Bolbitus titubans photo and description

Maintenance and care

In order to grow a healthy and beautiful plant, it is necessary to create comfortable conditions for it. In this case, bolbitis gedeloti will grow all year round. The fern will be comfortable not only in a tropical aquarium, but also in a temperate one. It grows most actively at temperatures from 23 to 26 C. If the temperature is below 20 C, then the plant practically stops growing. And in water more than 27 C, the fern will lack nutrients and it will begin to disappear. In addition, bolbitis does not take root in hard water, so the pH level should be from 4 to 6. In acidic alkaline water, the leaves of the fern will begin to collapse, so the reaction of the water should be slightly acidic. Fern also needs a regular addition of fresh water.

But Balbitis Gedeloti is less demanding on lighting. It will feel great in any light, even with prolonged dimming. But it is still better to use fluorescent lamps. The penetration of scattered sunlight is also favorably reflected. But at the same time, direct ultraviolet rays should not be allowed. It is also necessary to take into account the fact that the structure of the fern leaves is thin and delicate, therefore it is impossible for silt and algae to appear on them, since it will not be possible to clean them from this later. Daylight hours should last from 8 to 12 hours. Balbitis also loves additional fertilizers that will contain trace elements. The rest of the fern is considered an unpretentious and very beautiful plant.

Description of hydrophyte

Bolbitis was first discovered and described by scientists in the 30s of the last century. Biologists classify it as a millipede plant and a fern class.

Hydrophyte has a creeping root system with brown petioles. With the help of tenacious roots, it attaches to any bottom irregularities and sediments. This allows the plant to hold in place in fast flowing rivers.

Leaves of a complex feathery shape, are arranged alternately on the stem and form a lush bush. Depending on environmental conditions, the height of the plant varies from 20 to 50 centimeters.

Natural habitat

In the wild, it is found in tropical latitudes. It grows in all countries with hot humid climates and an abundance of water bodies. The main habitats are the western part of the African continent, India and Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Main types

There are a huge number of fern species in the world. The most famous are:

Ceratopteris or Indian hydrophyte with the shape and color of the leaves resembles ordinary dill. It grows in fine silty soil, sand or pebbles. Can float on the surface of the reservoir. Very light-requiring.
The red Asiatic fern has a scarlet color on young shoots that turn green over time. Because of this feature, it is very popular among lovers of unusual decor.
Trident is the rarest type of hydrophytes. The leaves are shaped like a trident and reach a length of 20 centimeters.
Pterygoid pteropus with wide bright green leaves creates lush thickets, ideal for decorating the perimeter and central part of the aquarium. The Philippine variety is distinguished by its preference for salt water.
The narrow-leaved species consists of narrow leaves. Its rhizome is covered with thin villi. Grows well in small tanks. He needs bright light and soft water.
Thai, or Wendelova, is distinguished by a lanceolate foliage with a branched top, reminiscent of deer antlers. Prefers slightly salty or fresh aquatic environment.
The dwarf species grows on moist soil and spreads over it in a green carpet. It does not exceed seven centimeters in height. Bolbitis compact has been used in aquascaping recently.It can grow over the entire surface of the aquarium and feels great underwater. Bolbitis dwarf adapts well to different levels of illumination, temperature and any composition of the liquid.
Heteroclite, or bizarre, can grow in both soil and water. A favorite habitat is tree trunks in their lower part and small areas of rocks. Very whimsical in a home reservoir. More suitable for breeding in a paludarium.
Gedeloti or Bolbitis heudelotii is native to the Congo, which is why it is called the Congolese fern. Thanks to the clinging roots, it can do without soil. The Bolbitis Gedeloti fern needs diffused light and clean water. The leaves are very dense, which saves them from being eaten by fish.

Hydrophytes adapt very well to home conditions

Home conditions

Many sources provide information on the complex levels of Bolbitis heudelotii in aquariums. At the same time, according to the reviews of many owners of this gorgeous aquatic fern, there are no particular difficulties. Precisely observing all the necessary requirements, it can be successfully maintained even by novice aquarists.

The size of the aquarium is not so important: vegetation can exist in any "jar" with a capacity of 50 liters or more.

