Red hair algae?

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wishbone

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
183
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Is this red hair?

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I know that java fern is known to have some strange "spores" that grow off the bottom of the leaves. I've never seen red hair algae before, but it looks more like that?
 
No, those are java fern 'roots'. usually attached to baby plant leaves, though yours appear to be extremely small, possibly due to a nutrient deficiency.
 
hmm interesting. Well the rest of the algae in my tank doesn't think I have a nutrient deficiency. =) Thanks for the info! I'll start testing my levels..
 
it may not be a deficiency...but the size of the baby plant leaves is much smaller than they should be. Usually you see the leaves form, and then the roots grow, and by thte time the roots are an inch long, you have 4-5 leaves that are 3/4" long, and then you pick it an replant it.

The last time I had a java fern produce plantlets like yours, the main plant was dying off. The leaves were full of holes too, despite all other plants in the tank looking fine.

You might just try to strip half the plantlets off, and leave the rest to mature.
 
I do not use C02, I have just slightly under 2 w/g with a 6000K CF light.

I don't see much under the leaves but very small bud looking things, then all the red (roots?). The plant itself doesn't look like it's doing all that well, there aren't any holes, but it's pretty ragged. I'll look into trying to clean up the mess a bit so maybe some of the baby leaves will have more of a chance.

Is it possible that the baby leaves are getting eaten? I thought in general java fern was a "non-tasty" plant.
 
yeah, java's supposedly taste bad. I know Travis's cichlids won't even touch the java's he put in his tank.

On baby plantlets, you really can't see the rhizome. The leaves just kinda come together to a thin green stem that then sprouts the hairy roots.
 
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