View Full Version : Java fern
a7oneal
06-03-2005, 4:00 PM
My java fern has blackish patches all over the leaves. It is in a tank with a pH about 7.8 and hard water with high buffering capacity. The lights are two 65-watt 6700k bulbs (Coralife power compact).
The patches are not sporangia.
Any clues?
Gambusia
06-03-2005, 9:15 PM
Not sure.
I've never noticed that w/ my java fern except sometimes parts of the leaves turn dark and rot off.
nursie
06-04-2005, 12:02 PM
I have one in my tank that has that also. I've tried to rub it off with my fingers with no results. Any ideas anyone?
Yup. Have an idea. It is the necessary stuff for the plant to reproduce. Here are a few forum type articles. I had a single description from one article, but cannot locate it just now. At any rate, there are multiple mentions of the black areas that are actually spores.
http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Plants/java-fern.html#13
nursie
06-04-2005, 9:10 PM
Very interesting articles on the Krib.
I have a Jave fern that is reproducing by the little plantlets growing on the back of the leaves. This started before I started to add all the ferts etc.
They started as dots, but what I have is whole patches of black on a couple of leaves.
ergo sum
06-05-2005, 12:07 AM
Let the new plantlets grow and don't worry about the leaves right now. If you do start getting new leaves cut the old ones out. Java fern grows best from the new plantlets. It is slow but they do better in the long run. Just give it all time and it will be fine.
I had a similar problem recently and it took a few months to work it out but now it is all doing fine and I have cut out most of the blackened leaves.
a7oneal
06-05-2005, 7:42 PM
It's not the spores (sporangia, etc.). I looked into that possibility already... the area around them is rotting, and there are no new plantlets and it's been that way for a couple of months.
Trust me, I really looked into that....
Maybe I'll try trimming it back a little, it was gettings pretty poofy.
pl*co
06-05-2005, 10:16 PM
Very interesting articles on the Krib.
I have a Jave fern that is reproducing by the little plantlets growing on the back of the leaves. This started before I started to add all the ferts etc.
They started as dots, but what I have is whole patches of black on a couple of leaves.
Same here. The plantlets are starting at the tips of the older leaves, but I also have a few new stems coming up from the bottom.
It's not the spores (sporangia, etc.). I looked into that possibility already... the area around them is rotting, and there are no new plantlets and it's been that way for a couple of months..
Mine start to do that at the edge after awhile on the older leaves. At first I thought the snails were after it, but not so. The leaves seem a little brittle to me, but it is my first Java Fern, so I don't have much to go by. My Firemouth was after it until I trimmed it back and moved it. Crazy fish didn't like where I put it, so it kept trying to push it away. The result was tattered leaves. Anything sounding familiar yet? I think I will look around for an article on Java Fern problems. Maybe there is something we can use from it.
http://www.plantgeek.net/images/plantpics/mpteropus_philippine2.jpg
Check out this photo and see what you think. Is this what your plant is doing?
the_dougie
06-06-2005, 5:41 PM
I find that java ferns do better in soft water. in fact, i had the same problem when mine were in hard water. they turned blackish in patches and died.
is it buried in substrate?
I find that java ferns do better in soft water. in fact, i had the same problem when mine were in hard water. they turned blackish in patches and died.
is it buried in substrate?
wow. i have soft water.. and mine do that..not die, just get black patches. In fact, they are sprouting daughter plants. hmmm. This is a bit confusing.
nursie
06-06-2005, 8:08 PM
Mine aren't looking like the pic. There are a couple of areas that are plain black. I'll get some pics and post. My water is very hard...and this is the plant I have on the driftwood. The stuff in the sand is doing fine. It's not buried deep..I just ahve enough sand over to hold the plant down.
a7oneal
06-07-2005, 5:46 PM
Mine most definitely do not look like the photo. Maybe it's my hard water... the Anubias seem to be doing fine.
Mine is also attached to driftwood...
Slappy*McFish
06-07-2005, 8:44 PM
I've experienced just the opposite with Java Ferns in the past. My tap is naturally very soft(-1dkh/3-4dgh) and I had poor growth with small, crinkled leaves and black patches. When I increased my levels of magnesium(epsom salts), calcium(Seachem's Reef Calcium;)) and potassium(Nusalt), the plants took off. I increased my GH from 3-4dh to around 12dh. Java Ferns are one of the few plants that will grow well in tanks with African Cichlids and hard water.
pl*co
06-07-2005, 10:41 PM
It's a bird, it's a plane! No! It's Towel Man! :D ;) Slappy, is that your beach blanket? Cute! um...do I see little reef boots on 'im?
Slappy*McFish
06-07-2005, 11:21 PM
It's Towelie!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Towelie
nursie
06-08-2005, 1:18 AM
Slappy..you do get good ones! Maybe I need to change Hotlips out..it's been a while.
I pulled all my driftwood and java fern out tonight and stapled/tied all that wasn't already on driftwood to some driftwood. After the sand settles I'll take some pics and we'll see how they do. May be time to review my fert regieme and some folks can take a look.