# Odd algae growth on Java Fern leaves



## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

Hey guys and gals, I've noticed an odd algae growth on my Java Ferns...

Oddly enough, it's not on any other plants at all, ONLY the Java Fern leaves.

I doesn't quite look like Black Beard Algae, and it's not like any Diatom that I've personally ever seen before.

It's growing in what only can be described as "furry strands", if that makes any since 

It's only growing on the bottom of the tips of the leaves and is dangling down. And it doesn't seem to be harming the plants at all either

I haven't tried to clean them off yet, but I'm sure they would just wipe right off. The Chinese Algae Eater and the ghost shrimp wont touch it, lol

Any ideas?


Thanks!


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## Martini2108 (Jul 23, 2010)

Are you sure it's algae and not another java fern growing off the plant? From what I see with my java's they do this a lot I only have about 5 java's scattered through my tank and including "baby" java's I have about 10-12 not sure how many they keep floating away as they get big enough.


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

right on the tips of the leaves like that though?


I've been thinking about ditching the Java Ferns... in my opinion, they're about the ugliest plant in the tank anyway, besides the Wisteria *#3


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## Martini2108 (Jul 23, 2010)

Yes they will, I tried to get a pic of mine in my cichlid that's propagating but the current was to much for my camera to get a good shot. I found a site that has a decent pic of one propagating (still not the best but all I could find quickly) Ferns and Mosses, Plant Care for Non-Flowering Aquaiurm Plants does it kinda look like that without the leaves growing with the "fuzzy" root system?


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

hmmmm, yeah that's kinda what it looks like, but it's hard to compare because that's a pretty far back picture

I have two pics of it in my original post



if that's what it is, it would be cool to know that the plants are happy enough with it's water conditions to want to propagate like that


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## Martini2108 (Jul 23, 2010)

Yeah I'll prolly turn my filter off to get a good pic of mine sometime tomorrow. Java Fern are really easy plant's to propagate, from what I've done give em plenty of light, make sure water is clean, and don't move em lol. That's really it I've noticed that most java I have will stop propagation when moved immediately kinda odd if you ask me. If you ask me in your pics it looks like the start of java fern propagation.


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

great, I'm going to have to get more drift wood eventually, so when this one gets covered with fern, my algae eater will still have some wood to munch on algae growth with, lol


thanks! yeah if you can post pics of yours, that would be great! I'm having a hard time finding pictures similar to it on the net


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Definitely not algae.

They may not be the prettiest, but they are one of the most common plants out there, even in many high tec tanks. I love the look of them when they're bigger.


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

well I do believe it is the plant trying to propagate itself

I put some small plant vitamin tabs down into the gravel in the tank the same day I posted this, and today I noticed that some of these little "growths" have started sprouting new green leaves  they're too small to really get a pic of right now though...


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## Zook (Oct 3, 2010)

Usually java fern "babies" start out as a brownish black dot then the green leaf emerges right out of it then the air roots start to grow.
My sword has the same growth or something similar.I don't have a photo right off hand,but the best way I can describe it is;A blueish/gray growth that looks like miniature Antler coral but it flows in the current and is about 3/4" and branching....


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