The fact is that the shield can be of the size that is needed in each specific case. Of course, this must be monitored.

Don't worry about the soil either. The stem rhizoids can even securely cling to the glass bottom of the aquarium. However, an aquarium without a bottom substrate does not look natural, so you can put river pebbles on the bottom, for example. Such a base is not only perfect for attaching the rhizome, but also allows you to make mineral fertilizers for feeding the bolbitis. In principle, to feed it, it is enough to have a slight silting of the bottom substrate.

BOLBITIS GEDELOTI

REPRODUCTION

Propagated by Bolbitis Gedeloti by dividing the rhizome and lateral processes. On the part of the root, the growth point and at least three developed leaves must be preserved. Unless absolutely necessary, it is better to refrain from any manipulations with Bolbitis Gedeloti, since any violation of the root system can lead to stress in the plant, and, as a result, slow down or stop its growth.

Water requirements

What is really important for the normal existence of a representative of a centipede is the parameters and condition of the water. Moreover, it is not its temperature parameters that play an important role, but chemical

Temperature

The optimal temperature of the aquatic environment is considered to be the range from + 22 ° C to + 25 ° C, which allows you to keep the fern along with many species of viviparous ornamental fish (tetras, neons and many others). It tolerates a slight increase or decrease in temperature quite normally. However, at a temperature of +20 degrees and below, the vegetation gradually degrades, and when the water is heated to + 28 ° C and above, it begins to develop rapidly, requiring the supply of mineral fertilizing.

Chemical composition

The chemical composition of the water is very important. The scabbard feels fine in a clean aquatic environment, where the concentration of nitrites and nitrates tends to zero. Therefore, effective cleaning with a high-performance filter is indispensable. The water flow should not be too strong.

Congolese fern reacts sharply to an increase in alkalinity, with a hardness index above 8 °, the leaves begin to gradually collapse.

Thus, it must be kept in soft, slightly acidic water (pH from 6 to 6.7 units) with a hardness not higher than 6 °.

BOLBITIS GEDELOTI

Water changes

In order to maintain the required chemical values, it is necessary to regularly carry out water changes - at least ¼ of the total volume. Experienced aquarists recommend preparing soft water for such changes by boiling over a fire for 1 hour.

Thus, salt and other elements harmful to vegetation are boiled out from tap water. Then the boiled water is defended for a day and poured into the aquarium, preventing the formed sediment from entering it.

Here the ideal conditions necessary for the development of bolbitis are considered, but there is information about its content in ordinary hard tap water. This is achieved by a long, gradual "habituation" of the plant to seemingly extreme conditions for it. Such facts indicate a fairly high degree of adaptability of the aquatic ornamental fern. In principle, science does not deny this.

Breeding rules

For reproduction of Bolbitis Gedeloti, it is enough to cut off a part of the root with a growth bud.

The fern reproduces by dividing the rhizome. This method brings a lot of stress to the bolbitis, the plant tolerates it quite hard.

A part of the root system with a well-formed growth bud with 2-3 leaves is cut off using a sharp knife. The cut is disinfected with crushed activated carbon.

The cut part is placed on the bottom of the tank and pressed lightly with pebbles. You cannot fill it with soil, because the layer itself will attach itself with roots. Such a plant is not propagated by spores.

Appearance

The leaves of the plant have a rich green color, which is why aquarists choose it. This color also goes well with most other aquarium plants that have a light green color. If you plant bolbitis gedeloti in the background, you get the effect of a dense forest. But this does not mean at all that it is not suitable for the middle ground, in this case it will be possible to better consider all its beauty.

But no matter how it was, if you decide to acquire such a fern, you need to find out about its features. Under favorable conditions, new leaves grow regularly on the fern bush, with each new one being larger than the previous one. The length of one leaf can reach 50 cm. Along with this, the roots develop and grow stronger. But in this case, it needs to be planted in the background. Another feature of the fern is that the leaves can be located above the surface of the water and feel great. In this case, in an aquascape that does not have a top cover, but instead of it, the leaves of the bolbitis are visible, it looks simply bewitching. But if you want to grow a plant in the middle ground, then you need to slow down the development of the rhizome, and do not allow the length of the leaves to exceed 15 cm.Therefore, as soon as the fern releases a long leaf, it must be cut off along with part of the roots. After this, the bolbitis stops growing, as it receives stress.

