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I didn't notice if the plants had these when I got them last week, but there are these strange growths on my Java Fern. They appear to be these dark, green, fuzzy root-like extensions coming out of the underside of the leaf. They look superficially like algae. I think they also appear to be growing only from the small circles on the underside of the Java Fern leaf (spores?). Some of these growths have extended about half an inch in length. What are these?

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

This is how the java fern reproduces itself. The spores on the bottom or edge of the leaf grow roots first, then sprout leaves, eventually detaching from the leaf when they're a couple inches tall and floating around until they get lodged in a piece of driftwood or something like that.

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Hi,
The plants are having babies!

That is one of the ways these plants propagate
(adventitious plants on the leaves) and the
other is by cutting the rhizome as it grows and
sents off sprouts.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=800

Let the budding plants grow till they are about 1-2 inches
and then separate them from the parent. Plant the new
plants where you want them to grow, and leave them for
about a month so they can settle in to their new home.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Haha, cool, I thought it was something along those lines. I can't say I must've done something right 'cuz I only just got the plants. I'm not one to complain about free plants! Thanks guys.

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

Not much more I can add but in the wild these new plantlets break of and will drift around until those little rough looking roots attachthem selves to a new host.

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Keith

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I have more Java ferns than I know what to do with because of that, just keep in mind that when you plant them don't bury the rhizome. That will kill the plants, I have a couple right now against the front glass of my 55 that I put there and just buried the roots on them, as the roots and plant grows it will attach themselves to pieces of the gravel, after a few months you can move them around a bit and the weight of the gravel will stop them from floating.


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Me too, Jim. Happily, they're now colonizing my little 5 gal too. I moved one over, as a first plant in the tiny tank, thinking I'd move it back eventually, to cover the space the removal made. Well, no need now.

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