Java Fern (true) -> fernlets?

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coldmachineUK

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I've two large java fern in my mbuna cichlid tank (they don't eat them before you ask :p), and they appear to have developed 'fernlets' or mini-versions along the leaves, which is very confusing! They look like long wispy tendrils, and appear not long after black spots on the leaves. I read something about rhizomes (?) and fernlets, but not enough to know what to do about them. I personally think they look pretty hideous, but will it damage the original plant if I try to remove them and how do I go about that? Or, am I better off leaving them as is? They've been developing now for about a month.
 
Basically you'll want to leave them alone until they're big enough to plant. Then you can gently remove them and put them where you want. If you leave them be, they'll eventually detach on their own.
 
Mine have never seemed to detach on their own. They just stop growing and sort of sit there. As soon as I removed them and put them on some driftwood they started sprouting new leaves and growing immediately. Java Fern is a fickle plant ;).
 
I've always heard this referred to as "plantlets". I have had dozens of them, not all of which were viable but the ones that were (at least six tiny leaves) were able to become new plants.

And don't worry about having mbuna's in a planted tank. TravisSimonson ripped apart that theory a couple of years ago with his tank. Mbunas and plants...who knew? :)
 
Ahhh, great stuff. Ok, a few of them seem ready to go then in that case (multiple frondy bits!). I didn't realise they'd separate off: I was wondering what would happen!

Yes, I've read a couple of articles about mbuna and plants :) Mine peck at them but nothing severe and certainly not enough to cause damage. I went for vallis (twisted and straight, tall and small) and the java fern as good hardy easy-to-grow and recommended as not tasting so great to cichlids. Seems to have worked out just fine. The tall straight vallis is really doing well :)
 
They are probably picking at any algae on the leaves. The plantlets will probably only detach once the leaves die off. You can easily rip the section of leaf off and it won't hurt the parent plant (it won't look great though). Once your java ferns grow in really well, it will easy enough to trim off unwanted leaves completely to achieve the look you are going for.
 
IMHO, if you want more plants, you need to leave them until they have 1-3 leaves and some roots then remove them. I think through my experience with them that if you leave them too long and get too many the mother plant dies off and you have to revive it.
 
Yeah, with mine manual removal was really the only option. The mother leaf had like 4 or 5 growing off of it, was completely black, yet still had enough strength to where it was difficult to tear it off. I ended up cutting off the mother leaf and taking a couple of plantlets and planting them.
 
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