Stoked!

[Coleallensmom]

I read a thread a few days ago about java ferns and how they grow...I had no idea they sprouted underneath their leaves! I usually give mine a good visual check over at least 1-2x a week to check on root growth because I just recently (with in the last 2 weeks or so) added them to my tank. Well to my surprise one of them has growths started! I must be easily amused because I was so excited over the discovery..it totally made my day. Also, one of my Black skirt tetra had a tail injury when I bought him from the LFS and as of this week he is almost completely healed..you can barely tell him apart from the rest of the Black skirts. It may seem a little silly to those of you with a few years of aquarium keeping under your belts but I just had to share..Added with the fact that my order of new plants shipped today and are finally on their way, It's been a pretty good week here so far!

My java fern sprouts-

Black skirt right after I brought him home-

Black skirt today(one on far left!)-

 

[Coleallensmom]

Baby Fern plant..

 

[BigJim]

I've had my original java fern for about a year and I still love finding little ferns. My ferns seem to reproduce well after a heavy dose of Flourish, maybe 2X the prescribed dose.

Glad to see your fish is doing well.

 

[uscamaro]

congratulations! it's not silly to know that you're giving the fish & plants 5 star treatment. It's great to see care and concern this early in the hobby

 

[HN1]

Very nice and not silly at all!

 

[Marconis]

Awesome! Glad to see that.

Just going to do a slightttt thread hijack here, so I apologize in advance...
BigJim, how often do you dose Flourish? Are you talking about a low light tank?

I used to use Flourish but have not bought it for my new planted. My crypt already has a stem that completely died off, but I have heard they despise being moved and eventually recover as they get settled.

 

[Coleallensmom]

I've had my original java fern for about a year and I still love finding little ferns. My ferns seem to reproduce well after a heavy dose of Flourish, maybe 2X the prescribed dose.

Glad to see your fish is doing well.

Thanks!

I wasn't expecting sprouts or any sort of growth, which made it all the more exciting. I still have my T8 fixture running which only has a single 20W bulb and have just been dosing with Florapride 1x a week when I do a PWC. I imagine the sprouts should really take off once I set up my T5 fixture this weekend and start using Flourish. I was planning on moving my java ferns to some driftwood that I want to add to the tank while I'm putting in the new plants that are coming. How much do you think that will disturb them?

 

[BigJim]

Be careful with adding light to the tank. Java ferns do worse in brighter light. I had two 24W CFL bulbs over my 29 and I switched to two 18W CFLs. The mother java fern started growing and putting out babies like mad after the switch.

Java ferns aren't very sensitive plants. You just have to keep them wet. I lost several leaves off my mother fern when I moved because it was out of water for about a half hour..

 

[Coleallensmom]

Good to know...It shouldn't be a problem keeping them wet. I'll make sure I try to find them a shady spot to grow once I get everything moved around!