# Java Fern



## starlightbetta (Jan 7, 2019)

I've been working to increase the amount of plants in Starlights tank! I recently bought a Java Fern, and read that the roots did not need to be in substrate. Is this correct? I have it down in the gravel a little bit just trying to weigh it down. I would hate to kill it due to my lack of knowledge though!


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## Rainbo (Nov 23, 2015)

That's correct, if you leave it floating what it'll do is grow long roots and eventually anchor itself in the substrate with the majority of the roots remaining above the substrate You can also fasten it to rocks or driftwood, or put some plant weights around it to weigh it down till it roots into the substrate, or do what you did and put a bit of gravel over some of the roots to hold it in place.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

I have a variety of ferns in my tanks, and I did what you did. (I didn't want them floating.) Every one of my ferns (Java, And different Tropical ferns) now have rooted, and are sending off baby's from the leaves. I first thought the ferns were going to die because of the black spots on the leaves. It turns out these black spots started to grow roots and in a few weeks there were new leaf shoots coming off the spots. Now I have about 30 pants that have baby's growing from the leaves, and have replanted some by snipping the areas that have the sprouts, and weighting them down on the bottom with a pebble to hold them in place, and they have taken root, and have started the same process. They really are a very easy plant to grow.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

*New Fern Growth*

I'm posting some pictures of the new growth of the ferns in Ben's tank. In some of the shots you will notice the brown spotting of the leaves. this is the start of new growth. Out of those brown spots the roots will start first, and then in a few weeks the new shoots will start on the opposite side of the leaves where the roots have started. And then there's the big blue ham that likes to show off. Any way this is what you would be looking for when a fern starts giving off baby's. In some cases I have just left the leaves attached to the main plant and left them grow that way. In other cases I have snipped the leaf behind the new growth and taken the cutting and weighted it down with a pebble on the sand and the new growth has rooted it's self in the sand. On some of the lower growing leaves I placed a pebble on the leaf still attached to the plant and the new fern's are doing very well.


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## starlightbetta (Jan 7, 2019)

Thank you both for your responses. I am going to leave it anchored slightly in the substrate and let the roots grow.

Old Dog, your plants look great! Do you add anything to your tank for them? Thanks for so much great information on ferns. I think you had suggested Java Fern in a previous post of mine, which is why I chose to get it. I have had success with the anubis, so I have ventured into other plants as well.


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## starlightbetta (Jan 7, 2019)

Also, now I know what to look at for new growth. I probably would have thought it was dying. Hahaha


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

I only have used flourish in the tank once a week until The green algae was almost gone ( I needed some, but not the bloom I once had, for the mystery snails I added to rid the tank of the green algae . ) and now I started to use C02 supplement to continue the growth of algae. (who would have thunk it. Needing algae in the tank) Anyway the C02 has not hurt the plants that didn't need it and my ferns have really started to produce new shoots and growth. Some fern leaves covered in new shoots have been cut behind where the new growth is and replanted in some of my other tanks and are doing very well. Where the cut was made on the leaf new roots and shoots have started. ( I have 4 different versions of ferns, and the Java is just one of them.) One of my tropical fern has lost a complete leaf and I found it on the bottom of the tank with roots on the tip, so I placed a pebble on the stem to hold it in place and now I have a great growth on it and it has rooted. The substrate I use is white sand, I put flourish in the tank once a week and now C02 every other day. Again C02 is not needed for the ferns or any other plant you have right now in your tank.


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