• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Some of my Java Fern leaves have transparent tips

ghostsword

Member
Joined
19 Nov 2009
Messages
3,423
Location
Cape Town, South Africa
I am having an issue with my Java Fern. It has transparent tips.

No algae, has the CO2 difuser right next to it, close to a Koralia 2 so lots of flow, I dose EI heavily, and do two 50% water changes a week.

All other plants are good, the ferns is growing quite fast, but some leaves have transparent tips. Very odd.

Would this be some kind of deficiency?
 
They just do that, it's part of their natural growing pattern, you can always up the co2 but I doubt it'll make any difference.
 
Thanks mate, I never noticed it before, and been having this large fern for almost 3 years now. It had a very heavy trim three months ago, and has been growing very fast ever since. Just the transparent tips that were worried me.

Thanks.
 
I also get these trasparent tips on my Java Fern - it is annoying when it happens to the leaves on the little plantlets
 
I remember reading somewhere it's due to there being ample light the leaves also go a lighter colour green than if they were in a low light situation. I'll have a gander later see if I can't find the article. I wouldn't be worried it just means you have great growing conditions.
 
If it's the newer leaves that show this then it's absolutely normal, and nothing to worry about. Some people (including Amano) recommend to cut all leaves EXCEPT the ones with transparent tips off when attaching a new plant. I always assumed this was just an easy way of getting rid of the old leaves before planting.

Mark
 
Johno2090 said:
I remember reading somewhere it's due to there being ample light the leaves also go a lighter colour green than if they were in a low light situation. I'll have a gander later see if I can't find the article. I wouldn't be worried it just means you have great growing conditions.
This makes sense (and, in theory at least, should be transferrable across most plants) as the lighter green means a lower density of chlorophyll (if i remember my GCSE biology correctly), as the plant needs less chlorophyll under bright conditions.
interesting stuff!
Matt
 
And then Clive turns up and blows all the theories out the window :lol:

On a serious note Luis, check out page 7 (about half way down the page), of my 180l journal in my signature. No transparent tips there :D
 
ceg4048 said:
Translucent tips on ferns, or translucency in any plant is a function of poor CO2 relative to the light intensity. This is not a chlorophyl issue. See java fern leaves - translucent and Getting the best from Java Fern?

Cheers,

Thanks Clive,

So there is too much light for the amount of CO2 being pumped in.

Will increase slowly to see if it makes a difference, or shield it with some floating plants. I am not able to count the bubbles any more, they are coming too fast, and even crypts and bolbitis on the other end of the tank are pearling. :)
 
ceg4048 said:
Translucency in fern tips are due to CO2 shortfall under high lighting. It's only "normal" in the sense that the amount of CO2 required to eliminate it is so absurdly high, it's easier to live with the translucency than to annihilate your fish.

Cheers,
on viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6138

I see, will shield it with some floating plants, I am not sure I can add more CO2.

Also revisiting the thread viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10373&start=10 has helped, it is the same fern, but before it had some floating plants on top, and now it is open to the light, and has lots more above it.

I may get a tank just for it, it is my favourite plant on the tank, and would like to keep it going forever, or one day release it on the wild. :)

Again, thanks for the help.
 
Clear tips on jave ferns is an indication your phosphate levels are high enough to promote growth. Java ferns do this when they are healthy (translucent tips or leaves) it's a good thing so dont take it as annoying or try to stop it from happening. Has nothing to do with co2 levels or bad growth. Leave your tank doing what ita doing.
 
Good thread all the same. I was just looking up about the same thing, but 10 years on!
Excellent stuff.
 
Back
Top