Water Sprite
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The Water Sprite, also known as the Indian Fern, is a great plant to use as a mid-ground plant and also as a floating plant. The delicate, lacy leaves also make great cover for fry to hide among. Due to its poor root system, the Water Sprite retrieves nutrients from the water.
The Water Sprite will grow profusely under the correct conditions, and for this reason, is excellent at removing unwanted and unhealthy inorganic nutrients from the aquarium water. In smaller aquariums with open tops, the Water Sprite can grow out of the tank and form beautiful surface leaves. The delicately branched leaves are very decorative and provide good contrast to other leaf shapes.
The Water Sprite makes a great starter plant for the aquarist new to plant keeping. Propagation is by adventitious plants from the tips of the leaves. Because of this, they are extremely easy to reproduce.
The Water Sprite is a favorite snack for many species of snails. To protect the plant and to control snail populations, consider adding snail eating loaches, such as clown loaches to the aquarium.
Quick Stats:
Care Level: Easy
Lighting: Moderate
Placement: Mid-ground
Water Conditions: 68-82° F, pH 5.5-6.5, KH 3-8
Propogation: Adventitious Plants
Max. Size: 1'
Color Form: Green
Supplements: High Quality Aquarium Fertilizer
Origin: Farm Raised, USA
Family: Pteridaceae
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Water sprite or also called Indian Fern is probably the best plant for freshwater tanks. It’s especially good for liverbearer tanks. Guppies, Mollies, Platies, etc. eat bits of the plant to supplement their diet and rest in the branches at night. A thick growth of Water Sprite is also good cover for the fry of livebearers as sometime underfed adults will eat their young. It’s a natural water cleaner and if given sufficient light is a very fast grower. Doesn’t do well in taller tanks because it needs a lot of light, unless you’re able to attached it to the side of the tank as a floating plant, close to the light source. Does extremely well in longer, shorter tanks if planted in the gravel or floating. I perfer to float the Water Sprite. If it’s floating, the plant doesn’t get in the way of your syphon when you’re vacuuming the gravel.