# Java Fern Growth



## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

I am new to planted tanks, I have some java fern that has brown hairy growths. It looks like baby plants starting to grow. What is this?


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## SueD (Aug 4, 2012)

Most likely plantlets are starting. They grow on existing leaves. A couple of weeks ago I removed about 10 from one of my java ferns. Let them grow until you have a couple of leaves on each baby fern. Then you can remove and replant.


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## SueD (Aug 4, 2012)

Most likely plantlets are starting. They grow on existing leaves. A couple of weeks ago I removed about 10 from one of my java ferns. Let them grow until you have a couple of leaves on each baby fern. Then you can remove and replant.


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

That's what I thought it was, thanks, at least something's working right.


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## Marshall (Jul 8, 2013)

Yup, plantlets, the brown hairy things are the roots, you should have the same thing on the mother plant


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## Arthur7 (Feb 22, 2013)

This plant is very useful for many purposes, because of their rapid multiplication. Most often allowed to swim it. To the algae take away the food to darken slightly to create spawning place to provide hiding places for young fish.
The adventive plants arise in the sheet corners. The mother plant can become very large quickly. Of the seedlings their fabrics are but withdrawn, so that the large leaves then turn brown and unsightly. Then you do all off small and throwing the old one away. So it is down lighter again.
Good luck


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## inkmaker (Jun 10, 2009)

chenowethpm said:


> I am new to planted tanks, I have some java fern that has brown hairy growths. It looks like baby plants starting to grow. What is this?


Brown hairy growths on most all plants sez "Black Beard Algae" to me. That's a scourge. Difficult to eliminate and spreads easily. New growth on Java Fern is GREEN! Leaf structures are first to be produced followed by some roots and then separates from the mother plant.

Removing this type of algae takes drastic measures. Can you get us pictures of this development?

Charles H


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

Inkmaker , I looked at some images of of black beard algae and it first look like that. It really looks like a new plant growing off the leaf. Here's as good an image I can get at the moment.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

I would pull those brown leaves off and dispose of them.They don't look like new growth.


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

It's kind of hard to see in the pic but those brown things are what look like roots to the little leaf poppin up there. Those are the brown furry thins I was originally posting about. Here's another pic. If you can see it there's one on the end of two leaves.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

This is the best picture of java fern growth I could find;

AOL Search

Also make sure the roots are NOT burried in any substrate.Java fern should be grown on rocks,or wood(tied to it) or even sometimes comes in coconut fibre mats.


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## Marshall (Jul 8, 2013)

definitely plantlets


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

Thanks everyone, it's clear to me, after seeing these thing grow a little bigger that they are new little plants. Per everyone's advice I am going to tie these to small lava rocks.


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