Yeah, they can be kinda strange. I've had em take off like weeds, and others struggle to survive. You don't say where you live, but by the other plants in the photo you should be OK. They really don't need fertilizer to do well. They do not benefit by being root bound. Maybe a little natural stuff like fish emulsion or something a few times a year. Mine tend to grow best in baskets of sphagnum moss. Good air circulation, good drainage. Check for grubs, pill bugs or something messing with their roots.

I repotted it this weekend. Turns out that someone had put the poor thing in really heavy soil, almost clay. It's in a coconut-mat basket, now with lighter soil (I mixed orchid potting mix plus potting soil), so here's hoping it will do better.

It should do much better now.

Yes, it is, much, much better. I can hardly believe it's the same plant as the one that gave me so much trouble over the past few years.

Great !

My bear claw fern is unhappy...the new frond shoots have either been very skinny..or worse...normal size but then they yellow and die off before the leafy part really opens.

Suggestions?

I tried keeping more moist (it had been a bit dry) and gentle dilute fertilizer...the fronds show no improvement.

Deets:

I live in CA, the fern is kept indoors, gets bright indirect sunlight and some "shaded" (aka mottled and not full sun) towards the end of the day. Is in original pot and soil from the store & when bought was very vigorous looking. I mist it whenever I can remember too, which ends up being every few days or so I guess.