# Propagating Java Ferns



## MrBones (Feb 23, 2013)

Hi everyone,

I have some Java Ferns that are producing roots and tiny shoots on the leaves. Some root systems are becoming quite extensive. My question is how do I transplant them? Should I simply cut the entire leaf off and tie it down or just part of it? Or will the root system eventually drop off and at that point I can transplant it? I'm really not sure at this point.

Thanks!


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## Yo-han (Oct 15, 2010)

It will drop off eventually. Java ferns do this when they receive not enough nutrients. The old leave is dying and uses his own boulding blocks to provide nutrition for the youngster. This one will turn loose when the old leave is completely decomposed and the new plant will float on the current to a place where it attaches and hopefully can receive more nutrients. You can cut it loose sooner if you want or let it nurture from his mother for a while longer

So it is not really a good sign (it is has some nutrient shortage), but it can be used to your advantage as well. If you want a lot of ferns, just cut off a leave and place it in the substrate, it will die and before dying produce a few new plants.


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## MrBones (Feb 23, 2013)

Yo-han said:


> It will drop off eventually. Java ferns do this when they receive not enough nutrients. The old leave is dying and uses his own boulding blocks to provide nutrition for the youngster. This one will turn loose when the old leave is completely decomposed and the new plant will float on the current to a place where it attaches and hopefully can receive more nutrients. You can cut it loose sooner if you want or let it nurture from his mother for a while longer
> 
> So it is not really a good sign (it is has some nutrient shortage), but it can be used to your advantage as well. If you want a lot of ferns, just cut off a leave and place it in the substrate, it will die and before dying produce a few new plants.


Ah thank you, I will up my fertiliser dosing.


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## cichlidrookie (Feb 6, 2013)

Mrbones and yo-han I recently started keeping plants and some of my java fern does the same. It starts producing plantlets and dying off. I was using flourish excel and would kill the fern so I stopped using it. What kind of ferts are you using? And what if the plants grow them on tip of leaves are they still not getting enough nutrients? Thanks for the advice


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

I'm not sure its just due to a nutrient deficiency. I think this may happen, but at the same time I think it is quite normal to see babies on java leaves. The old leaves seem to grow the babies while the new ones do not. Seems like part of its life cycle.


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## MrBones (Feb 23, 2013)

I think you might be right. Almost all of my plants are sprouting babies. I'm using Excel and comprehensive as fertilisers and I have a DIY co2 system setup. My worst problem is some brown alge forming and because of that I have cut my lighting back a couple of hours a day. I'm hoping that will stop its growth and the couple of snails that tagged along on a plant will clean up what's there now.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Brown dusty algae that coats things? Or stringy algae? 

If its the dusty kind cutting your lights back won't help since its not really an algae but a dinoflagellate that eats wastes in your tank. Increasing the lights wards it off, it doesn't like high light, frequent water changes or old established tanks.


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## MrBones (Feb 23, 2013)

Zapins said:


> Brown dusty algae that coats things? Or stringy algae?
> 
> If its the dusty kind cutting your lights back won't help since its not really an algae but a dinoflagellate that eats wastes in your tank. Increasing the lights wards it off, it doesn't like high light, frequent water changes or old established tanks.


Really? Darn, it is the dusty/oily kind. So leave lights on longer and more water changes? Is that what you're saying?


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

I looked for a picture on google but its hard to find a decent one. If it looks something like this unfocused picture then yes you need to increase the lighting and do water changes. It also occurs in newly set up tanks for the first few weeks. If your tank is pretty new then it will probably work itself out.


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## MrBones (Feb 23, 2013)

Zapins said:


> I looked for a picture on google but its hard to find a decent one. If it looks something like this unfocused picture then yes you need to increase the lighting and do water changes. It also occurs in newly set up tanks for the first few weeks. If your tank is pretty new then it will probably work itself out.


Yes that is exactly it. Ok thanks, I will leave the lights on longer instead of decreasing them and do a water change more than the once a week I have been doing it. And yes it is a fairly newly set up tank so hopefully it will work itself out.

Thanks again!


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about it too much. You can do the extra WC and more light (or better is more intense lighting rather than duration). But since its a new tank it is likely it will resolve itself. 

How old is it and how much light // what type are you using currently?

Any pics of the setup?


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## MrBones (Feb 23, 2013)

Zapins said:


> Yeah, I wouldn't worry about it too much. You can do the extra WC and more light (or better is more intense lighting rather than duration). But since its a new tank it is likely it will resolve itself.
> 
> How old is it and how much light // what type are you using currently?
> 
> Any pics of the setup?


My light is a 30W Aqua-Glo T8 900 Lumen 120 Lux 
Tank is 46 gallon bow front 
Substrate is 2 parts Flourite to 1 part Super Naturals Premium Substrate
Filter is a marineland c-360
Plants are amazon swords, java ferns, vals, Pygmy swords, copper leaf, java moss and an anubia nana.
Fish are kuhli loaches, glass cats, rummy nose, harlequins, bosemani rainbows.
Chunk of wood and some rock and a heater.


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## MrBones (Feb 23, 2013)

My website has a blog and some pictures.
Http://www.meynell.ca


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Yeah, that seems like the reason, 30w is pretty low light. A few more light strips should do the trick.


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## Yo-han (Oct 15, 2010)

I do not really agree with zapins. Diatoms are living from silicate, independend of the amount of light. As long as there is silicate in your tank, diatoms (brown dust algae) will grow. Silicates come into your tank by doing water changes, so increasing water changes will only increase the problem for sure (it would only work if your water has low silicate). This is also the reason why new tanks have it, 100% new water -> lots of silicate. Not sure whether more light would help, but otocinclus love it


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## jackal148 (Jan 12, 2013)

I have java fern in several tanks with a variety of different plants. All the plants are doing extremely well and the javas are putting out both new leaves and new plantlets on the old leaves. I think this is perfectly natural and not a sign of any deficiency. Javas are very hardy plants. How are the rest of your plants doing? If they are doing well, then all is right.

I agree with Yo-han. Otos will take care of the brown algae. I had a similar set up that was just getting browner and browner so I decided to get a couple of otos (because the tank had shrimp in it). They did an amazing job of cleaning up the brown algae. Of the 4 I bought, I lost only one and the remaining otos have been with me for 6 months now. I tried adding more as they are said to like being in groups but the new additions died. I believe that all that brown algae I had made it easier for the otos to adapt. If you have any desire to keep otos, now would be the time to introduce them. I will be setting up a dirted 55 gallon tank in the near future and am hoping that I will have a big crop of brown algae in it so I can get myself a few more otos.


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