# Identify this plant? (from Petco)



## lydianquinn (Sep 2, 2014)

My friend bought me this plant from Petco on Christmas, and I threw away the plastic tube that it came in so I forgot the name of it.

Here are some photos


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Is it maybe Cryptocoryne wendtii (green crypt)


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## lydianquinn (Sep 2, 2014)

Hmmm... looks similar but I don't think that is it. My plant is more broad-leafed. Plus I remember it being labeled as a fern. I just can't remember the name.


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## katydidmischief (Aug 19, 2012)

Java Fern maybe? I think that's the fern I see the most in those plastic tubes.


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## lydianquinn (Sep 2, 2014)

well, actually I think that might actually be it,....


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## lydianquinn (Sep 2, 2014)

Whoops sorry, I didn't refresh when I posted my last comment. I googled a few pictures of the Cryptocoryne wendtii. Even though it seems much thinner and longer than the leaves in my plant... that's the only closest thing I can find. I know it isn't Java Fern. .. I've had many Java Ferns in the past and the name is so common it's difficult to forget it's name. I think I'll settle with Cryptocoryne wendtii unless I find a better match.


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## IntrovertEJL (May 30, 2014)

It's a bolbitis heteroclita, or El Niño fern. I've never had it before, but I recognized it from the times I've been in Petsmart to look at their plants. From what I've read online, it's not a true aquatic plant.


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## SplashyBetta (Jul 28, 2014)

El Niño ferns aren't aquatic; they're terrarium plants. I've read of a few people having success with them submerged in water but it's a challenge to get them to grow underwater and usually they'll die in an aquarium.


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## BlueSky99 (Aug 7, 2014)

I have the same plant in a fry tank and it's doing perfectly fine since I got it about a month ago. If it were to die, would it have shown signs by now?


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## ellekay (Nov 11, 2014)

El nino ferns can be aquatic, it just takes a long time. The leaves will eventually fall off, but new ones will appear. They reproduce just like java ferns. so once the babies start growing on the leaves you can move them to driftwood or rocks and start fresh with a completely aquatic one.

I have one and it's sprouted a bunch of babies. When I moved it to a different tank I accidentally destroying the rhizome (as it's just held together with string), but I have the babies, and that's good enough for me.


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## ellekay (Nov 11, 2014)

I was told (very rudely) by a few people on the forums when I first got mine that it would die if I didn't take it out. I had someone else on the forums ask a friend of theirs that knows and sells plants what exactly it was and if it was submersible. He said that while it wasn't a true aquatic plant, it could grow in aquariums with the conditions I stated above.

If it were to die, you'd have noticed by now. I think around 3 months is when mine started 'loosing' it's original leaves, but that was well after giving off tons of starts. I didn't know what they were starts and was plucking them off and throwing them away because I didn't like the look of the brown 'strings.' Newb mistake, as those were the beginnings of the starters. Whoops  I know better now.


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## lydianquinn (Sep 2, 2014)

Thank you all for your help!


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## Fourthwind (Jan 28, 2015)

It's "Java Fern" also known as Microsorum pteropus


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## lydianquinn (Sep 2, 2014)

Fourthwind said:


> It's "Java Fern" also known as Microsorum pteropus


I know it's not Java Fern. Those are very common. I wouldn't have forgotten that my plant was a Java fern, because I know what they look like. After some further research that I did, I know that my plant is actually an El Nino. Thanks for your suggestion though!


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## ellekay (Nov 11, 2014)

yeah them labeling it as "Aquatic Fern" is very vague... through me for a loop when I got mine too. 

I might add, my baby El Ninos are growing beautifully on my cholla


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