If you’re noticing dark bumps or spots on your Java fern’s leaves, don’t worry! It’s not some strange disease, but rather your plant propagating itself. In time, the rhizomes will take hold and you’ll be able to remove the artificial attachments. You can use wire or rubber bands to initially attach the rhizomes to your chosen anchor (submerged wood or rough stone works particularly well). To prevent this, provide your fern with an appropriate surface on which to anchor. If buried in substrate, Java ferns will grow very slowly or not at all, and will eventually begin to die off. Instead, they anchor themselves, using their hair-like rhizomes, to rough surfaces like driftwood or rock. Unlike many aquatic plants, Java ferns don’t have true roots. One mistake many novice aquarists make when planting Java ferns is planting them in substrate.
Damaged leaves may die back, but new growth will be better acclimated to your lighting, provided it isn’t excessive. Shift it to a shadier location, or reduce the amount of time your tank lights are on to help it acclimate. If you notice an established plant suddenly turning bleached or brown, especially after changing a light bulb or moving it to a new location within the tank, it’s probably getting too much light. This is naturally a highly shaded environment, which should be replicated in your tank. Java ferns are tropical plantsfound low on the rainforest floor-often in flood zones, which explains their ability to grow either partially or completely submerged. Java ferns produce new plantlets from the undersides of their leaves, and even leaves that appear to be dying back can add new plantlets to your tank.Ī small amount of decomposing plant matter also adds nutrients to your tank that your Java fern can use to help bounce back. While you can remove unsightly leaves to improve the overall appearance, there are good reasons to leave them when possible. Once placed in its new space, you may notice the Java fern’s leaves growing brown and mushy looking. Many Java ferns grown for cultivation are grown “emersed,” or only partially submerged, so the transfer to a fully aquatic environment takes some getting used to.ĭifferences in lighting can also trigger burn or die back as the plant produces new growth that’s better suited to its new environment.
When you add a Java fern to a new tank, chances are the environment will be considerably different from its original growing space. Adjusting factors such as lighting, nutrient levels, or planting method, and removing any overgrowth of blue-green algae, should allow your plant to recover completely. If an established plant is starting to turn brown, something is likely off in its environment, as Java ferns are very resistant to disease. It’s not uncommon for them to die back almost completely before springing back good as new. Java ferns require a period of adjustment when added to a new tank or environment. Thankfully, most of these issues are easily resolved! While they’re generally hardy and easy to grow, occasionally they can experience issues that leave them looking mushy, brown, and unappealing. Java ferns are a beautiful addition to just about any freshwater aquarium or aquatic vivarium since they can grow either partially or fully immersed in water.
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