Is caring for live plants a cause for concern?

[hazel]

I've added another set of java fern to my tank and I'm seeing some growth on the original set's "roots", but there's this weird film forming on one of them. Not sure if it's normal or if I need to take action. Wrong thread maybe?

[kingrise]

Hello and a warm welcome to the forum. I'm happy to help you with your java fern concerns. In order to better assess the situation, could you please provide some additional photos of the film on your plant? It's possible that it might just be biofilm, which is generally harmless.

[starlord]

You should never plant the roots in gravel or sand, that's just asking for rot. Otherwise, the fern's doing alright. The two-tone leaves are a sign it needs some extra nutrients - probably potassium and/or iron. That goop, though, looks like it's from a tissue culture gel. Did you buy that in a tube?

[kingrise]

You should never plant the roots in gravel or sand, that's just asking for rot. Otherwise, the fern's doing alright. The two-tone leaves are a sign it needs some extra nutrients - probably potassium and/or iron. That goop, though, looks like it's from a tissue culture gel. Did you buy that in a tube?

As long as the rhizome remains above the substrate surface, there's no risk of rot. The picture in post #1 shows the rhizome is indeed well above the sand surface.

[hazel]

Here's a better view - my java ferns are attached to driftwood.

[hazel]

You should never plant the roots in gravel or sand, that's just asking for rot. Otherwise, the fern's doing alright. The two-tone leaves are a sign it needs some extra nutrients - probably potassium and/or iron. That goop, though, looks like it's from a tissue culture gel. Did you buy that in a tube?

The plant came from a breeder online, it was in a plastic bag. I'm guessing that's similar to a tube, but is a bag better or worse for the plant?

[hazel]

My tank's actually bouncing back from a detritus worm issue, might be relevant to the plant's situation.

[starlord]

Just a heads up for newbies. Don't think you can get away with burying those fine roots in gravel just because the rhizome's above water. What tends to happen is those fine roots start dying off, and eventually the rhizome gives up the ghost. People make this mistake all the time with Epiphytes - Orchids, for example.

That fungal stuff might be feeding off the jell, but it's likely harmless.

[hazel]

You should never plant the roots in gravel or sand, that's just asking for rot. Otherwise, the fern's doing alright. The two-tone leaves are a sign it needs some extra nutrients - probably potassium and/or iron. That goop, though, looks like it's from a tissue culture gel. Did you buy that in a tube?

Thanks for the feedback. I'll just monitor it for now. The rhizomes seem to be growing fine, but they're not really latching onto the driftwood as I'd hoped.

[kingrise]

You should never plant the roots in gravel or sand, that's just asking for rot. Otherwise, the fern's doing alright. The two-tone leaves are a sign it needs some extra nutrients - probably potassium and/or iron. That goop, though, looks like it's from a tissue culture gel. Did you buy that in a tube?

I'm not convinced that's the case. My own Java Fern is doing great with its fine roots buried in the substrate and the rhizome above - it's actually thriving. I'll get a photo up tomorrow to show you the setup.