{"product_id":"azolla-pinnata-blue-green-water-fern-starter-pack","title":"Azolla pinnata (Blue-Green Water Fern) Starter Pack","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"nta-product\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"nta-title\"\u003eAzolla pinnata (Blue-Green Water Fern)\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"nta-tagline\"\u003eA tiny, fast-growing floating fern — a tangle of feather-like fronds that creeps across the surface, green in soft light and a striking red-bronze under bright skies. An Australian native and one of the most useful plants in the aquarium.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"nta-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuick Facts\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eScientific name:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eAzolla pinnata\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCommon name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Blue-green water fern \/ mosquito fern\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth form:\u003c\/strong\u003e Free-floating surface fern\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFrond size:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mat typically 1–2 cm deep, individual plants a few mm across\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very fast — can double in days with nutrients and light\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLighting:\u003c\/strong\u003e Medium to high (bright light brings out red colour)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCO2:\u003c\/strong\u003e Not required\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDifficulty:\u003c\/strong\u003e Easy\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"nta-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIs this for you?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePerfect if:\u003c\/strong\u003e you want natural surface cover that pulls nutrients from the water, shades algae, and gives fry and shrimp somewhere to hide — with zero planting effort.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsider something else if:\u003c\/strong\u003e you need an open water column display; a floating mat blocks light below and must be thinned regularly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"nta-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy choose Azolla?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAzolla partners with a nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium living inside its fronds, so it feeds on the nutrients your fish produce and thrives even in lean water. Rice farmers have grown it as natural fertiliser for centuries — in the aquarium it works as a nutrient export engine, a fry hideout and a live-food nursery all at once.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"nta-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eKey Benefits\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbsorbs nitrates and phosphates, helping keep water clear and algae down\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDense roots dangle into the water column — perfect grazing cover for fry, shrimps and daphnia\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGreen to red-bronze colour change makes it a genuinely attractive surface plant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCan be grown outdoors in a bucket or tub and moved into the tank as needed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTrained hobbyists dry and crush surplus as an inexpensive live or freeze-dried food supplement\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"nta-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCare \u0026amp; Specifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply place the portion on the water surface. It needs no substrate, no CO2 and no planting. Provide medium to strong light and let it float — it will spread across the surface within one to three weeks. Warm water speeds growth; cool, still water slows it. Keep a good air gap above the mat so gas exchange at the surface is not fully blocked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"nta-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat will you receive?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne live starter portion of \u003cem\u003eAzolla pinnata\u003c\/em\u003e — a handful of fresh fronds that will expand to cover a substantial surface area within weeks under your own light and nutrients. Colour at dispatch varies between green and red-bronze depending on growing conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"nta-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAcclimation \u0026amp; Introduction\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFloating plants acclimate quickly: match temperature by resting the container in the tank for a few minutes, then gently place fronds on the surface with roots dropping into the water. Avoid dumping onto the mat — slide the plants off a wet hand or spoon to prevent bruising.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"nta-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOngoing Care\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThin the mat before it covers more than half the surface — removed Azolla can be shared, dried or composted. Keep fronds away from filter intakes and outflow jets, which will pull the small plants into the impeller. If the mat yellows and thins, your tank may be too nutrient-lean — a small dash of fertiliser or more feeding brings it back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"nta-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePairs perfectly with\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShrimp and betta tanks, fry grow-out tubs, guppy and medaka displays (medaka love picking at the roots), and outdoor planted tubs in summer shade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"nta-highlight\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNTA Insight:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAzolla is the fastest living nitrate filter you can own. Keep a dedicated tub or jar outdoors with a pinch of substrate and it will regenerate into an endless supply — one reason we can offer generous portions at this price.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"nta-box nta-warning\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBefore You Buy\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a true weed-growth plant: it will multiply fast in a healthy, nutrient-rich tank. Make sure you are comfortable harvesting the surplus weekly, and never release aquarium floating plants into creeks, dams or stormwater drains.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"nta-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFAQ\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill it kill my other plants?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo, but a full surface mat shades the water column below. Keep part of the surface open and your stem plants stay happy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy is mine red while the photos show green?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBoth are normal — bright light and mild nutrient stress turn Azolla red-bronze; softer light keeps it green. Colour simply shifts with conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it really native to Australia?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes — \u003cem\u003eAzolla pinnata\u003c\/em\u003e occurs naturally in still freshwater across northern and eastern Australia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"APE","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43304333836497,"sku":null,"price":9.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0608\/5771\/2849\/files\/azolla-1_2420bb48-f31d-4a29-9c0a-50ed051b6be6.jpg?v=1789262720","url":"https:\/\/nanotanksaustralia.com.au\/products\/azolla-pinnata-blue-green-water-fern-starter-pack","provider":"Nano Tanks Australia","version":"1.0","type":"link"}