Hello all,

I have owned fish tanks for a while now. I have never had a java fern, or any live plant in a tank before. I bought 2 days ago a piece of drift wood with a java fern planted in the middle. I herd that it is best to let the roots be free by tieing it to the sides of the wood. Since it was already planted, I do not know if I should redo it. Around the fern there is some sort of brownish cotton feeling thing to hold it inside of the middle hole. The plant has no roots and I bought it with brown spots on the leaves. Obviously that's probably not a good thing. Is there anything I can add as plant food in my ten gallon? Any help will be appreciated!

Note: I have 7 neon tetras and 5 ghost shrimp in the tank as well.

Java Fern usually has large red roots. The Fern can grow attached, rooted in sand or drifting. It propagates by runners or small planlets from the leaves. A good Java Fern will almost look like an Amazon Plant. They are very tough and few fish bother them.

I would just leave it in the wood. Java ferns like being on wood, and to me, wood looks better with plants on it. It does well in all lighting ranges, I think. As for fertilizers, I never bothered with them, since it's a slow growing plant and the fish provide nutrients. I might try pulling the rock wool off, since it can clog up your filters, but if it's not floating around the water too much, I wouldn't worry about it. And finally, you can trim off the leaves that don't look particularly healthy, just leave enough that the fern can regrow.

__________________


Lead me not to temptation...I can make it there myself just fine, thank you

DO NOT bury the rhizome of the JF in sand. It will cause the rhizome to rot. The hair like structures are actually crampons which will anchor the plant. Bill in Va.

__________________
12 Tanks, 900 gallons. Discus/Angels/Malawi/Lake Victorias. Just added a 135 & 2 - 29's..

I say leave it.The cottony things you are feeling is indeed the roots(they are more to attach to things,and dont feed the plant in any way)The rhizome needs to be able to get light and chances are if its attached then its able to.

The brown spots,depending on where they are,could be spores and the plant trying to produce plantletts.Thats ok,they usually do this if they feel they are in less than ideal setups,and its a way to ensure the plant lives on.

Just give it time to adjust to your water and it should do fine.

__________________
http://bountifulbettas.blogspot.com/

"Come to the dark side....we have cookies...and filters/heaters/and water changes!"

That sounds like rock wool that they have put in the hole to hold it in place. The roots are not cottony, but the wool is.

Sorry should have been specific.To me the roots feel like cotton thread.If there is some cottony tannish stuff that is rock wool stuffed,but Ive never personally seen them do that,so it didnt come to mind.

__________________
http://bountifulbettas.blogspot.com/

"Come to the dark side....we have cookies...and filters/heaters/and water changes!"