gu2high
Aquarium Advice Freak
My java fern has many holes and dying. Does it mean lack of trace elements?
java fern has many holes and dying, what is missing?
- Thread starter gu2high
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Jchillin
Aquarium Advice Addict
Not necessarily, java ferns usually thrive in low-light, low-maintenance environments. What are your current NO3 levels like?
gu2high
Aquarium Advice Freak
10-15ppm. light is 1.8wpg. All other plants are growing very well.
The java ferns have been growing very well from a few small leaves since six months ago. About 2 weeks ago, they gradually developed black holes and are dying.
The java ferns have been growing very well from a few small leaves since six months ago. About 2 weeks ago, they gradually developed black holes and are dying.
Jchillin
Aquarium Advice Addict
Have these leaves produced plantlets in the past? Often the mother leaf develops holes when producing them. I usually cut those leaves off if that is the case. Other than that, I see nothing amiss.
Lonewolfblue
Aquarium Advice Addict
Do you dose ferts? About the only fert I'd dose is Potassium, add a little once a week. Might give that a try. The fish and food should provide the nitrates and phosphates, so no problems there. Might just need potassium. It's the only thing I dose in my 26G with my java moss. And if you do regular PWC's, then I would say your micros are probably fine.
gu2high
Aquarium Advice Freak
I do weekly 50% PWC. No dose of ferts. Let me add some potassium to see.
7Enigma
Aquarium Advice Addict
Any other recent plant additions? My java ferns used to thrive when it was just them and some anubias. Once I got into faster growers they started to take a turn for the worse. I read somewhere they cannot compete for CO2 as well as other plants and will become deficient. Anecdotal, but it made sense in my case (all other ferts were being supplied).
Now that I switched to pressurized I'll be interested to see how the plants behave.
Now that I switched to pressurized I'll be interested to see how the plants behave.
fish_4_all
Aquarium Advice Addict
One thing I have notiuced about Java Fern is it tends to go into a "dormancy" period that looks like a deficiency for me. When it happens it looks really bad, all the leaves get brown holes and the leaves slowly fall off then in about a month it comes back.
I have also noticed the competition problem with slower growing patns especially when I added Wisteria to my tanks. The Wisteria out competed everything and stunted the growth of all of them including crypts, anachris and the worst one was my Primrose which simply stopped growing period.
I have also noticed the competition problem with slower growing patns especially when I added Wisteria to my tanks. The Wisteria out competed everything and stunted the growth of all of them including crypts, anachris and the worst one was my Primrose which simply stopped growing period.
7Enigma
Aquarium Advice Addict
That's exactly the plant that I attribute the problems too. When I got my wisteria it took off, to the java's demise.
The problem with anubias and java fern is that they grow so slowly that a deficiency will not present itself for several weeks, even after its been fixed. It makes diagnosing problems so difficult, and is why I always keep a small piece of hygro in my tank. It gives me the heads up that something is not right.
The problem with anubias and java fern is that they grow so slowly that a deficiency will not present itself for several weeks, even after its been fixed. It makes diagnosing problems so difficult, and is why I always keep a small piece of hygro in my tank. It gives me the heads up that something is not right.
