Marsilea Hirsuta
Marsilea hirsuta
Marsileaceae
About
Marsilea hirsuta is an Australian aquatic fern that carpets the foreground with small clover-like leaves on creeping rhizomes. Straight out of an emersed pot it arrives looking like four-leaf clover, then over several weeks converts to submerged growth: usually single, rounded, Glossostigma-like leaflets somewhere between 2 and 10 cm tall depending on how much light reaches them. It is the low-tech aquarist's carpet, needing no CO2 and tolerating modest lighting, but it spreads by runners at its own unhurried pace and rewards patience rather than pushing.
Care
Split the pot into small portions and plant them a few centimetres apart in fine substrate, then leave it alone while runners fill the gaps over months. Brighter light keeps the leaves low and single; dimmer light makes them taller and clover-shaped.
Diet
Feeds through both the rhizome roots and the leaves; root tabs under the carpet noticeably speed up runner production in inert gravel or sand.
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Frequently asked questions
- What water parameters does a Marsilea Hirsuta need?
- Marsilea Hirsuta does best at 18–28 °C (64.4–82.4 °F), pH 5.5–8 and a general hardness of 0–30 °dGH.
- Where should Marsilea Hirsuta be placed in the aquarium?
- Marsilea Hirsuta works best in the foreground and reaches around 20 cm.
- Is the Marsilea Hirsuta suitable for beginners?
- Yes — Marsilea Hirsuta is one of the easier species to keep and forgives typical first-tank mistakes, as long as the aquarium is cycled and maintained.