What the heck is this?

[tomm10]

I've got these little plants growing on the underside of my java fern's leaves and I don't know what it is. The roots are brown and made me think it was algae at first but then I noticed the little leaves. Is this normal? Is it the way the ferns reproduce or is this some kind of parasitic plant or something?

Tom

 

[Timmain42]

Java fern will reproduce like this, depending. You can carefully pinch the plantlets off and attach them to driftwood, etc.

Generally tho, java ferns reproduce via a rhisome (i.e. they grow along the root structure, instead of having to drop babies). Did you change something with the parent plant, or is it showing signs of wear?

 

[tomm10]

This stuff started showing up very soon after I put it in the tank (like within a day or two). It was one plant that broke into two in the bag on the way bag from the store.

Tom

 

[happychem]

It's one of 2 ways that java fern propagates. In the wild the fern normally grows at least partly emersed, I think. By growing little plantlets on the edge of the leaves, it spreads itself around by dropping them into the current.

I've heard some people say detach them, others say leave them on until the get bigger or fall off on their own. My java fern is doing the same right now on a few leaves, I'm choosing to leave them get a little bigger, if only so they'll be a little easier to handle.

 

[tomm10]

All good guys, thanks. I just wanted to make sure this wasn't some bizaare mutant.

Tom

 

[Timmain42]

Whatever you do, don't bury the fern rhisome in the ground, this will make the fern sprout babies and kill the mother plant (my first fern died that way). I like attaching my ferns to driftwood, but that's a personal view.

 

[daveedka]

Mine do this as well, it seems that if you have a worn or damaged leaf, the new fern grows at the damage site. I also get a lot of plants off of the leaf tips. My java's seem much more interested in propogating than in growing large, but They are growing and do look good, so I guess patience is in order.

 

[OrionGirl]

This is often a stress response--the parent plant starts reproducing when it's own resources are scarce. Since you just purchased the plant, likely it will kick off these babies, and then slow down as it gets used to your tank.

I let the babies fall off on their own--means I usually have a few drifting around the tank, but they aren't hard to catch and place where I want them. I initially removed babies, but found this made them produce more, at a maddening rate, so quit pulling them off.