# Java Fern



## Tithen (Dec 22, 2012)

Not really related to my Betta.. but it is his tank. 

I picked up a Julii Cory after getting rid of two fish, and losing an otto. 

The dang thing is psychotic, my fault, I have no low to the ground plants, and no caves for it. And I'm having the hardest time finding a simple terra cotta pot. Why is it so hard to find a terra cotta pot in the USA? (I'm originally from Canada, our Walmarts stock them year round) I don't do anything plastic or fake, so buying a fake cave isn't happening. 

Well I have a java fern on a lava rock in my tank. it's always growing babies, but I don't do anything special with them. It's situated where it is presently because it slows the filter stream keeping my sand undisturbed. 

Now I'm wondering if I should? I have a decent size piece of drift wood I'm considering laying on its side in the tank, I could easily tie bits of java fern all over it, creating a low lying cover area for the cory and my ghost shrimp, as well as creating a cave like structure. It sadly would remove the beta's "arch", but he seems to like swimming through plants and not the drift wood. 

Any suggestions on how to best go about removing the babies from the large plant? Do I just cut off the adult leaf, remove the baby and secure it to the drift wood?

and if anyone knows, my java fern seems to have brown feathery like things near the roots.. are the roots supposed to look like that? even the little babies have them.


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## babystarz (Aug 3, 2012)

Yes the brown feathery things are roots. You can just pluck the babies off the main leaf and it'll remain intact with no cutting required 

I would try Michaels or any similar type of craft store for terra cotta pots. Lowes and Home Depot have a good selection of them in the summer but hardly any in the winter.


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## Tithen (Dec 22, 2012)

I never thought to try Michaels!!! I'll try and convince my husband to make a stop there tomorrow, bribe him with a browse around the tool store right next to it. lol. 

I need to do a water change tomorrow (I'm terrified the cory is going to hop out while I do it, he's that high strung right now), so I'll pluck off the babies and get them tied to the driftwood. I must have at least 8 of them on there now.


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