# What is this growing on my Java fern? Hair algea?



## rad-man (Oct 22, 2007)

I went out of town for a week, and i *think* my lights were on 24/7 (my timer wigged out, so i'm not really sure how long).
I came home and the tanks was INFESTED! I should have taken pics.... but didnt.

I dropped the lights down to 5hrs a day, and started up the excel dosing agian. Thins are a lot better, but this stuff is still lingering around my java. Any ideas?


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## moogoo (Dec 7, 2007)

those are java fern roots. nothing to be alarmed about


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## rad-man (Oct 22, 2007)

wow. I feel dumb. But roots coming off the leaves?


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

those are plantlets.


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## frozenbarb (Dec 16, 2006)

Ewww why is it all white and slimey


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## Reeferton (Aug 16, 2007)

Ferns have little "spores" that normally attach to the bottom of the leaves, this is with ferns in general. Because Java Ferns get their nutrients from the water, the spores will just sprout still attached to the mother leaf.

I have some java fern plantlets that have attached themselves to driftwood, and one that attached itself to a golden clam.


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## rad-man (Oct 22, 2007)

so almost every big leaf has produced "leaflets". Will these fall off when they are ready, or will they keep growing from the current leaves?


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## shwerm601 (Dec 16, 2007)

Very Cool, a few of mine did the same thing and it was intense! lol


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## Madfish (Sep 9, 2007)

They will grow and break off the main leaf. They will settel down to there new home and start from there. That is if you let them. Thats a good sign that your tank is good and healthy is when the plants start to reproduce.


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