Java Fern

My java fern is sprouting baby plants on it's leaves and I want to know how best to grow the baby plants? I have read to let them detach from the mother plant on their own. But after that what do you do with them? I'd like to grow them up and sell them (or give them away). The last time I had baby java ferns, they died really fast once they detached from the mother plant.

Depending on what size they are, you can either pull them off or just let nature do its thing and they'll come off on their own. There really is no special trick to it.

Tie them to something once they separate from the mother plant. If you bury the roots they will die. Always works for me.

MarkM wrote:

Tie them to something once they separate from the mother plant. If you bury the roots they will die. Always works for me.

Just the rhizome actually. I have planted several by the roots only. They get some pretty long roots. ;o)

I usually just let them be in the tank, they will eventually snag on something.
Then I go around and gather them up and tie them on wood, rocks or whatever with cotton sewing string.

I stick mine on wood,rock or decoration with a stone on it until they're attached. Or just let them float around until they find there own place.

you can also use plant sinkers if you have smaller fish in the tank . Large fish will push them around

With Java fern when mine start sprouting I usually let them grow on the mother plant for a while. When they start getting 3/4 leaves and some size to the I gently tug on the daughter plant If it comes apart easily I then tie (cotton string) it to my java wall which is plastic craft cut to fit a 10 gallon tank as a divider for bettas.

Good info ill remember this :)

Elrollo wrote:

With Java fern when mine start sprouting I usually let them grow on the mother plant for a while. When they start getting 3/4 leaves and some size to the I gently tug on the daughter plant If it comes apart easily I then tie (cotton string) it to my java wall which is plastic craft cut to fit a 10 gallon tank as a divider for bettas.

Do you have pictures of this "wall" . It sounds interesting and I'd like to see it .
Tanks ,,, Ray

Thanks for all the info!

lifeisgood wrote:

Elrollo wrote:

With Java fern when mine start sprouting I usually let them grow on the mother plant for a while. When they start getting 3/4 leaves and some size to the I gently tug on the daughter plant If it comes apart easily I then tie (cotton string) it to my java wall which is plastic craft cut to fit a 10 gallon tank as a divider for bettas.

Do you have pictures of this "wall" . It sounds interesting and I'd like to see it .
Tanks ,,, Ray

james wrote:

Just the rhizome actually. I have planted several by the roots only. They get some pretty long roots. ;o)

True! The "roots" are not real roots at all, which is why planting them does no harm. In plant books they are known as "adventitious;" they act as anchors but don't take up nutrition for the plant.

If you use sewing thread, or any long, tensile material to tie up your ferns use very little and cut the ends short.

Once, one of my favorite catfish got caught in the long trailing "roots" of a Java fern and became trapped.

Do you think Crawfish would eat the baby javas?

Depends on the crawfish. Javas are supposed to be on 'the least favorite' list of plants to eat.

Recently, I've had a literal 'explosion' of my java ferns since I changed the substrate to a clay growth media and added MgSO4. I've got leaves with dozens of baby javas. Might be interested in trying out that 'java wall' idea.

I simply used a lightweight fishing line to tie the javas to lava rocks. Works very well. But make sure the line is kept tight and there's no loose ends for fish/shrimp to get tangled in.

my fish are eating on my java fern drives me nuts cause i have never caught them in the act of doing it lol

I will try to get some pics posted this weekend a little busy with work and stuff...hopefully sunday

seems like everytime i plant my baby javas they add leaves but still stay very very small

they grow really slow...I usually put ferts and co2 on the tanks and they still grow slow...maybe its just me...hmmm wonder if we could sell "dwarf" java ferns ....

Use the Dwarfs to make walls and sell them.

The Java wall sounds like a good idea. I would like to see pics also. My baby javas usually just detach and float around until they find something to stick onto...usually the filter intake. lol

wow. thats a lot of really good info.. my java fern is just now starting to branch out with new mini javas on its leaves. good to know they grow slow, are hardy and least likely to be eaten.
so do they really just fall off? or does the leaf bend down enough that they can anchor to the gravel below and just start a chain? lol

Never heard of a java fern wall. Also interested in seeing pics

I'm not sure about the 'slow' part. Mine have gone nuts! I'm now redoing my first planted tank since I broke down my 2.5G planted tank. I've got to literally figure out how to stuff all the Javas BACK into the original tank. Which is going to be a challenge since they grew so much.

do they just fall off the leaf cuz i was tending to the plants today and they are stuck on their really tight. so i just left it alone. will have pics up soon. promise!