Java Fern

[MannyThakk]

So i went to petco and bought those java ferns plants they sell in the tubes with the gel at the bottom and they seem to be doing well in the tank. Have them glued to some driftwood.  Im seeing stems and leaves sprouting from the existing leaves. Is that normal and can i propograte? Ill drop a picture when i get back home.

[Darax]

That's how they propogate, though might be a sign of lack of nutrients. 

[knee]

It’s normal. Here’s how they’d start

 

The black spots on the leaves will grow to be an individual plant. 

[lefty o]

yup, thats normal. of all the plants in those tubes, the java ferns are almost always a winner.

[MannyThakk]

Do i just leave it alone or i propograte them? And how if so?

[MannyThakk]

[lefty o]

for now, leave them. they are fairly small.  when they get a little bigger you can gently pluck them off and replant them, or eventually they will come off on their own.

[PerceptivePesce]

I'm a newb with Java ferns. I got them about 3 months ago.  My advice, let the babies grow a bit more before removing them.  At first, I removed some young babies and glued them to a rock.  Then later, I let them grow on the mother a bit longer before gluing them to another rock.  The rocks with more mature babies are doing better than the younger ones.

[knee]

On 3/15/2023 at 4:01 AM, MannyThakk said:

Do i just leave it alone or i propograte them? And how if so?

I usually just leave them but you can pluck them off and place them in a different spot when they start looking like a mini version of the full grown plant.

On 3/15/2023 at 5:23 AM, MannyThakk said:

This is actually called an el nino fern (bolbitis heteroclita) @nabokovfan87 has the same plant

I have this plant as well. If you have them glued to a rock or driftwood, it'll eventually attach to it as it sends out new baby plants.

Edited March 15, 2023 by knee

[CJhilljack]

I'm so glad you asked about what to do with them. I have one Java fern leaf that was given to me when I set up my 2 gallon water garden and it has tiny baby plants all around the tip of the leaf and I've been wondering what to do with them and when.