# Peacock Fern and Umbrella Plant?



## AccaliaJay (Feb 5, 2015)

So I asked my parents to stop by petsmart while they were nearby there for some more ghost shrimp. I plan on giving some to my brothers girlfriend for her tank after it arrives. We go near petsmart like once every 3 or 4 months so its not often I can get living fish since its to cold to ship here now. Anyways my dad brought home 6 ghost shrimp. Their small like my others were when I got them last time we were near there. But... They also bought me 5 fake plants and two live plants. Peacock Fern and Umbrella plant. Anyone know how to care for these? I've never heard of them. I read they aren't really truly aquatic plants. If that's true. I don't know what to do with them.


----------



## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Photo of umbrella plant? Peacock fern is NOT an aquatic plant, remove it now. It does best In high humidity set ups with leaves above water and roots in well draining soil or spagnuk moss. Umbrella plant... If it is what I think it is is a house plant that can get big with time, also non aquatic. The other possible plant it might be can be kept riparium style (roots in water leaves above water)-photo would help id it.
If you plant to set up a vivarium you can keep the peco k fern going, other wise return it/ call the store to complain and demand a refund.


----------



## AccaliaJay (Feb 5, 2015)

I haven't even put them in. I have pots could I add gravel and grown them in there? I don't think my parents would return them even if I asked. As I said it's rare they go up there. If you need close ups just say so


----------



## Fin Fancier (Aug 11, 2012)

I used to work at petsmart and was able to talk a lot of people out of peacock ferns. They can not live under water. If you look at the bottom of the tube you can see it actually says for tropical terrariums. If the plant is aquatic it will say so on the tube. The Umbrella plants writing is fuzzy, but it should say if its aquatic or not. It's right next to the 'snail free' note at the bottom.


----------



## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

I can't tell _what _the 'umbrella plant' is.. doesn't look like the google search yields for umbrella plant... digging around some more on google another forum (cannot link as per site rules) someone asked for an ID on the same plant in a tube from petsmart and a member responded that it is a Spathiphyllum wallisii- aka peace lily- another non aquatic plant (but does well with roots in water and leaves above water).

BTW fin fancier... just because the tube says "aquatic" does not make it a true aquatic plant. The peacock fern in the photo is a perfect example-its non aquatic and does best in vivariums, it just stagnates and dies in aquariums. Because the peacock fern does not melt quickly underwater as some other terrestrial plants will (like wandering jew), top fin gets away will selling it as aquatic, most people assume it just dies because they don't know how to care for it.. but either way by the time its noticeably dead its past the point you could return it (if plants were accepted for returns-typically they aren't).


----------



## Fin Fancier (Aug 11, 2012)

While petsmart does sell the peacock ferns alongside its other tube plants, it is not sold as aquatic and is labelled as a plant for tropical terrariums. I'm not saying they never mess up, but generally they have the type correct such as if a plant is aquatic. I've never had much problem with their plants, but I do tend to stick to ones I know for sure. A close up of the tube would show if it's labelled for terrariums or aquariums. I'm hoping they would label a peace lilly as not aquatic. I was just trying to point out where on the tube the label would be. A lot of people pick up the tubes assuming they are all meant for aquariums.


----------



## AccaliaJay (Feb 5, 2015)

I did a thurough read over the plants. I made it clear to my parents next time they buy me live plants to look at what it says. My parents both said the tubes were near the fish tanks dunno why. But they do say terrarium semi aquatic. Unfortunately I'm going to have to keep them and see if they grow in pots. If not well my parents wasted 6-7 dollars on the live ones.


----------



## BettaBeau (May 14, 2014)

If you still have the receipt and the tubes aren't opened, you can return them.


----------



## maidance (Dec 2, 2015)

I didn't see any at petsmart, but Petco had something labeled an umbrella plant packaged the same way as all the other plants and with fish on the label and no mention of tropical terrariums. Luckily I remembered this thread and didn't buy it, but they really don't explain anything on those packages do they??


----------



## AccaliaJay (Feb 5, 2015)

I would have to say not really. And its kind of stupid if they keep them near the fish tanks.


----------

