Anubias, java fern and bogwood

[Alien Anna]

Hi, I've noticed that the dwarf anubias and java ferns in my molly tank are not growing very well and seem somewhat stunted, whereas the same plants in my other tank, even before I added CO2, were thriving.

Would tying them to bogwood help? The pH in there is rather high (8.2) so I'm not too worried about bringing down the pH.

 

[AquaNut]

Java fern definitely grows better if it's tied to something. If you are ever concerned about adding bogwood because of pH, java fern also grows very well if attached to a rock. I know it's common to tie them with fishing line, but I always attach mine with an elastic. So easy! Also, if your pH in the other tank (where the plants are thriving) is a lot lower than in this tank, that could be a factor. I've never had pH that high, so I don't know what the plants do in it. One last thought - the mollies may well be pruning your plants for you. Mine used to like a lot of veggie matter. I don't know how many mollies you have vs. the number of plants, but I know that two silver dollars can easily keep a huge java fern 'mowed' into a short, dense lawn.