# Epiphytic ferns



## crb_22601 (Jan 12, 2006)

Any ideas for some viv size epiphytic ferns?


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## vivariman (Sep 26, 2007)

I think epiphytic ferns are great.

For Frondy type ferns, I would go with:

Polypodium formosanum (E.T, Caterpillar)
Rabbits foot fern
Atumn fern (not sure how it is in nature, but would probably work epiphyte-wise in a viv)
Korean rock fern might work

Non frondy ones, 

Tongue fern
Heart fern
Staghorn fern (can get huge)
Any sort of strap fern or birdsnest fern (can also get big)

Some really cool ones that are more expensive, but look neat and don't get too big:

Any microgramma species like reptans, nitidia, lycopodioides or unkowns
Microsorum sp.
Lemmaphyllum sp.

Some more rare ones, but may outgrow a viv and be very expensive

Epiphytic Lycopodium/Huperzia sp.
Lecanopteris sp.

For the rare ones, Black jungle occasionally has them in stock, along with some other rare plant nurseries, for the large rare ones, I recommend Ebay.

Good luck!


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## onefstsnake (Jul 31, 2008)

Seems to me that Ferns wont live long in direct light and need alot of shade or indirect light.

My ET ferns died after about a week of 10hr/day direct light.


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## crb_22601 (Jan 12, 2006)

Well mine et fern is doing just fine. What kind of substrate do you have it in?


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## onefstsnake (Jul 31, 2008)

It was in sphagnum moss with some coco bark.


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## cindre2000 (Dec 17, 2007)

E.T.'s love strong light. But they absolutely cannot dry out. I have several in all of my vivs and the only thing that has set them back is when they dry out.


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## TimsViv (Feb 16, 2004)

Do you mount them epiphytically or plant them in the substrate?

Thanks,
Tim


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## cindre2000 (Dec 17, 2007)

Thus far I have had the best luck with substrate. However, they probably can go epiphytically if done right, their root system is not very big and the rhizome(?) is above the substrate. Since they are usually grown in substrate they do take some acclimatization to grow epiphytically; this means you really have to watch them to make sure they don't dry out.

On several I had all the leaves fall off due to drying out; but now those pieces are in more humid tanks and the leaves are growing back, so while the leaves are not too hardy, the actual rhizome(?) is. My white rabbits foot took to its epiphytic situation much quicker, but it is much hardier when it comes to drying out and humidity. I also have Microsorum sp. that are doing very well, but they also need to be kept fairly damp.


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## jackxc925 (Dec 22, 2007)

i realize that this thread is old but i was wondering how large the et fern gets. (would in fit in a 20 gal vert)


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## Corpus Callosum (Apr 7, 2007)

It can outgrow a 20 gallon but is easily trimmed and maintained, so it should be fine in there.


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

what do you call strong light?

It seems many people don't have much luck with them as they aren't commonly available. Shame, as I'd love to try it in my viv.

I have Kangaroo's paw fern and white rabbits foot(Davallia fejeenensis) and though the kangaroo paw leaves rot when they go into the drink due to the cuttings being top heavy last I heard the clump of rabbits foot is doing well.


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