Why Can't I Keep Java Fern?

[stoneagedinosaur]

Hey all

I have a mature (well 15 month old) planted tank. I just can't seem to keep java ferns looking nice! They start well and ten produce millions of babies and end up looking all tatty.

I give 2 JBL Ferrotabs per week and Dose with Red Sea Flora 24 daily. CO[sup]2[/sup] comes in the form of Aquagro pressurised aerosol device.

What are the best conditions for keeping healthy adult plants as they look really nice...

 

[natalie265]

Hey all

I have a mature (well 15 month old) planted tank. I just can't seem to keep java ferns looking nice! They start well and ten produce millions of babies and end up looking all tatty.

I give 2 JBL Ferrotabs per week and Dose with Red Sea Flora 24 daily. CO[sup]2[/sup] comes in the form of Aquagro pressurised aerosol device.

What are the best conditions for keeping healthy adult plants as they look really nice...

I tried keeping these in a medium light, DIY CO2 tank and they did horribly. Same thing as you, they kept sprouting millions of babies to the point that the leaves would just disintegrate. Now, i'm keeping some in a lower light tank w/no CO2 and they're doing great. The tank that they are doing well in is also cooler (it's a goldfish tank kept at room temperature) and the ph is quite a bit higher. So, not sure what the answer is, but that is my experience with them.

 

[ZoddyZod]

what is your lighting like? They dont like bright lights and tend to do well in dimmer tanks or under some 'shade'.

Apparently when they produce lots of plantlets, that is a sign that they are in trouble and not doing so well.

 

[SuperColey1]

what is your lighting like? They dont like bright lights and tend to do well in dimmer tanks or under some 'shade'.

Apparently when they produce lots of plantlets, that is a sign that they are in trouble and not doing so well.

Its may be a side issue regarding the lights but any plants whether they are so called 'low light' plants are fine in any light. Its the CO2 that is the problem with higher light.

On the plantlets thing the above is right. When these are healthy there are no plantlets to be seen. Kind of like a 'survival of the race' mechanism.

They shouldn't need any tabs asthey are so slow on uptake but they do like a decent flow through/across them and don't like being crowded.

I'm not sure why many people have these problems. It is a puzzle and I don't mean in a nasty way. It's just that its a common problem that I've never experienced with this plant apart from recently where itwas stuffed into a corner and seemingly outcompeted by large crypts (under very bright light.)

It previously did fine (still under very bright lights) with or without CO2 but without being 'crowded'.

Its a baffling one and something I don't have any real solution to give you.

AC

 

[ZoddyZod]

Its a baffling one and something I don't have any real solution to give you.

AC

I had two in the same tank. One withered away until it was just one solitary (albeit healthy looking) leaf. The other sprouted around 8 plantlets, it's original set of leaves browned and died away, but it replaced them with new leaves that continue to be bright green and healthy.

The only difference between them was tank postion. The one that did badly was directly in the main flow/current of the filter. The one that replensihed itself was underneath the filter outlet and therefore mostly sheltered from direct current.

 

[stoneagedinosaur]

So - if I'm reading right... if I move stick a java under my outlet so it's out of the current and is prob the darkest corner of the tank with no competition until it gets moved at Easter (Get ready for LOADS of questions on the best way to move a tank without completely freaking the fish soon!) then they might fair a bit better?

I had them before and after CO[sup]2[/sup] and have never done well but I really likes 'em.

We'll give it another crack

 

[ZoddyZod]

So - if I'm reading right... if I move stick a java under my outlet so it's out of the current and is prob the darkest corner of the tank with no competition until it gets moved at Easter (Get ready for LOADS of questions on the best way to move a tank without completely freaking the fish soon!) then they might fair a bit better?

I was simply adding to SC's bemusement as to why they can sometimes be tricky to keep. I have no idea if the placement difference between the two had any effect, it is simply my only experience with this plant.

 

[SuperColey1]

So - if I'm reading right... if I move stick a java under my outlet so it's out of the current and is prob the darkest corner of the tank with no competition until it gets moved at Easter (Get ready for LOADS of questions on the best way to move a tank without completely freaking the fish soon!) then they might fair a bit better?

If you have a laminate floor this is easy.

Empty the tank leaving 4" water.
Save the water in containers (no need to take fish out of tank.)
Get a dining table (with felt pads on its feet.)
Push the table up to the tank. Hopefully it will be a similar height.
Put a blanket on the dining table leaving more than the tank footprint haging over the edge nearest to the tank.
Gently lift the front edge of the tank onto the edge of the dining table (and blanket.)
Slide the tank onto the dining table.
Then move the dining table and not the tank. The felt pads slide nice and easy on the laminate.
Reverse procedure when in new position.

If moving house do it a similar way. empty to 80%, 2 people lift and walk very slowly. Put in car boot and drive very slowly.

AC

 

[KittyKat]

For all aquariums over 3ft long or over 100 litres (whichever is lower), I always drain the tank completely before moving.. for 4ft or over 200 litres, I usually remove the substrate too; not only am I a bit terrified of it cracking, I'm also not quite strong enough to lift much more than the glass for anything large.

 

[SuperColey1]

For all aquariums over 3ft long or over 100 litres (whichever is lower), I always drain the tank completely before moving.. for 4ft or over 200 litres, I usually remove the substrate too; not only am I a bit terrified of it cracking, I'm also not quite strong enough to lift much more than the glass for anything large.

I see your concern. I am quite luck in that my dining table is about 3mm lower than the cabinet and I have quite good arm strength (even though only 9.5 stone wet through.)

When I moved house (twice now) my dad took one end and I took the other and walked it slowly to the car. Got to the other end and apart from some small movement in the sand all was fine and back as was within the hour

AC

 

[KittyKat]

For all aquariums over 3ft long or over 100 litres (whichever is lower), I always drain the tank completely before moving.. for 4ft or over 200 litres, I usually remove the substrate too; not only am I a bit terrified of it cracking, I'm also not quite strong enough to lift much more than the glass for anything large.

When I moved house (twice now) my dad took one end and I took the other and walked it slowly to the car. Got to the other end and apart from some small movement in the sand all was fine and back as was within the hour

I did that the first time (2 hour drive), the second, third, fourth and fifth time I decided to break down everything except the 5 gallon and smaller breeder tanks.. the fourth time was the worst as the drive was about 900 miles at -10C to -15C the whole way and took almost two days in the end, I ended up using the poly boxes as tanks while setting everything back up again. In a way, I kinda look forward to the day when I can move house without fish or with under 5 aquariums ..sometimes I feel that they'll make me go crazy!

 

[stoneagedinosaur]

That'll save me posting at Easter then! Will go and look at my dining table!