Some small leaves in the bush can grow not only vertically, but also horizontally, while they fall beautifully on the surface of the soil. But this feature does not apply to large ones, they grow exclusively upward.

Bolbitis heudelotii

Bolbitis Gedeloti or Congolese fern (Bolbitis heudelotii)

Family: Lomariopsidaceae

Origin: West Africa

Height: 15 - 40 cm

Width: 15 - 25 cm

Growth rate: Low

Complexity of content:

Possible lighting:

Temperature: 20 - 28 ° C

pH: 5.0 - 7.0

CO supply₂: 6 - 14 mg / l

Bolbitis heudelotii is an aquatic fern from West Africa with very beautiful translucent dark green leaves. The leaves are quite tough and too tough for most of the herbivorous inhabitants of the aquarium.

Most often, Bolbitis Gedeloti is used to decorate the middle plan of an aquarium, it can also serve as a decoration for large stones and driftwood. In favorable conditions, the fern forms extensive, dense thickets.

The main disadvantages of this plant are its low growth rate and demanding conditions for keeping.

The most favorable for keeping the fern is soft (less than 4 ° dGH), slightly acidic water (pH 6.0-6.8) with a temperature of 22-26 ° C. And the additional supply of CO2 can significantly increase the rate of its growth.

Bolbitis Gedeloti eventually managed to adapt to moderately hard water, up to 12 ° dGH. In such conditions, the rate of its growth slows down, the leaves become smaller, but the whole bush at the same time looks much more magnificent and more decorative.

Pure water and its active compass not only positively affect the condition of the plant, but also improve its appearance. Also, a weekly water change in the aquarium is extremely necessary, because it is with fresh water that silicon salts enter the aquarium, so necessary for the stiffness of the stalks and fern leaves.

Excess sodium in water is poorly tolerated by the plant.

Bolbitis heudelotii is not picky about the intensity of illumination, and easily tolerates long-term shading, especially in good water. But too bright lighting can contribute to the growth of algae on the leaves. The duration of the lighting is about 12 hours a day.

Fern in nature is most often found in rivers with fast currents, growing on stones and rocks, less often on the ground. Focusing on this, and you should choose the place of planting in the aquarium. It will be optimal to fix the plant on stones, driftwood and other decorative elements of the aquarium. For the first time, the rhizome is tied with a silk thread, and over time, its roots (rhizoids) will be fixed on the surface, growing into the smallest irregularities of the base.

When planting in the ground, in no case should the rhizome be buried, it is only pressed against the ground with several stones. Otherwise, it will start to rot.

Regular application of complex mineral fertilizer containing various microelements is recommended. Mineral feeding is especially important at high water temperatures.

In artificial conditions, Bolbitis Gedeloti is propagated vegetatively. Usually, by dividing the rhizome, for this, a part of it with at least three strong large leaves and a bridge night is cut with a sharp knife. It is best to do this without separating the plants from the substrate. After dividing the rhizome, the fern is provided with rest and stable conditions for a couple of weeks. After that, the plant can be transplanted to a new location.

Occasionally, new small plants may appear along the edges of very old leaves, which can also be used for breeding.

Content requirements

The bolbitis fern grows up in the aquarium, so at the bottom of the reservoir there should be various pebbles and driftwood, to which it clings to the roots. To avoid root rot, it should be kept clear of soil. Acclimatization slows down the growth of hydrophytes. However, when growing conditions are observed, moderate growth can be achieved. For optimal plant development and health, the following rules must be adhered to:

Diffuse, natural light, avoid direct rays.
Weakly acidic water with a pH of -6.
Temperature range from 22 to 25 degrees Celsius.
Mineral dressing.
Periodic fluid change.

The fluid change maintains the required chemical values in the tank. The amount of liquid to be added should be one fourth of the volume of the tank. To rid water of harmful elements, it must be boiled for an hour and defended for a day. When pouring it into a reservoir, it is necessary to ensure that the formed sediment does not get into it.

Long-term studies have shown that the hydrophyte can adapt to life in water with increased hardness. But this requires a long period of adaptation.

