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Why aren’t my Java Ferns thriving?

M

martins8585

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Hi - this is my 1st aquascape so please be gentle….!!

The tank’s been set up for around 2 months now. Overall I’m fairly happy, the fish seem to be doing well and most of the plants are doing ok but my Java Ferns look very unhappy.

Iv was using API leaf zone but have dialled this back thinking as the tank matured and the fish have grown it would be needed less.

Iv also shortened the lighting period to 6hrs and dialled it down after Some Google’ing.

My questions are:

1. Any thoughts on what I’m doing wrong?

2. Can they be saved or should I remove them and replace them?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers
Martin
 

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martins8585 said:
1. Any thoughts on what I’m doing wrong?
Click to expand...
Google’ing.
From experience don't. Just ask this lot, unless your going shopping for something? They know what they are on about.

Your going to be asked the following:
Substrate.
Fert regime, how much and when? (From what i know i think you will be told to ditch Leaf Zone for another day and start using a more comprehensive one every day?
Water- tap etc??

Im no expert, but one will be along soon.

If its any help you are not alone with the Java. Some of mine are great. Others not.

Just check they are not buried in the soil?
To be honest they look nice! Is it the black strands that you are concerned about. It looks like new growth dyeing off. I have had one just give up when it got really big.

Anyway lets see who comes along??
 
Mine aren't great, either. Tank is around two months old. It will be interesting to see what this thread throws up.
 
Thank you for your responses.

I assumed all the roots coming of the leaves were a sign the plant was under stress and not doing ok?

Also, the brown roots are a bit unsightly and not like the lovely green Java ferns on YouTube aquascaping channels…..!! 😁
 
Hi all,
martins8585 said:
Thank you for your responses.

I assumed all the roots coming of the leaves were a sign the plant was under stress and not doing ok?

Also, the brown roots are a bit unsightly and not like the lovely green Java ferns on YouTube aquascaping channels…..!! 😁
Click to expand...
They look pretty healthy.

Cheers Darrel
 
martins8585 said:
I assumed all the roots coming of the leaves were a sign the plant was under stress and not doing ok?
Click to expand...

That’s how Java fern propagates and is totally normal.

martins8585 said:
lovely green Java ferns on YouTube aquascaping channels…..!!
Click to expand...

There’s an enormous amount of work (and/or money) goes into those tanks, even if they make it seem like it’s easy. Your ferns look great.
 
martins8585 said:
1. Any thoughts on what I’m doing wrong?

2. Can they be saved or should I remove them and replace them?
Click to expand...
Not entirely sure what it is your seeing that makes you think they are not doing well... I see nothing wrong with your Java Ferns... some of the stray roots which to some are unsightly can be pruned - I've done that myself many times. Otherwise, any dying leaves on the Fern (I don't see any in the pictures posted) should be removed.

Cheers,
Michael
 
Hi - thank you all for your comments, I do appreciate the time taken to share your experience!

Glad to hear that we’re not doing too much wrong and we’re looking forward to learning more!!

Si Walker mentioned Leaf Zone may not be the best fertiliser to use - if anyone has any suggestions of off the shelf products to use suggestions would be welcomed.

Thanks again.

Cheers
Martin
 
Java ferns are slow growing epiphytes and require good circulation.
They don't a lot of light either.
Pruning the unsightly brown leaves and the roots should promote growth in time.
Also please check the plants if they were not tied up as Java ferns that are sold in LFS are normally tied together as a bunch.
If so remove the cotton as this will strangle the rizhome and the plants will suffocate
 
martins8585 said:
The tank’s been set up for around 2 months now.
Click to expand...

Relative to the growth cycle of Microsorum sp. this is a very short period. Your fern's bigger mature leaves are still in the emersed growth form from the nursery and are at a standstill regarding their growth and slowly preparing for vegetative reproduction. The new plantlets that will develop on older dying leaves are the submersed form you need to replant and wait for them to grow and mature. And wait for the newly grown leaves from the rhizome to develop.

I never managed to get it to thrive in my low-tech aquariums and stayed extremely small. Even the ones I bought already fully matured in the submerged form. Grown in different parameters than I can provide will not thrive in my water regardless of fertilization or not. Old leaves die and new young plants stay very small. I never found out why, the plant is so slow it might take me many years to try out and find the proper regime to get them to thrive, but I wouldn't know where to start. I always thought if I favour my fastest growing plant it must be good enough for the slowest java fern. But alas, it is what it is... For me, it's the most mysterious plant ever...

I managed only once in a Hich-tech setup loaded with CO² and still, it took quite a lot longer than 2 months for the plant to multiply and thrive. Then when I transfer healthy thriving ferns from high-tech to low-tech again, they will die and try to start over and stay small again.

I'm sorry I can't be of any help other than saying 2 months is nothing for a Java fern, you probably will need more patience.

One thing I never tried and have no idea where this statement comes from... As stated on the Wikipedia site.
grows better with higher fish loads
Click to expand...
en.wikipedia.org

Leptochilus pteropus - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

If that is true, it might be that Java fern favours Ammonia-based nitrogen or something else that comes along with a high bioload. Something we all steer away from. Interesting statement I have no idea about.
 
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Thank you - for me as a newbie it’s interesting that for such a common plant a lot of people do seem to struggle a little with it. I guess it’s just like gardening, over time, you learn what does well in your tank with ur water parameters.
 
Would it be worth detaching a few of the larger plantlets and fixing them to a separate stick or rock?
They have grown in the tank so they must be adapted to the conditions in there already & may grow out as you wanted.
My java ferns either slowly died or grew into a massive triffid which swamped the tank! I gave up on them & grew stem plants instead. 🙄
 
martins8585 said:
over time, you learn what does well in your tank with ur water parameters.
Click to expand...

Yes, that sums it all up... :) People in this hobby often think their personal experiences are universal to every situation and a general rule. But they are not always and we all have different parameters, a sum of small things that can make quite some different outcome.

That's what makes this hobby challenging and very versatile... Nothing is written in stone and no 2 tanks are the same.

It's not that we shouldn't try what others suggest... If you never shoot you'll never hit the bullseye and If it doesn't help, it doesn't hurt. Don't get a headache over it and blame yourself if it doesn't help. In time with tryouts, you'll find the winning team and then stick with that.
 
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I've found java ferns in all their variations to be slow to settle into a tank and have learnt that the best thing to do is attach them to something and forget about them. For example, I planted some trident and needle leaf on a piece of wood in January '23, and nothing happened for 9 months. Then, 3 months ago is started to grow quite rapidly and is doing well now.
 
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