# Japanese Painted Fern?



## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

So I picked up one of these little beauties today, _Athyrium niponicum_ 'Pictum' so the lable reads. Hoping to put it in the 29 gallon I'm planning to set up, let it take up one side of the tank lol.

In anyone's experience is this a good or bad fern in tanks? The one response I've gotten is that they love fog, and I'm planning on having an ultra sonic fogger attached to the tank so it should love it! Recomendations on planting it? Was planning to use a cocofiber mixture that will give good moisture and drainage over leca.


----------



## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

I don't know jack about the plant but could you post a pic of it? It sounds pretty nice. Where'd you get it from?


----------



## defaced (May 23, 2005)

Images I found online. They seem to be popular but typically are a bit on the big side at around 18" in each direction. 

What care info I found while getting the pictures: 
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=B640



> General Culture:
> 
> Easily grown in humusy, organically rich, medium wet to wet, well-drained soil in part shade to full shade. Best sited in sheltered locations. Best frond color in light shade. Soil must not be allowed to dry out. Divide clumps in early spring. Naturalizes well by short, branching rhizomes and can form dense colonies in optimum growing conditions.
> 
> ...


----------



## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

I'm not worried about the size, knew it when I got it, I've grown these in the garden before (tho they never got that big cuz they didn't get the TLC they wanted to get to get full sized like I imagine they will inthe viv). I'll just have to see how well it does and if it takes over, it takes over, I'm sure the frogs won't mind!


----------



## pa.walt (Feb 16, 2004)

i always understood it as an "outside" plant. wouldn't it have to rest just the local moss that some people get for thier tanks.
just my 2 cents worth.


----------



## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

Hey Corey,

I have grown a few of these in my tanks with moderate success. The first one, within about 3 weeks in a fairly moist tank, it had lost all its fronds, and began shooting new ones up, whcih generally dropped within a week of opening. It is still alive andkicking in this viv, but doesn't look really great. I think they need to be somewhat drier on the roots or something, and this one was staying really damp on its roots. That is about the same behavior I got from my other one I tried, but I ended up replacing it with something else. Let me know what you do if you keep yours going good , 

take care

ed parker


----------



## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

I guess I'm just going to make sure that side of the tank is heavy on the coco chips for drainage... maybe just a straight orchid mix.... I know outside these guys like really nice moist soil to even wet feet, but in our tanks this can get kind of scewed with funky drainage and the soil compacting and not having a lot of air in it, which the ferns wouldn't like. I also think all the outside talk of compost and mulching and what not to keep the roots wet is to compensate a bit for the fronds not being kept moist... which in the tank they are. So since there is more moisture over all I'm going to reduce the amount there is held in the soil and hope for the best. 

This tank will be cycled to a degree, more wet/dry than temperatures, and I'm not sure how this will effect it long term. I've found lables of these plants being tropical to semi-tropical, as well as needing constant moisture during theri first few years, then after that being rather adaptable to its growing conditions (and a tank provides the moisture lol). Dormancy and cool weather seem to improve frond coloration in the plants more than being required.

I'm also tempted to plant it "on" some rocks with a little soil... good drainage and the rocks won't hold water lol. If it wants more moist soil it can spread to those areas, or stay in the rocky part with more drainage.

I fully expect it to drop significant foliage, as that often happens to plants I put in tanks that do not come from humid greenhouses, the foliage adapted to the outside conditions are dropped, and new, better suited foliage emerges as the plant adapts to the tank.


----------



## Guest (Apr 1, 2006)

Given that the Japanese Painted Fern is rated for zones 3 thru 7 you can assume it would prefere some sort of a dry cool rest period.

Here is a link to a plant hardiness zone map.

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html


Matt


----------



## rbrightstone (Apr 14, 2004)

One of the main problems is air movement. These ferns usually like a lot of humidity, but they also need a lot of air movemnt over the leaves to prevent the leaves from rotting right away. They also need a cool dry period to rest. They just seem to get worn out trying to produce leaves at the expense of ant stored food reserves. Good luck tho, and let us know if you have any luck with them.


----------



## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

begining to think leaving it potted might be a good idea... pulling it out for the cool period... but I don't want to stress the zaparo i want to put in the tank 

Hmmm.


----------

