Water Sprite Indian Fern (Ceratopteris Thalictroides) - Potted

Water Sprite Indian Fern | Potted

Water Sprite (Indian Fern) is a classic “instant lush” plant—soft, lace-like foliage, bright green color, and a naturally full growth habit that makes a tank look planted right away. It’s also one of the most beginner-friendly options in the hobby because it’s adaptable, forgiving, and capable of fast growth when conditions are stable. Whether you use it to build a dense background, create a floating canopy, or give shy fish a place to retreat, Water Sprite adds texture and movement without demanding a high-tech setup.

Water Sprite (Indian Fern) Overview

Water Sprite is versatile enough to play a few different roles in an aquascape. Planted, it creates a feathery background that softens hardscape lines. Left floating, it forms a gentle surface canopy that can reduce harsh light and make fish feel more secure—especially in community tanks. Either way, its pleasantly “messy,” finely divided leaves create a natural look that feels more like a real habitat than a manicured garden.

Aquarists love Water Sprite because it’s one of the easiest ways to add volume, nutrient uptake, and cover to a tank:

• Fast, forgiving growth that helps beginners succeed
• Strong nutrient uptake from the water column (great for balancing newer tanks)
• Excellent cover for fry and small fish that like to tuck into fine leaves
• Works planted or left floating for a shaded, jungle-like surface canopy
• Adds soft texture and movement that pairs beautifully with rock and driftwood

Once it’s settled in, Water Sprite often becomes the plant that quietly does it all—it provides a living backdrop that makes the tank look fuller, while also functioning like a natural “buffer” by pulling nutrients from the water column as it grows. In practical terms, that means it can help smooth out the early ups-and-downs of a planted aquarium, especially in newer tanks where nutrient levels and algae pressure can swing. At the same time, the dense, finely divided leaves create safe, sheltered micro-spaces that fry and small fish naturally gravitate toward, and that shrimp often pick through for tiny food particles. Whether you keep it trimmed and tidy as a background plant or let it spread into a floating canopy, Water Sprite tends to make an aquarium feel calmer, more natural, and more stable—both visually and functionally.

Caring for Water Sprite Indian Fern

Water Sprite is highly adaptable and will thrive across a wide range of water conditions and light levels. It does well under moderate light, but can grow in lower light too (just more slowly and with looser spacing). One of the reasons it’s so easy is that substrate isn’t critical—Water Sprite is excellent at pulling nutrients directly from the water column, which is also why it’s often used as a natural helper plant in tanks with excess nutrients.

You can plant it in the substrate or keep it floating. If planting, place it in the background and give it enough room to bush out. Because the leaves are delicate, it’s best to position it away from powerheads and filter intakes so the foliage doesn’t get pulled in and shredded. If floating, occasional thinning helps prevent it from blocking too much light for plants below; the bonus is that the trimmed portions are easy to replant or share.

• Light: Moderate
• Temperature Range: 70–82°F
• Placement: Background (or floating at the surface)
• CO₂: Not required
• Difficulty: Easy
• Growth Rate: Moderate to Fast (faster with stable nutrients and light)

With moderate light, a little consistency, and occasional upkeep, Water Sprite is one of the easiest plants to keep looking great long-term. A steady routine with a quality liquid fertilizer (especially in low-tech tanks where it pulls most of its nutrition from the water column) helps it stay bright green and encourages fuller, faster growth. As it thickens, simple trimming becomes your best tool—cut back longer stems to prevent it from shading itself or other plants, then replant healthy cuttings to create a denser background or a fuller floating canopy. Done this way, Water Sprite doesn’t just “survive”—it becomes a reliable, beautiful workhorse that keeps your aquarium looking lush, balanced, and naturally established.

Why Choose the Potted Version

Choosing the potted version is a great option if you want a clean, stable start—especially if you plan to plant Water Sprite rather than float it. Potted plants typically arrive with a well established root mass and a sturdy base, which can make initial placement easier and reduce floating or dislodging during early maintenance. You can place the pot directly into the substrate for a simple setup, or remove it and plant it in your substrate.

Water Sprite (Indian Fern) is also available bareroot if you prefer that presentation style.

Shopping for Aquarium Plants at Modern Aquarium

At Modern Aquarium, each potted Water Sprite is inspected and prepared by hand before shipping so you receive a healthy, ready-to-plant specimen.

• Top Quality Store & real reviews: Modern Aquarium has been designated by Google as a Top Quality Store and has thousands of individual verified reviews from real customers, so you can shop with confidence.
• Live Arrival Guarantee & fast delivery: All live plants are backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee and ship via FedEx 2-Day delivery to help ensure healthy arrival.
• Trusted sourcing: Our plants are sourced from some of the best nurseries in Florida and handled with care from the grower to your aquarium.
• What You See Is What You Get: Images on our site are typical representations—because live plants are natural products, individual specimens will vary in size, fullness, and exact coloration.
• Support when you need it: Use the chat feature on our website or give us a call—we’re happy to help.

To finish the look, pair Water Sprite with bold hardscape like Seiryu Stone or Ohko Dragon Rock, tuck it behind driftwood such as Blackwood or Driftwood on Slate, and add a subtle touch of botanicals along the margins for a natural leaf-litter feel—especially in tanks with tetras, shrimp, or other small fish that appreciate extra cover.

Disclaimer: Due to local restrictions, this plant does not ship to California.