This plant multiplies at the rhizome, extending out new leaves as it grows. THIS NEXT PART IS THE FIRST IMPORTANT PART!!!! Just like Java Fern, you CAN’T bury the rhizome! Burying the rhizome will kill the plant! Don’t bury the rhizome! DON’T BURY THE RHIZOME! DON’T DO IT! OK? OK!
Rhizomes that grew back healthy and strong.
Another thing to keep in mind when trying to keep Bolbitis is that it is very common to go through a melting phase. THIS IS THE SECOND IMPORTANT PART — DON’T THROW THE PLANT AWAY! Many hobbyists think the plant is dead and won’t come back, that they did something wrong, or their water wasn’t proper to keep it. But it’s important to know that as long as the rhizomes look good, IT CAN REGROW! I’ve seen it happen dozens of times both in pet stores and at home as well. If the plant melts away but the leftover rhizomes look healthy, leave them alone, and it will most likely come back!
Some other helpful tips include the fact that this plant prefers neutral to slightly acidic water and also likes really good water flow. It is also sensitive to large fluctuations in water chemistry. It always does best in my aquariums that get more frequent but smaller water chang- es, like my shrimp tanks. Lastly, like most rhizome-based plants, when you want to propagate Bolbitis, it is as simple as cutting off a piece of the rhizome with at least a couple of leaves attached.
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