Description of bolbitus aureus

The color of the caps in young specimens is bright egg, and with age it fades to off-white, only the center remains the same color. The hat is small - 2-4 centimeters in diameter. It is very fragile and almost transparent. This fungus looks like a flashlight in the forest. The shape of the cap varies from bell-shaped to almost spread, however, a weakly pronounced tubercle is noticeable in the middle. The edges of the cap are grooved.

The flesh is whitish in color, very thin. The pulp has no smell and taste. The plates are free, they are often located.In young mushrooms, the plates are yellowish, and with age they become brown. Spore powder of tobacco-brown color.

The leg is hollow, very fragile, and cylindrical. The surface of the leg is yellowish-white with a thin powdery bloom. If mushrooms grow in tall grass, their legs can be very winding and long. Most often, the length of the leg is 3-6 centimeters, but in long-legged specimens it can reach up to 15 centimeters.

The spread of the painful bitus aureus

Golden bolbituses grow from May to late autumn. They can be found in fields and meadows. They choose dung or grassy places. Unfortunately, the life cycle of these bright lanterns with long legs is short, so you will hardly be able to admire them. Bolbitus golden quickly loses its brightness and becomes dirty yellow, and then shrinks and turns into a tiny nondescript lump.

Assessment of the pain of aureus

The edibility of these mushrooms is difficult to determine. Most likely, golden bolbituses are not poisonous, but it makes no sense to eat them.

The similarity of the golden bolbitus with other mushrooms

The unique color of the golden bolbitus does not allow it to be confused with the same ephemeral representatives of the Bolbitiev family. This mushroom is remotely similar to dung beetles, but differs in that its plates do not turn black even in old age.

Related species

Blue foliotin is a hallucinogenic mushroom. His hat is miniature - no more than 2.5 centimeters in diameter. In shape, it varies from rounded conical to bell-shaped. The color of the cap is ocher brown or rusty brown, when the cap dries up, it brightens. The pulp is white, without a pronounced smell and taste. The leg does not exceed 4 centimeters in height. It is fragile in structure. The color of the leg is first white, and then turns gray or brown.

Foliotins grow blue in glades and meadows, more rarely they settle in light forests.

The velvety-footed conocybe is a hallucinogenic mushroom that contains a substance called psilocybin, which causes hallucinations. This is a small mushroom - the diameter of its cap does not exceed 2.7 centimeters. Its shape is conical-bell-shaped, and the cap never fully unfolds. The color of the cap is ocher brown. The pulp of this mushroom is light, very thin, without a pronounced smell and taste. The leg is very long - up to 15 centimeters and thin - its width is only 0.15-0.3 centimeters. The color of the leg is buffy yellow.

The velvety-footed conocybe grows in fields and meadows, often these mushrooms appear in greenhouses. They bear fruit from July to October.

Natural environment and appearance

Bolbitis (or bolbitis) appeared in European aquariums more than 40 years ago. A significant contribution to the popularization of these species of the oldest representatives of the fauna and their study was made by the French ichthyologist G. Jery, who studied the fern in the natural environment, and the aquarist from Monaco, J. Agnult, who brought a large batch of these amazing plants to Europe.

Bolbitis gedeloti belongs to the large and relatively young class Polypodiopsida. It includes about 10,000 species and only 120 species are water ferns. B. heudelotii grows in subtropical and tropical Africa - the range extends from Ethiopia and eastern Senegal to northern South Africa.

Bolbitis is a fully submerged fern. Grows in fresh water bodies with rocky or sandy bottom and strong currents. Bolbitis prefers running clear water, slightly sour and soft. To prevent the current from blowing away the bush, it is fixed on stones and snags with the help of peculiar "suckers" - rhizoids. It grows rather slowly, which is why aquarists love it.

In addition, the leaves and stems are tough and durable. They are covered with a double layer of epidermis. Outside - the bark, consists of semi-lignified cells, and fish do not damage stubborn tissues. The second layer has numerous stomata through which the plant breathes. Therefore, in the light, fern fronds are covered with pearls of air bubbles.

