TCulture Microsorum Pteropus Needle (Taiwan) (Pot)

A very beautiful Java fern variant, ideal for the nature aquarium style.

Narrower then Microsorum pteropus “Narrow”
This fern has ribbon-shaped, about 20-40 cm long and 0.5-1.5 cm, at most 2 cm wide leaves. It is known in the hobby under various names, e.g. “Narrow” and “Needle leaf”, but is different from the shorter Microsorum pteropus “Narrow” from Tropica and develops wider, longer leaves than the true “Needle leaf” Java fern.
Microsorum pteropus “Taiwan Narrow”, also called M. pteropus “Taiwan”, is as easy as broad-leaved regular Java fern. It is perfectly suitable as epiphyte on the hardscape but grows also well when it is fixed to the ground. It is easily propagated by cutting the rhizome as well as by adventitious plantlets appearing on older leaves.

Microsorum Pteropus Needle (Taiwan) for SG Aquascapes

This narrow-leaf Java fern variant is a workhorse epiphyte we point first-time aquascapers toward because it asks for so little. Its slim, ribbon-like fronds bring fine texture to driftwood and rock, and like all Java ferns it draws nutrients from the water column rather than the substrate. That makes it ideal for the hardscape-heavy nature-style layouts popular among Singapore hobbyists working in compact HDB and condo tanks.

It thrives in the soft, slightly acidic water that comes out of most local taps once dechlorinated, and it handles our warm 27-29C range comfortably, no chiller required. Keep light moderate; too much encourages algae on the slow-growing leaves. Never bury the rhizome in substrate, as that causes rot. Instead tie or glue it onto wood or stone and let the roots grip naturally over a few weeks.

It propagates by producing tiny plantlets on mature leaves, which you can detach and reattach elsewhere. See our Microsorum pteropus varieties overview and Java fern care guide, and browse more in our epiphytes selection.