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	Java Fern
mph684 Small Fry Posts: 6 Kudos: 5 Votes: 0 Registered: 05-May-2006	My 2 java ferns have lots of little holes all over the leaves, except on the new offshoots that grow off of it, and the leaves are almost see through. i thought java fern was an easy plant. i also have a amazon sword in the tank which seems to be doing fine, creating new shoots too. i have just above 1 watt/gallon and use plant gro fertilizer.
Posted 06-May-2006 00:04
LITTLE_FISH *** Little Fish *** Master of Something Posts: 7303 Kudos: 1997 Votes: 670 Registered: 20-May-2005	Hi mph684 , Welcome to FP. Hey, holes are usually a sign of a potassium deficiency. Can you describe the tank some more? Like: - Size - Water change routine (how much and how often) - The fertilizer you add (name and how much and how often) - Substrate - Fishload and type I guess that should do it for the beginning, Have fun, Ingo Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club
Posted 06-May-2006 00:09
Garofoli Big Fish Posts: 337 Kudos: 143 Votes: 27 Registered: 12-Apr-2006	Haha... Feed it a bannana... Chris
Posted 06-May-2006 01:50
mph684 Small Fry Posts: 6 Kudos: 5 Votes: 0 Registered: 05-May-2006	-my tank is a 12 gallon eclipse bow front -i change the water about every 2-3 weeks -fertilzer is NUTRAFIN Plant Gro Iron Enriched (i added the amount the bottle says to, around 5mL per gal, and replace about the same amount per gallon that i remove ever water change) -substrate is regular gravel about 1-1.5 inches thick -fishload is 1 opaline gourami, 4 tiger barbs, 1 clown pleco I don't quite understand the banana comment though
Posted 06-May-2006 02:07
bensaf Fish Master Posts: 1978 Kudos: 1315 Registered: 08-Apr-2004	It doesn't like high temperatures > 27-28o. Also you don't have it buried in the gravel do you ? Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue. Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.
Posted 06-May-2006 03:44
Endo.Crono.Logic Fingerling Posts: 15 Kudos: 7 Votes: 0 Registered: 01-May-2006	Whats wrong with burying it in gravel?
Posted 06-May-2006 03:56
crusha Enthusiast Fish Geek Posts: 262 Kudos: 183 Votes: 102 Registered: 11-Nov-2005	Java fern grow from a rhizome which is better off exposed rather than buried under the substrate. They will grow better if attached to a piece of driftwood or rock. My java fern leaves started to deteriorate when the new plants started growing from them. Not sure if that is normal or not but there now is a lot of new growth and the original leaves seem to have just disappeared. Those who say they cant, Never will !!!
Posted 06-May-2006 10:12
LITTLE_FISH *** Little Fish *** Master of Something Posts: 7303 Kudos: 1997 Votes: 670 Registered: 20-May-2005	Edited by LITTLE_FISH crusha, Yeah, that is normal. "Mother" leaves have fulfilled their purpose when the babies are strong enough. Think about it in nature: The babies grow on these leaves, then the mother dies off and the babies float away to settle somewhere else. The natural way of spreading out over larger distances rather than crowding the spot right next to the mother plant. Garofoli - Yeah, smart input - bananas containing potassium. Still inapropriate in the form you provided it. Ingo Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club
Posted 06-May-2006 11:58
mph684 Small Fry Posts: 6 Kudos: 5 Votes: 0 Registered: 05-May-2006	I do have the java ferns buried in the gravel, but it sounds like the its just the mother plants are dying off because they have new plants growing all over them which seem to be healthy. Should i pull the new ferns off the mother and put them somewhere else?
Posted 06-May-2006 12:15
LITTLE_FISH *** Little Fish *** Master of Something Posts: 7303 Kudos: 1997 Votes: 670 Registered: 20-May-2005	mph684, Wait with the pulling until the parent leaves are starting to disintigrate or at least until you see sufficient roots growing from the babies. Then tie these to some rock or wood, or wedge then between something (like if you have a pile of rocks or a grouping of wood). And I would suggest you take the mother plant out of the substrate as the rhizome will die off eventually when not exposed to the water column. I occasionally place plants with rhizomes on top of the gravel and I bury the slimmer roots that extend from it, this seems to work as well. Ingo Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club
Posted 06-May-2006 12:37
JTF Enthusiast Posts: 245 Registered: 16-May-2004	Just a suggestion not related to the java fern.It would better if you do weekly wate changes instead of every 2 - 3 weeks.
Posted 07-May-2006 01:30
Garofoli Big Fish Posts: 337 Kudos: 143 Votes: 27 Registered: 12-Apr-2006	Bannana is the best way to get pottassium... Chris
Posted 08-May-2006 23:28
mattyboombatty Moderator Tenellus Obsessor Posts: 2790 Kudos: 1507 Votes: 1301 Registered: 26-Mar-2004	Yeah....bananas....duh *Attached Image:* from http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Plant,%20Banana.htm Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients
Posted 08-May-2006 23:47
bensaf Fish Master Posts: 1978 Kudos: 1315 Registered: 08-Apr-2004	I do have the java ferns buried in the gravel, but it sounds like the its just the mother plants are dying off because they have new plants growing all over them which seem to be healthy. Java ferns will do this when the plant is stressed and dying. It's like a last desperate grasp at survival. Because the mother rhizoome is buried the plant is basically suffocating, it's trying to survive by producing new rhizomes above the substrate. Un -bury the mother plant. If you want the plant at a low level in the tank just tie arock to the bottom and let that sit on the substrate but don't bury it. Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue. Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.
Posted 10-May-2006 06:26


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