Attaching Java Fern

[Pysgodyn]

My Java ferns are sprouting large amount of plantlets. I've read elsewhere that they shouldn't be buried in the substrate like other plants but attached to driftwood and rocks etc.
Can someone confirm that this is correct, and offer some practical ways of encouraging this attachment?!
Thanks x

 

[kizno1]

yh they are supossed to be attached to bogwood or big stones. i tie mine to it with a low lb fishing line because you can bearly see it when its in the water unless you really look closely.some people also use elastic bands but i dont think they look to good.

 

[Pysgodyn]

Thanks - Do the need attaching in the long term, or just to encourage their own natural attachment?
If I placed a leaf which has loads of plantlets on it very close to a piece of bogwood, could it ever attach by itself, or will they always need 'manual help'?

 

[kizno1]

i think they attach them self after a while but i dont know how long it takes mine have been attached for a few months but still havent attaced themself yet.
the small plants might attaach them self but it dependce whhats in your tank because in my tank the catish alway move them aroound.

 

[Pysgodyn]

Thanks Kizno1 x

 

[Truck]

Use superglue, it works much better than any wool, fishing line or elastic bands.

 

[Ben M]

i agree, superglue works much better for me. i find fishing line/cotton too fiddly.

cheers

 

[ebi]

Thanks - Do the need attaching in the long term, or just to encourage their own natural attachment?
If I placed a leaf which has loads of plantlets on it very close to a piece of bogwood, could it ever attach by itself, or will they always need 'manual help'?

hi, is best if you give them a manual help. using fish line are the best, you can't notice the fish line while the plant are attach on the driftwood. it give a very natural look to it.

if you don't they will just float around, and take longer to attach onto stuff, so give it some help.

the type of fish line i use are 2lb about 100m long and last forever, you can find them at eBay about 3.00 each

if you into moss and plants take a look at (www.aquashrimps.co.uk)

hope this help

 

[Shred]

I tend to let the plantlets float around for a couple of months before I attach them, that way they are bigger and I would assume more hardy (rather than just killing off the brand new plants by roughing them up with superglue etc).

 

[Fantail_John]

I bought some Java fern today just put them in my tank for now floating, is this right you can use super glue to stick them on rocks? will it not harm the fish? and what sort of super glue? will any do as i have some here the i got from Wilkinson's store. I did have a go will my fishing line but too fiddly with it just sliding of the rocks.

John

 

[Truck]

Any superglue is fine.

 

[Fantail_John]

Any superglue is fine.

Thank's i will try that tonight one way i was thinking if people don't want to mess around with line, string or glue was laying a flat pebble just under the gravel put the plant on top useing two other pebbles on each side of the plant to hold it in place until attached to the pebbles or rocks. I have draw a picture to see what i mean But you will know with out looking

John

 

[betta fish]

I wouldn't do it like that like the pic though! just had to learn the hard way got a lovely anubias to attach onto a piece of bogwood, since the bogwood was large and a focal point in a tank I found it difficult to attach the anubias to so to stop it floating I weighed it down in a little nook with a small rock, after a while the leaves started to fall off and die and then I found the stem had rotted, I knew they mustn't be buried in the substrate but wasn't thinking that this would produce the same affect as it wasn't in the substrate but I guess it did have the same affect as being buried and I guess the same applies to java fern

 

[Fantail_John]

I wouldn't do it like that like the pic though! just had to learn the hard way got a lovely anubias to attach onto a piece of bogwood, since the bogwood was large and a focal point in a tank I found it difficult to attach the anubias to so to stop it floating I weighed it down in a little nook with a small rock, after a while the leaves started to fall off and die and then I found the stem had rotted, I knew they mustn't be buried in the substrate but wasn't thinking that this would produce the same affect as it wasn't in the substrate but I guess it did have the same affect as being buried and I guess the same applies to java fern

Thank's for your advice and will try to use some of my fishing line or some cotton, might take me all day but should get there in the end lol Did you like the drawing

John

 

[Fantail_John]

I tried cotton and fishing line, to fiddly so i ended up using a shoelace hope this was ok. Can't see the lace as in front i put a ornament.

John