I've got a Java Fern that I had in my 20g that I've had for about a year now. It's anchored with thread to some Lava Rock.

I kinda' ignored it for a long time, because it wasn't looking so hot, but when I switched from my 10g tank to the 20g, the plant came out from behind everything, and I saw just how much it had actually grown. It's gone from like 3-4 leaves to well over 10! Near the rock, there is a tangled mass of brown roots, and lots of new plants... yet none of them seem to really be coming off of mother leaves.

I've kinda' run out of places to put more rocks with ferns tied to them, so I was hoping I could just leave it alone.

Do I need to separate them all or can I just leave it as is? Here are some pics of what it's looking like:

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20g Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981
36g Bow Front Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981

Many times the baby plants will let go of the mother plant when ready.You can gently rub on it with your fingers and see if any let go.Or just leave them be,they are not hurting anything.

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http://bountifulbettas.blogspot.com/

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

Thanks Bev! Next week during the water change, I'll see if any come loose easily. If not, I'll leave 'em alone. (I had one little baby floating around the tank last week that I had assumed came loose from a different rock, but it was probably from that one.)

I find that even the original plant is kinda' loose from the rock, even after a year of being anchored to it, so I'll have to pull gently! (Would be a PAIN to re-anchor 30 little plants!!!!!)

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20g Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981
36g Bow Front Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981

With the exception of one large mass of the needle leaf type of fern I have, none of mine are anchored to anything. I take the long brown fuzzy root looking stuff and bury that in the substrate, which leaves the rhizome still above it and they do awesome.