Plant ID

[oacason27]

I have a few various live plants in my 75 gallon. I keep noticing these growing on the leaves of other plants. I keep taking them off and throwing them away, but they grow back. What are they?

 

[Sgooosh]

Java ferns, please do not throw them away, they will become big plants

 

[Byron]

Agree. Java ferns (Microsorum pteropus) reproduce vegetatively (as opposed to sexually via flowers) and the adventitious plants (new plantlets) appear on the fronds (leaves) of the plant. The rhizome must not be buried or it may rot and kill the plant.

 

[Sgooosh]

Agree. Java ferns (Microsorum pteropus) reproduce vegetatively (as opposed to sexually via flowers) and the adventitious plants (new plantlets) appear on the fronds (leaves) of the plant. The rhizome must not be buried or it may rot and kill the plant.

if there are so many babies, OP must have lots of java fern!! pics?
i like to let it float around and catch on something or tie it to a wood

 

[oacason27]

I only have two actually, a regular java fern and a trident one. So I should just let the little ones float around?

 

[Colin_T]

So I should just let the little ones float around?

Attach them to the driftwood and rocks so they can grow. If/ when they get bigger, your local pet shop might be interested in taking some in exchange for fish, food, plants or something else. They might even pay you cash for them, but don't hold your breath on that.

 

[DragonScales+Doubletails]

congrats on the baby javas!

 

[oacason27]

Attach them to the driftwood and rocks so they can grow. If/ when they get bigger, your local pet shop might be interested in taking some in exchange for fish, food, plants or something else. They might even pay you cash for them, but don't hold your breath on that.

I don't really know how to attach them.

 

[outofwater]

I don't really know how to attach them.

I've read and seen that you simply use super glue and attach the roots to whatever you want and that's that. I'm not sure if there is a special "aquarium safe" type of superglue, all I have read simply indicates cyanocrylate, which IS the regular superglue you find anywhere, afaik.

The "natural" way is to use weighed tie-ins to secure the plant and allow the roots to take hold naturally, obviously that takes longer. For what is worth.

 

[Byron]

My method is to carefully wedge the rhizome into a crevice in a chunk of wood or rock. Another is to use fishing line or black cotton thread, minimally. In either case, the fine black hair roots will then adhere themselves to the wood/rock.

 

[outofwater]

My method is to carefully wedge the rhizome into a crevice in a chunk of wood or rock. Another is to sue fishing line or black cotton thread, minimally. In either case, the fine black hair roots will then adhere themselves to the wood/rock.

Well, that's why your badge reads fish guru and mine is new member

Very nice.

 

[Byron]

Well, that's why your badge reads fish guru and mine is new member

Very nice.

Glue is advocated by some members, but I have never used it. And to be honest I wouldn't, just to be safe.

 

[outofwater]

I get it. I was surprised when I saw videos about it too, I thought it would leach, then again there's so much crap around that I would never put in an aquarium or any other live critter environment. Oh well, that's another thread. I'm awaiting for my plants to start growing offshoots so I can plant my aquarium more, so this thread was a nice find

 

[Colin_T]

I don't really know how to attach them.

rubber band, white cotton thread for sewing, super glue (just let the glue dry for a couple of minutes before putting it in the water.

 

[Colin_T]

Well, that's why your badge reads fish guru and mine is new member

Very nice.

Hey @Byron, welcome to the guru club. Mind you it should have been 25000 posts not 15000, but @PheonixKingZ wanted it at 15 . Having said that, I don't mind you being a fish guru because you are one


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Glue is advocated by some members, but I have never used it. And to be honest I wouldn't, just to be safe.

Super Glue (cyanoacrylate) is safe for aquariums when it's dry. It only takes a few minutes to dry and is non toxic after it has dried.

We used it for gluing coral fragments to rocks in marine tanks and can also be used to attach plants like Java Fern to rocks. Just make sure the surfaces are dry, apply the glue and let it dry for a few minutes, rinse and put in the tank.