Ploskovets (fronds) are large, pinnately incised, painted in a dark green color. Vayi is not yet a real leaf, but only its prototype. Strictly speaking, what we consider a leaf in bolbitis is a whole branch, which is located in one plane, and it is difficult for it to determine where the leaf blade ends and the stem begins. Young fronds are rolled up like a snail. The process of its "unfolding" can take from 1 to 2 weeks. Fronds do not grow from the petiole, like other leafy plants, but from the top, therefore they can reach significant sizes.

The height of the plant in nature is up to 50 cm, but in a limited volume of the aquarium - no more than 30-40 cm. The width of the leaf blade is 10 cm, and its length is 20 cm. The leaf blades of the young and old frond differ in appearance. In young "leaves" the edge is more rounded, while in old ones there is noticeable "serration" - jaggedness. This makes the plant even more decorative.

On the reverse side of the leaf blade, sporangia are formed, in which spores mature. Each sporangium has a different opening mechanism. When the spores mature, the "box" opens and small brown spores spill out of it. But in the conditions of a domestic reservoir, the Congolese fern does not reproduce by spores.

The rhizome is creeping, dark brown in color, covered with an outer layer of the epidermis, which forms scales. It is called a vegetative root, since the plant can reproduce vegetatively - by dividing the rhizome. The thickness of the rhizome can reach 1 cm. Buds appear on it, from which several branches develop - fronds. Thin adventitious roots extend from the rhizome. With them, the fern braids the support, like an epiphyte, and can grow even without a substrate.

Definitioner

Basidia (Basidia)

Lat. Basidia. A specialized structure of sexual reproduction in fungi, inherent only in Basidiomycetes. Basidia are terminal (end) elements of hyphae of various shapes and sizes, on which spores develop exogenously (outside).

Basidia are diverse in structure and method of attachment to hyphae.

According to the position relative to the axis of the hypha, to which they are attached, three types of basidia are distinguished:

Apical basidia are formed from the terminal cell of the hypha and are located parallel to its axis.

Pleurobasidia are formed from lateral processes and are located perpendicular to the axis of the hypha, which continues to grow and can form new processes with basidia.

Subasidia are formed from a lateral process, turned perpendicular to the axis of the hypha, which, after the formation of one basidium, stops its growth.

Based on morphology:

Holobasidia - unicellular basidia, not divided by septa (see Fig. A, D.).

Phragmobasidia are divided by transverse or vertical septa, usually into four cells (see Fig. B, C).

By type of development:

Heterobasidia consists of two parts - hypobasidia and epibasidia developing from it, with or without partitions (see Fig. C, B) (see Fig. D).

Homobasidia is not divided into hypo- and epibasidia and in all cases is considered holobasidia (Fig. A).

Basidia is the place of karyogamy, meiosis and the formation of basidiospores. Homobasidia, as a rule, is not functionally divided, and meiosis follows karyogamy in it. However, basidia can be divided into probasidia - the site of karyogamy and metabasidia - the site of meiosis. Probasidium is often a dormant spore, for example in rust fungi. In such cases, probazidia grows with metabasidia, in which meiosis occurs and on which basidiospores are formed (see Fig. E).

See Karyogamy, Meiosis, Gifa.

Pileipellis

Lat. Pileipellis, skin - differentiated surface layer of the cap of agaricoid basidiomycetes. The structure of the skin in most cases differs from the inner flesh of the cap and may have a different structure. The structural features of pileipellis are often used as diagnostic features in descriptions of fungi species.

According to their structure, they are divided into four main types: cutis, trichoderma, hymeniderma and epithelium.

Cm.Agaricoid mushrooms, Basidiomycete, Cutis, Trichoderma, Gimeniderm, Epithelium.

Pileipellis (Pileipellis)

According to their structure, they are divided into four main types: cutis, trichoderma, hymeniderma and epithelium.

See Agaricoid fungi, Basidiomycete, Cutis, Trichoderma, Gimeniderm, Epithelium.

Hymeniderm

The type of cap skin, consists of non-septic elements located more or less perpendicular to the surface and laid on the same level, resembling the hymenial layer.

Lat. Hymeniderm.

It is subdivided into trichogymenidermis, eugymenidermis, epithelioid hymenidermis.

