# How to divide a java fern



## M1ster Stanl3y (Dec 10, 2010)

How do you know when you can divide it or does it produce little versions when it us ready?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

On the leaf tips it will have what looks like multiple leaves coming out of the tip and have some brown looking hairy things hanging off. Well....that is the new plants leaves with fuzzy roots. I waited util the new plant leaves were about one inch and snipped off with a pair of scissors.


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

to add to that, snip the old leaf that the new leafs and roots are growing from; don't cut the newly growing leaves and roots, leave those intact 

I'll be doing this shortly to the two Java's and Lace Java's in my 30 gallon because they're budding like crazy right now, LOL


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

You dont need to snip off the leaf.Once you see the rootlets,you can gently rub the new plant off.You can also snip the rhizome in half.Heres a couple pics of plantlets on leaves:


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

majerah1 said:


> You dont need to snip off the leaf.Once you see the rootlets,you can gently rub the new plant off.


that should work the majority of the time as well 

if my camera would focus to things in the tank better, I'd see if I could snap some photos of mine


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## GypsyV (Nov 28, 2010)

Wow thats a lot of babies in that pic. I have one, I hope I get babies. The plant looks really good. I got it a couple weeks ago, and it looks better than when I got it, I think lol


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

If I were to snip the whole leaf, I wouldn't have much of a plant. I snipped right next to the new roots and you can't even tell I did it on the mother plant.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

The first pic,the plantlet is still on the mother plant.I have gotten a few off her already,and she seems to grow more from the same spores.The second pic,when i was doing a waterchange,i accidentally pulled the leaf off the plant.So i left the leaf in the tank and she sprouted babies.Its a way to pass on the legacy i believe.A last act of reproduction.I love java ferns!


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

I rescaped my tank yesterday, and the ferns are close to the side now so I was able to get some photos 

You'll notice some are planted in the substrate, and some are attached to the log. They both seem to be growing just as well as the other contrary to popular belief.


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