Java Fern

[Headrush]

I have Java Ferns in my 29 gallon with some German Blue Rams and Boeseman (SP?) Rainbows. I am fairly new to plants and thought these would be easy. Well, I have tons of new growth but, they are growing right out of the leaves. Roots and small leaves are even forming. I think this is great, BUT I saw a java fern in my LFS that had a rhizome about 6 inches long!

Question is this: Can I tie the long leaf down horizontally, and let the small chutes with roots grow straight up? Will this turn my big leaves into rhizomes? I'd like to spread this plant through one end of the tank but don't know how. I did not bury the 1" rhizomes on the three ferns I have, and they are trying to attach to the substrate. I might try to wedge the rhizomes into crevices in some driftwood I have in there too cause they're starting to float around a little

Please help if you can. THX

Oh also, I am putting in a basic co2 fertilizer avery few days as directed, with plenty of light from a flourescent bulb.

 

[jvision]

Java fern does best when attached to driftwood or rocks. It's a great plant because you get new growth along the rhizome and from leaf tips. IME, the rhizome growth is slower. Have have done what you mentioned - plucking the larger leaves and tieing them to wood so the new growth will attach. The leaf will not turn into a rhizome, but the new growth has its own.

Have plants, have fun!

 

[WyldFya]

Start here for a lot of basics. What kind of filtration are you running? Your co2 will do virtually nothing if you have any surface agitation, unless you are using pressurized, or diode co2. The little leaves and roots are called daughter plants, which when seperate will become their own plants. The rhizome itself will grow slow to moderately depending on how much it is getting in nutrients, and light. The primary rhizome can grow extremely fast, under high light levels, and good ferts and co2.

 

[mgamer20o0]

i just wait until they detach from the mother plant and plant them again. all mine are on driftwood or rocks.