There is also a transitional structure of the skin from the hymenidermis to the epithelium. (A mixture of rounded cells, characteristic of the epithelium, but located in one layer, and pear-shaped cells, characteristic of hymenidermis, lying at the same level.)

See Gymnial layer, Trichogymenidermis, Eugymenidermis, Epithelioid hymenidermis, Epithelium, Septa.

Conditions in the aquarium

There are different opinions among aquarists about the ease of growing Bolbitis Gedeloti. Some consider the plant to be unpretentious, undemanding to feeding and lighting. Others complain that even with careful observance of all parameters, the fronds darken and acquire an ugly brownish-brownish color. The truth is somewhere in between. Bolbitis is a tropical and subtropical plant, but loves relatively cool water. The best environment settings are:

water temperature - + 24-25 ° С;
pH value (pH) - 5.5-7.5;
hardness - 4-6 °.

The plant can exist at lower temperatures, but the lower limit should not drop by more than + 1-2 ° C. At + 20 ° C, the growth of this, so not the most rapidly growing fern completely stops. When the temperature rises to + 28 ° C, its growth accelerates. In order for the fern not to degrade in a tropical high-temperature aquarium, it needs enhanced mineral feeding. To maintain the optimum temperature for the growing season of the plant, it is necessary to install a heater with a thermometer in the container.

To preserve the decorativeness and color of the leaf blade, the acidity of the water should be controlled. In an alkaline environment, the leaves begin to dissolve. Therefore, the aquarium must be supplied with CO₂to maintain the gas concentration at 3-5 mg / l. Fern grows naturally in fast flowing water bodies.

A good filter is also necessary in order to purify water from nitrates and nitrites, to the content of which bolbitis is very sensitive. There must be aeration of the pool.

For weekly water changes, add hard and rusty water should be avoided. With an increased iron content, the leaf plate acquires an ugly brown-brown color. Experienced aquarists recommend changing up to ¼ of the water volume to soft water. It is prepared by boiling for 1 hour.

When boiling, salts dissolved in water precipitate in order to get rid of them, the liquid is defended for a day and carefully drained, avoiding roiling

The fern grows well in diffused light. This can be achieved by floating plants on the surface of the aquarium or by using fluorescent lamps with a power of 1 W / l. When exposed to direct sunlight, burns are formed in the form of brown spots. Therefore, it is not recommended to place an aquarium with a fern near a window. Lighting duration should be up to ½ day - 10-12 hours.

The volume of the aquarium affects the growth rate and splendor of the bush. The recommended volume is at least 60 liters. The fern grows, like most of the scabbards, slowly. They regulate the height of the plant by removing large leaves with part of the rhizome.The plant does not require a nutritious substrate and can grow on pebbles, sand, snags. To keep the fern from degrading, you need to feed it. Fertilizers containing trace elements are applied weekly at a dose of 1-2 g of substance per 100 liters. But overfeeding the plant is also not worth it - an increased amount of sodium will worsen the appearance and slow down growth.

Large stones and pebbles make feeding easier. To stimulate the growth of frond, it is recommended to add Sydex - an algicide with CO as a source of organic carbon₂... With abundant light, it is possible to overgrow the leaf blades with blue-green algae. Sydex will help to cope with this problem. It damages algal cells without affecting the tissues of higher plants.

Like most ferns, bolbitis has excellent adaptive abilities and can adapt to changing habitat conditions. So, in the literature, cases are described when a plant successfully developed in ordinary tap water, rather hard. But such stress quickly depletes it, and the life of the fern is significantly reduced.

Breeding features

In the conditions of a home pool, bolbitis gedeloti does not reproduce by spores. Only vegetative propagation with the help of parts of the rhizome is possible. It is separated with an already formed growth bud, from which 3-4 fronds have developed. The plant is sensitive to transplanting.

The stress of separation from the common rhizome significantly slows down the growth of the fern. In an aquarium with fish that like to stir up the soil, the young plant should be placed against the back wall until the rhizoids secure it to the support. The rhizome should not be buried in, it is enough to press it along the edges with pebbles or fix it on a snag, a boulder with the help of a fishing line.

Rhizoids hold the plant well on a special net, which increases the possibilities of decorating the aquarium. Subject to the water parameters and proper feeding, the young bush doubles the number of "leaves" in 2.5-3 months.

aquarium ferns;
fern thailand in the aquarium.

