Java fern advice please

[J@mes]

There’s lots of mini ferns growing on the leaves with roots dangling. Can I just pick them off or is there a better way to remove them? Thanks

 

[foxfish]

A pair of scissors works for me.

 

[oscarlloydjohn]

I find it's easier to pull them off

 

[Konsa]

Hi
What variety is your fern.I am keeping the pettite variety only for years now and is not doing that propagation.
I think that a while ago had a read that when the java fern is doing that is sth not quite right with it.Its trying to multiply in order to survive rather than putting new growth. If U keep trimming older and damaged leaves U should be able to control it.
Regards Konsa

 

[Mick.Dk]

The easiest way to remove such plantlets from Microsorum (javafern) is usually to just gently scratching them off, using your fingernails. This will do minimal harm to the original leaf and secure that the plantlet keep the tiny rhizome, where roots are dangling from. In this way you can keep the leaves on original plant and have fully functional offspring. The latter can be placed somewhere else, to grow new plants or given away to fellow aquarists.
Personally I too find these plantlets do not contribute to the good look of a Microsorum in a planted tank.
The growth of many plantlets on a leaf of Microsorum is often a sign of this leaf (or sometimes entire plant) being stressed - this is not allways the case, though! Detached leaves of Microsorum often produce an abundance of offspring, if left floating around in the tank, before they finally decompose.

 

[J@mes]

Thank you all for the replies. I didn’t think the plant was stressed until now. It is on driftwood and placed at an angle, the tank has a twinstar s on 2/3rds power 8hpd & heavily planted with CO2, WC 50% per week, dennerle fertilisers, adding gluterhalderide & everything else is growing at pace.

I’ll pick them off and try growing them but tbh the tanks flora needs trimming it’s getting to be a mosh pit in there!

 

[J@mes]

I had a closer look at this & the little plants are all concentrated on 1 area covering about 1/4 of the plant. It’s an area that’s closest to the filter outlet which also gets the most light.

 

[alto]

If plant is thriving - has it grown much since added to tank - I just remove the “infested” leafs

You can try removing just 25% of the affected leafs, monitor plant response for a few weeks then decide further action

 

[Iain Sutherland]

No issue here, while stress can induce reproduction, microsorum will just do this even when perfectly happy. Stressed can mean that its moved into a new environment.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Siege]

Dennerle fertilisers?

 

[J@mes]

Dennerle fertilisers?

V30 S7 & E15 in the 2 of the dosators

 

[J@mes]

On a side note I took delivery today of the same type of controller you use on the twinstar s @Siege thanks to your recommendation on another thread. It’s on 3% after the usual lights out which gives a fantastic blue for a nightlight

 

[Siege]

V30 S7 & E15 in the 2 of the dosators

You would be better off with a full complete fertiliser. EA Aquascaper or tnc complete (dosed to aquascaper instructions). Or possibly make your own with EI dosage.
No danger of under-dosing. Either way will be cheaper than current method and perhaps less hit and miss. The fern seems to have a lot of yellowing leaves and not much new growth.

Max water changes, the bigger the better!

Ps. Pleased you are happy with the controller. Make sure you are not adding too much light inc night light setting!
Pps.. Do you have your co2 on 4 hours before lights?

 

[J@mes]

Thanks for the advice. I went deep on the dennerle system so I’m committed, liked the idea of not having to dose fertiliser daily (before I started adding liquid carbon). There’s tropica root tabs in there and I can up the dose by filling the osmosis devices more if needs be. The rotala and pogostemon are going mental but the crypts have virtually died off.

CO2 is on 3 hours prior & 1 hour before lights off. The drop checker is lime green for the photoperiod, I have an air pump running 12 to 6 which causes the checker to turn blue/green.

 

[alto]

The rotala and pogostemon are going mental but the crypts have virtually died off.

If some crypts (species) experience melt, they seem to need better light (open space) to get going again - whereas if established and then shaded, seem to cope much better

As I recall you’ve used Tropica Soil???

 

[J@mes]

Yes @alto correct I used tropica soil.

The crypts are all dwarfed by the growth of the other plants. I perhaps planted too densely & then added more plants! Now they’ve grown in there’s some winners and losers.

 

[J@mes]

Hi
What variety is your fern.I am keeping the pettite variety only for years now and is not doing that propagation.
I think that a while ago had a read that when the java fern is doing that is sth not quite right with it.Its trying to multiply in order to survive rather than putting new growth. If U keep trimming older and damaged leaves U should be able to control it.
Regards Konsa

Had to check & I got 1 petite & 1 narrow. The narrow is the one in the photo at the top of the thread.

Is it ok to trim the roots of these when they get too long?

Had them both out the tank & removed most of the little plants.

The narrow has new growth & seems in good nick but the petite isn’t in as good condition with no new growth.

Made this out of all the little growths & a bit on moss:

Below is 2 photos of the petite. The roots aren’t in great condition.

 

[Konsa]

Hi
It will be better to try to pick off all the bits of dead rhizome and cut all damaged leaves.Once U do that U will get better circulation arround the live roots and plant should respond positive.Sometimes a lot of muck builds up in the root mass when it gets too dence and not only and chokes them .I use turkey baster to blow as much as I can on waterchange days.For java fern is best the water flow to come from underneath the plant
Regards Konsa

 

[PARAGUAY]

My observations with my Javas is they sort of can be become sort of ,a victim of their own sucess. Running your hand through them,taking any poor leaves off if needed and vacuming on waterchange/ maintenance day and splitting the plant if needed,