Java Fern Question: Roots or BBA?

[Root]

Hello, all! This is a young Java Fern that is about a month old. I just noticed the growth circled in below picture on the midrib of a couple of the leaves. Are these roots developing or am I paranoid in thinking that BBA is growing in a uniform fashion up these leaves? I have some larger JF’s and they don’t have growth like these do. 

[Anon]

In my experience, when java fern roots out its leaves it forms brown spots on the top with roots coming out of the bottom. I've never seen them form in the middle, only to the sides on the leafy part. 

[AndreaW]

BBA will form on the top edges, closest to the light. 

Java Ferns will sprout new roots then leaves from the tip/edge of the leaves.

Overall, I see nothing to worry about. They look very healthy.

[Root]

Thank you both! It’s definitely unique. I have other mature ferns that have produced new JF and I have seen the roots developed as described, but not like this. 

[AndreaW]

@Paul R ~ Could they be spores then? I thought spores formed in the middle of the underside of the leaf, not on the main vein...?

[Root]

I culled this leaf (pic 1) off another plant and it had it too. After looking at it closer it looks pretty natural and reminds me of some ferns that grow on land (pic 2). Maybe that’s what it is. Idk. I’ve only been able to find it on a few of my younger plants. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 3/15/2022 at 10:03 AM, Paul R said:

Thank you both! It’s definitely unique. I have other mature ferns that have produced new JF and I have seen the roots developed as described, but not like this. 

Yeah, it kind of reminds me of one of my favorites, Bolbitis Heteroclita

Ironically they sell it at petsmart under a completely different name.

I went to my tank to show you my poor sad anubias dealing with BBA/GBA.

 

[Patrick_G]

On 3/15/2022 at 3:53 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Yeah, it kind of reminds me of one of my favorites, Bolbitis Heteroclita

They sell both, but I’m pretty sure Bolbitis Heteroclita isn’t suited to being grown submerged. I’ve had some since mid 2020. It seemed healthy and lived for many months without doing much except sending out some plantlets. It didn’t die off but never really thrived. Eventually I had plantlets from that original in several tanks but they just never took off. I still have a piece in a little three gallon, and it’s not dead but not thriving either. 
 

@Paul R, sorry to hijack the thread, your fern looks healthy and totally normal.