Water Sprite (Ceratopteris Thalictroides)
Water Sprite (Ceratopteris Thalictroides)
Water Sprite is one of the most versatile ferns in the hobby — plant it in substrate and it grows upright with lacy, finely divided fronds, or let it float and it forms a dangling root mass that fry and shrimp love to hide in. It’s a fast, thirsty grower that pulls nutrients straight from the water column, making it a genuine ally against algae in a newly set-up tank. It even propagates itself, sprouting baby plantlets right along the edges of mature leaves.
Care level: Easy · Placement: Midground/Background/Floating · Lighting: Low-Medium · CO2: Not required · Growth rate: Fast · Propagation: plantlets
At a glance
- Scientific name
- Ceratopteris thalictroides
- Common name
- Water Sprite
- Water type
- Freshwater
- Care level
- Easy
When it ships
Most non-quarantined stock goes out the week you order. If we do not already have the animal in-house we source it first — allow up to two weeks for it to reach us. Live animals leave Monday and Tuesday, and Early AM Overnight is the only service that carries a live arrival guarantee.
The live guarantee
Shipped Early AM Overnight: a 1-hour DOA window from confirmed delivery, and nothing beyond it. Next Day Air and 2-Day carry no live arrival guarantee, and neither does USPS Priority. Local pickup or local delivery: 24 hours, if you bring a water sample from your aquarium and we test it before the animal goes home. Maintenance clients: 60 days when we service the aquarium at least twice a month, 28 days on a monthly plan.
Expert guidance
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Cameron draws on 25+ years in the hobby and a marine biology background to help you choose the right fit for your system.