Looking back at my aquascaping notes from 2016, I can see where I wrote “Bolbitis = DISASTER” in red pen with about five underlines. Yeah, that was after my first attempt at growing Bolbitis heudelotii completely failed. I’d been feeling pretty confident about my planted tank skills by then – had a couple successful setups under my belt, figured I could handle what everyone online was calling an “easy” plant. Famous last words, right?
The whole thing started because I was browsing aquarium forums during one of those late nights when my mind wouldn’t shut off (occupational hazard of thirty-plus years in emergency medicine), and I kept seeing these gorgeous photos of aquascapes with these flowing, textured green plants that looked almost prehistoric. African water fern, people kept calling it. Bolbitis heudelotii if you wanted to get fancy. Everyone said it was bulletproof, perfect for beginners, practically grew itself.
So naturally, I ordered some online without doing much research – which, knowing what I know now about this plant, was like trying to perform surgery without reading the patient’s chart first. When it arrived, I had this sad little bunch of brownish-green leaves attached to what looked like a thick root. The instructions that came with it said to “attach to hardscape,” so I grabbed some super glue gel and stuck it to a piece of driftwood. Done! Easy!
Three weeks later, I’m watching what used to be a plant slowly dissolve into brown mush in my 40-gallon tank. The leaves had turned this awful yellow-brown color and were literally falling apart when the filter current hit them. My husband walked by and asked if I was composting in the aquarium now. Very funny.
That’s when I learned the first hard lesson about Bolbitis – it breaks every single rule I’d learned about aquarium plants. Most plants either root in your substrate like normal terrestrial plants, or they float around freely absorbing nutrients from the water column. This weird African fern wants to grip onto rocks and wood like some kind of underwater ivy, and it gets really cranky if you don’t give it exactly what it wants.
After that spectacular failure, I spent about two weeks reading everything I could find about Bolbitis. Turns out, in nature it grows attached to rocks and fallen logs in fast-moving streams in West Africa. The current is constant, the water is well-oxygenated, and the plant anchors itself with specialized holdfast roots that grip surfaces. The thick stem-like thing at the base (called a rhizome) absolutely cannot be buried in gravel or sand – that kills it faster than anything.
My second attempt went much better, though it still tested my patience in ways I didn’t expect. I bought a nice piece of Malaysian driftwood from my local fish store – cost me forty bucks, but it had these perfect crevices and texture that looked like it would work. Instead of super glue, I used fishing line to attach the new Bolbitis specimens. I know it sounds crude, but my daughter’s boyfriend, who’s really into fly fishing, suggested it, and honestly it works better than anything else I’ve tried.
The trick is wrapping the fishing line around the rhizome and the attachment point without cutting into the plant tissue. Think of it like securing a patient for transport – firm enough to hold, gentle enough not to cause damage. I learned to wrap it snug but not tight, leaving room for the plant to grow and establish. Within about six weeks, I started seeing these tiny white roots growing out and gripping the wood surface. Success!
Water movement turned out to be absolutely critical, and this is where I see most people struggle with Bolbitis. It doesn’t just want circulation – it wants actual current flowing past the leaves. In my 75-gallon setup, I positioned my Fluval 407 canister filter to create directional flow across the hardscape where the Bolbitis grows. The leaves should be gently swaying, not whipping around violently, but definitely not sitting still. I’ve killed more Bolbitis with stagnant water than with any other mistake.
The growth rate is… well, let’s just say it makes watching grass grow seem exciting. We’re talking maybe one new leaf per month under good conditions, and some months you get nothing. I’ve had specimens sit there for four months looking exactly the same, then suddenly push out three new leaves in a row. It’s not a plant for people who want instant results – more like a long-term investment that pays off eventually.
Temperature-wise, it’s actually pretty forgiving. I keep my tank at 76°F, which seems to work well, but I’ve read that anywhere from 68-82°F is fine. The pH flexibility surprised me too – I’ve grown it successfully in water ranging from 6.2 to 7.8. My Minneapolis tap water runs around 7.2 naturally, and the plants don’t seem to care one way or another.
Lighting requirements are where things get tricky. Bolbitis wants moderate light, which in practical terms means not directly under your brightest fixtures. I’ve got Fluval Plant 3.0 LEDs on my main tank, and the Bolbitis thrives in the medium-light zones – bright enough to photosynthesize properly, but not so bright that algae starts growing on the slow-growing leaves. Too much light and you’ll end up with green hair algae coating everything. Too little and growth basically stops altogether.
Algae management became a real issue for me, especially in the beginning. Since Bolbitis grows so slowly, any excess nutrients in the water become algae food instead of plant food. Once algae establishes on those beautiful dark green leaves, it’s nearly impossible to remove without damaging the plant. I learned to keep nitrates around 10-15 ppm and maintain consistent CO2 levels to prevent most algae problems.
About CO2 – it’s not absolutely necessary, but it definitely helps. I ran my first successful Bolbitis setup without CO2 injection for about two years, and while the plants survived and even grew slowly, they never really thrived. After I added CO2 to that tank, I noticed faster growth and healthier-looking leaves within six weeks. The difference was obvious enough that I now consider CO2 essential for really beautiful Bolbitis.
Propagation happens through rhizome division, but only with well-established plants. I learned this the hard way when I got impatient with a young specimen and tried to divide it after about eight months. Killed both pieces completely. Now I wait at least a full year, preferably longer, before attempting division. When you do divide, make sure each section has several healthy leaves and robust-looking rhizome tissue.
Water changes matter more with Bolbitis than with most plants I grow. I do 30% weekly changes religiously, which helps remove excess nutrients and maintains stable conditions. This plant really doesn’t tolerate parameter swings well – sudden changes in pH, hardness, or temperature can cause leaves to yellow and drop off rapidly.
One thing I wish someone had warned me about: Bolbitis looks absolutely terrible for the first few months in a new tank. The leaves often turn brown, develop holes, or just look generally miserable as the plant adapts to your specific water conditions. This is completely normal! I’ve seen people panic and start changing lighting, adding fertilizers, adjusting CO2 – don’t do that. As long as you’re seeing tiny amounts of new growth, even microscopic new leaves, the plant is establishing.
Tank placement should consider the eventual mature size. My largest specimen now has leaves about 8 inches long and creates a mass roughly 10 inches across. It’s become a major focal point in my aquascape, but it took nearly three years to reach that size. When you’re planning your hardscape, think about where you want that big, flowing mass of foliage to be in two years, not where the tiny starter plant looks good now.
The payoff for all this patience and fussing is really something special. My oldest Bolbitis specimen has become this gorgeous, flowing centerpiece that adds texture and movement to the tank in ways no other plant quite matches. When I watch my cardinal tetras darting between those dark green fronds, or see my corydoras sheltering underneath during the day, I remember why I fell in love with this challenging plant in the first place. It’s not easy, and it’s definitely not quick, but sometimes the best things in this hobby require a little extra effort.
Priya proves aquascaping doesn’t need deep pockets or big spaces. From her San Jose apartment, she experiments with thrifted tanks, easy plants, and clever hacks that keep the hobby affordable. Expect honest lessons, DIY tips, and a lot of shrimp in tiny jars.
