Java Fern Unhappy

[Invader Xan]

Hi...

I have a tank that's still newly established. Up until recently, I thought my java fern was doing just fine. It was producing lots of plantlets, most of which are now growing in other parts of the tank.

Recently though, the leaves on the big plant are becoming covered with brown/black spots. A couple of the leaves are going to have to be pruned off, as they're almost completely brown now. Worse, a couple of my small windelov ferns seem to be turning brown at the edges too.

Is this some kind of plant disease, or am I doing something wrong?
Erm... Help?

 

[Maximumbob]

could we have a pic please.

Also, how is your fern planted? on wood? What plant food you using & what substrate u got?

 

[2pods]

This happened to me when I moved my Java Fern from my Rekord 60 to a Critter Cage type thing.
The pH in the CC was a lot higher then the Juwel tank.
It seems to recovered now though.

So, any changes in the water chemistry, fish food, fish load, lighting, ferts, Co2 ?

Peter

 

[Invader Xan]

Ok, here are a couple of attachments showing the affected leaves. The big fern is half planted in the substrate, and all the smaller ones are tucked into a large piece of mopani. Substrate is a porous clay gravel. pH neutral and free from lime/phosphates/nitrates. I don't use any fertillisers or water additives because I keep shrimp (4 amanos and 2 freshwater prawns -- one of whom is currently carrying eggs), who get fed every other day with a couple of crab pellets.

My fern seems to be growing well through the substrate, as I've just noticed a rhizome shoot poking out from under the opposite side of the mopani. The new leaves all seem fairly healthy, and some of the plantlets seem more or less unaffected. I'm puzzled.

My water stats are currently:
pH ~ 7.2
KH ~ 8
GH ~ 12
NO2 ~ 0
NO3 ~ 5

I keep my water fairly hard for the shrimp. Could that be a problem?

Oh, if it's any help, I also have several moss balls, a patch of java moss that could do with pruning and a bundle of netted riccia. All of these are doing very well. In addition I have three stems of milfoil which I'm planning on removing -- they don't seem to be doing so well either.

 

[2pods]

The main photo looked something like the way mine went, but your pH hasn't changed.

I always attatch my JF to stuff, rather than in the substrate.
Probably worth a try, as the piece of rhizome coming out looks clean ?

Peter

 

[JamesC]

I don't use any fertillisers

I'd say this is your problem

James

 

[Dave Spencer]

I have a tank that's still newly established. Up until recently, I thought my java fern was doing just fine. It was producing lots of plantlets, most of which are now growing in other parts of the tank.

Is this some kind of plant disease, or am I doing something wrong?

Your fern would still have had an abundance of nutrients when you first bought it, but will have since depleted them, and now the older leaves are starting to die as nutrients are being shifted around the plant to support new growth. Java Ferns are very undemanding, slow growing plants but, you still need to feed them. Nobody would dream of adding fish to their tank without a source of food for them.

Your tap water may contain a certain amount of phosphates and nitrates, but you will still need some source of Potassium (Ferka K for instance) and trace elements (Tropica).

Dave.

 

[Invader Xan]

Ok... So can anyone recommend me any good fertilliser that won't harm my shrimp?

I was hoping they'd get enough nutrient from leftover food, but I guess shrimp are too efficient as cleaners... I'd imagine the faster growing plants are probably not leaving enough for the fern.