Java Fern Roots Brown/dying But Leaves Green

Get Ready! 🐠 It's time for the....
FishForums.net Fish of the Month
🏆 Click to enter! 🏆

VidVid

Fish Crazy
Joined
Jul 31, 2006
Messages
262
Reaction score
0
Hi.

i just bought quite a few java ferns of this guy who says his java ferns won't stop propagating. The leaves and its rhizomes are mostly green (far from perfect but noticeably alive) but the roots coming off all the java fern rhizomes are brown/dead/dying...

I think that the guy i bought it off don't attach their ferns to objects and wood but instead probably buried most the roots into the gravel...I was wondering if the plant could still be saved by attaching the ones i bought onto wood despite the brown/dead roots?
 
I would thik they'll recover,java ferns are quite hardy.Just attach them to your hardscape,java ferns will take nutrients in through their leaves,so adding liquid ferts will give them a boost.Just keep an eye on them,trim off any dead areas,bear in mind java ferns often grow with transparent looking tips to the leaves.Just remove any bits that are obviously dead or 'melting'.
 
Also, just throwing this out there, but I'd mention too that I have a Java fern that won't stop propogating and all the "roots" that hang down off my rhyzomes are brown. Hard to say if what you're experiencing is anything different than normal (pictures would be helpful). But all the anchors/roots I've ever seen on a Java Fern have been brown.
 
Java fern roots are supposed to be brown/furry thats normal.
 
yep roots are brown, thats totally normal for JF. google is your friend.
 
agree with the others about the roots -- also, I had the exact same situation as you - brought home a huge clump from a friend who had them growing like crazy. They seemed to almost totally die out after going in my tank but then very, very slowly they came back and now are beginning to be almost like his -- it can be months
 
agree with the others about the roots -- also, I had the exact same situation as you - brought home a huge clump from a friend who had them growing like crazy. They seemed to almost totally die out after going in my tank but then very, very slowly they came back and now are beginning to be almost like his -- it can be months

Trim all the old leaves off to promote new growth. You can just leave a bare rhizome if you wish.
 
I might trim off the old dying leaves soon and just wait a few month to see if the plant thrives after a while. Got myself narrow leaf java fern in good condition and it too had the brown roots so i guess it is normal for fern species. Thanks all for the replies. Cheers!
 

Most reactions

Back
Top