Goofy JavaFern growth..?

[rhetor]

My javafern is growing new leaves in a strange way. I was wondering if it was normal.

On a few of the older leaves, there are new leaves growing out of them! There's even a small brown root structure on the bottom of the new leaves. Its like they attached themselves from another plant or something and took root on the leaves of the java fern.

I took a picture but my roommates camera doesn't do closeups too well so you can't see it at all.

 

[rich311k]

That is how java ferns create baby plants. Congrats you are a grandfather.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

That is one of the ways how java ferns propagates. Those are baby plants forming.

 

[rhetor]

aw sh**.

I don't think i'm ready for this...

 

[onah]

lol, they take a bit, but they also grow side shots right guys?

 

[blazeyreef]

lol, they take a bit, but they also grow side shots right guys?

I belive so..I think one of the ones I sent you had a side shoot.... I think

 

[rhetor]

I got this guy at Petco! I thought it was just going to die off.

There's got to be at least 6 little leaf+root thingies growing on the plant.

So do these detatch when they get heavy, kill the leaf, or just sink the leaf to the bottom and start growing? I wouldn't mind taking them off and having more java fern in other parts of the tank!

Oh, and my big sword sent out a big shoot straight upwards, then hatched 4 leaves off of it. They are growing well, and i just noticed it shot up another stem. It seems like the stem just grows over night but the leaves take a while to fill in. Is it trying to tell me something about my lighting? The other leaves are HUGE and grow from about 1/2" from the top of the gravel, one is at least 8" long.

 

[blazeyreef]

all your java ferns should do this! I wait till they are a good size, or untill the leaf dies, then I re-plant

 

[rhetor]

Sweet!

Thanks everyone. I'll have to let these things grow a bit more and then start my magical forest of java ferns.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

You might even be able to sell the java ferns as well.

 

[flushingfish]

I have the same thing happening to mine. I was told to wait until the babies have at least 6 leaves and then pluck them off or wait for them to separate on there own. Mine has at least 6 babies and they are growing like gangbusters since I added DIY CO2 to the tank. I will soon have that java fern forest.

 

[rhetor]

I need to go to the store and buy another pound of sugar so i can replenish my DIY co2 set up. Its amazing how effective it is!

Oh, and Lonewolfblue, your ideas about co2 mist are entirely accurate. Works wonders.

I think i'll just supplement with an extra dose of excel until the co2 gets up to speed, or just do it at night when the co2 isn't running any how.


Can't wait to start spreading the java fern. I really love the looks of it.

 

[fish_4_all]

If you want new plants, I would leave 3-5 of them but cut the rest off early. I have noticed that my java fern would put out new plantlets and as long as I kept the number down it was ok but if I just let 10-30 of them go, the main plant would go dormant and I would be left for 10-30 baby plants floating in the tank with a lot of dead leaves from the mother plant.

 

[JRagg]

If you want new plants, I would leave 3-5 of them but cut the rest off early. I have noticed that my java fern would put out new plantlets and as long as I kept the number down it was ok but if I just let 10-30 of them go, the main plant would go dormant and I would be left for 10-30 baby plants floating in the tank with a lot of dead leaves from the mother plant.

I agree completely. My baby plants also stopped growing after getting 2 or 3 leaves on them as well. I pulled one off and put it on some driftwood and it has take off in the last month. It has got 7 or 8 good leaves on it now.

 

[rhetor]

Will do!

 

[jbarr]

My java fern does this too! It's actually kind of exciting, heh.

My problem is I'm running out of places to put them. I usually just shove them in nooks and crannys of my driftwood but I'm running out of space! Can you just tie a string to the leaves/stems and wrap it around the wood/a rock or what?

 

[fish 'n' fries]

Yeah, you can tie them on--they should eventually hold on with their own roots. I just use black thread...it doesn't show...but others use fishing line.