Conditions of detention

The content of Bolbitis Gedeloti is whimsical and demanding. But at the same time it takes root well in a moderately warm and tropical aquarium. The temperature at which the fern will feel comfortable should not exceed 26 ° C. Above this temperature, the plant is quickly depleted and dies. If the temperature drops to 20 ° C, the plant will slow down its growth. As a means of lighting, it is possible to use lamps with a filament or fluorescent type LB. The daylight hours of Bolbitis Gedeloti should be about 12 hours. It perfectly tolerates both dimming and feels good in diffused natural light. However, the fern must be protected from direct sunlight. Bolbitis Gedeloti should be kept in water with low acidity (pH 6-7), as the leaves of the plant in alkaline water tend to decay quickly. The water hardness in the aquarium is about 6 ° - the maximum permissible. The plant will grow best at a hardness of 4 °. Congolese fern needs regular mineral feeding, especially when organic matter is scarce at the bottom. The fertilizer must contain trace elements. Such complex mineral dressings are applied every week and are usually dosed in this way - 1-2 grams per 100 liters of water. But when feeding a plant, do not forget that it does not like sodium-saturated water. Therefore, the addition of baking soda or table salt should be minimized (no more than 1 g per 1 liter of water). The cultivation of Bolbitis Gedeloti is possible without soil: the rhizoid roots envelop the enclosed stone like a net. This aquarium plant is dense enough to submerge in water and not float up. An optional but favorable condition for keeping the plant is the presence of bottom silt in the aquarium. But for the good development and growth of the plant, it is necessary to ensure that the fern does not grow with blue-green and green algae (this, by the way, is connected with the need to protect the plant from direct sunlight).

Bolbitis gedeloti in aquascaping

The Congolese fern is used in the decoration of all types of aquariums. Placed against the back wall, it forms a dark green background against which plants of pale green, lilac, purple, red, yellow or orange look advantageous. Dense thickets on the periphery provide an excellent natural shelter for viviparous fish. Withstands tough leaves and cichlid attacks.

If you control the height of the plant, then it can be planted in the middle ground. Carved "leaves" and a compact bush will look beautiful on a snag or a separate piece of rock. The fern tightly covers the surface of the decorative element with rhizoids, and the young fronds cover the horizontal planes with an openwork cover. With a strong current, all the fronds can take a horizontal position, orienting themselves in the direction of the flow. This arrangement gives the bushes originality and expands the design possibilities.

The fern grows evenly throughout the year. The thicker and more powerful the rhizome, the larger the frond. The largest ones can rise above the water level, and areas in the air do not dry out, which allows the plant to be used in various types of compositions, as well as in paludariums.

In the "natural aquarium", the trendsetter of which was the Japanese aquarist Takashi Amano, bolbitis is used in rioboku - a composition of oddly shaped driftwood, or iwagumi - stones of a certain shape and location. By varying the height of the fern and its position (in the background or middle ground), it is easy to create an “island”, U-shaped or triangular landscape.

By combining ground cover plants, medium and tall specimens, you can create perspective that will make the inner size of the aquascape visually larger than the outer one. Bolbitis is convenient in creating a U-shaped landscape or "alpine valley" and the fact that with its rhizoids it "binds" pebbles, preventing the soil from sliding down the slopes.

If a low bush of bolbitis was conceived in landscape design, then it must be "cultivated". The procedure is similar to shaping a bonsai. Experienced aquascapers advise removing large fronds along with part of the rhizome. In this case, the plant stops growing for a while due to stress. But then the rhizome begins to branch, and young buds are formed on new, thin roots, from which “leaves” of 10-15 cm appear.

The species B. Heteroclita or bizarre bolbitis is no less beautiful and diverse. It is a semi-terrestrial plant and thrives best in an "artificial swamp" - paludarium. But it can also be used as a background in an aquarium.

Since Bolbitis are quite expensive plants, B. heudelotii is the most popular among aquarists.

Knowing the peculiarities of the fern vegetation, you can create unique masterpieces that will decorate the interior of a modern apartment or office.

aquascaping;
aquarium for plants.