Problems with Java Fern

[StereoKills]

I know, one of the easiest plants to take care of....why isn't it doing well? All the other plants in my tank are doing great, showing lots of new growth at least twice as big as they started out. My java fern however, looks sickly. It has brown spots on all the leaves hasn't grown a bit since I got it about 3 months ago. I know it's low lighting, but I find it curious that all the other plants have done well and it hasn't.

Here's the specs:
10g
DIY CO2
17w fluorescent lighting
Twice a week Flourish
Other plants: java moss, water sprite, indian fern and a sword.

 

[Jaysn]

Java fern is a pretty slow grower. Older leaves will start to develop black spots, and sometimes new plantlets will grow from these.

 

[StereoKills]

they've had the same brown spots that they had when I got them, no plantlets either. I am starting to get this blue-green patch on one leaf today........hope its not blue green algae or something similar

 

[echoofformless]

I have never owned a beautiful java fern. They live a life of always looking a little brownish and what not. But never die.

 

[shaggbark]

:iagree: The last one I planted I asked myself "why bother?" There are so many better looking options. I simply HATE the black spots. When new plantlets are growing in the whole thing just looks messy. Even my java fern lace is simply not pretty.

 

[jrh]

My fish are blurry, but my fern looks great.

 

[msjinkzd]

my java fern also is less than spectacular, how do you have it planted? Is the rhizome exposed?

 

[TKOS]

In my last 2 apartments my java fern grew great think tall leaves. Now in my house for the last three years all I get are tiny leaves and a million plantlets. I haven't changed the way I keep my tank and the water supply should be pretty darn similar.

 

[Star_Rider]

My Java fern does very well in low light tanks. (less than 2 wpg and in some cases just over 1 wpg)the only tank it does not do well is my 3 wpg tank.

 

[malken]

my 30 has 3.2 WPG and my java ferns have dominated the tank. For me they're slow but incredibly hardy. something inclines me to believe that there is some valueable nutrient that they leech from driftwood they're attached to because the ones planted in the soil are much slower growers than the ones latched onto the driftwood. What are your Nitrates like? For most of their lives my Java ferns have had little to no nitrates to feast on.