# Java fern edge discoloration



## kkoch (Oct 8, 2012)

My ferns always have something going on with them, the center of the leaves melting away, brown spots and propigating (baby ferns) all at the same time. I have hard water, PH at 7.6, medium lighting. Not my favorite plant.


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## mo2vation (Dec 24, 2012)

kkoch said:


> My ferns always have something going on with them, the center of the leaves melting away, brown spots and propigating (baby ferns) all at the same time. I have hard water, PH at 7.6, medium lighting. Not my favorite plant.


X2

So done with JF. I got a great deal on a huge one - split it amongst 8 tanks - some low tech, some high tech, some mid light, some high light, some CO2, some buried in the substrate, some tied to rock, tied to branch, etc....

I can't get it to work. Its the only plant I have with discolored leaves, wacky spore things on the leaves breeding some kind of ZZ Top beard algae....

Done with this thing.


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## Droyer (Oct 25, 2012)

The leaves on my Java Fern always grow in clearish/discolored around the tips it's just new growth. Not all of the leaves do it but the majority of my Java Fern does. What you have pointed out appears to be just that "new growth" discoloration. As the leaf matures it will fill in and look healthy.


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## amberoze (May 22, 2012)

mo2vation said:


> X2
> 
> So done with JF. I got a great deal on a huge one - split it amongst 8 tanks - some low tech, some high tech, some mid light, some high light, some CO2, some buried in the substrate, some tied to rock, tied to branch, etc....
> 
> ...


The "discoloration" is new growth if its clear or translucent. If its brown its usually a mother plant that's putting its energy into new spawns.

The "wacky spore things" are most likely baby plants.

And the "Z.Z.Top beard algae", is most likely the roots coming off the rhizome. If the "algae" is on the underside of the leaf, its because a new baby spawn is forming.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## demetrisag (Jan 25, 2013)

Thanks for the answers guys! It all is seems more clear now! It should be new growth


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## Droyer (Oct 25, 2012)

Also note that Java Fern is a slow grower, When it transitions to a new tank some leaves may become discolored to a brown or black. Those leaves will never recover. What I do is wait for the new leafs to fill in and then prune the old damaged leafs off. This however may take some time depending on your tank parameters.


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## amberoze (May 22, 2012)

Droyer said:


> Also note that Java Fern is a slow grower, When it transitions to a new tank some leaves may become discolored to a brown or black. Those leaves will never recover. What I do is wait for the new leafs to fill in and then prune the old damaged leafs off. This however may take some time depending on your tank parameters.


For me, Java fern is just the opposite. I just transferred a few trimmings to a new tank about a week ago, and I already see new leaves sprouting on the rhizomes.

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## Indychus (Feb 21, 2013)

My Java Ferns look just like the picture you've posted, dark green (sometimes brownish) at the tips of newly grown leaves. Some of them eventually lighten up in color to match the rest of the leaf, some never do. But they are growing like crazy and constantly growing baby plants on the ends of the leaves, so I don't worry about it.

I've read that they are slow growers, but I definitely wouldn't consider the growth I'm getting to be slow.


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## Indychus (Feb 21, 2013)

amberoze said:


> For me, Java fern is just the opposite. I just transferred a few trimmings to a new tank about a week ago, and I already see new leaves sprouting on the rhizomes.
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


I see you're from Lexington... I'm from Irmo... maybe there's some kind of Carolina magic working on our ferns...


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Java Fern can grow pretty fast, especially under higher light and co2. The rep for it being very slow is since many grow it under low light. As others have mentioned, the transparency is normal in new leaf development.


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## amberoze (May 22, 2012)

Indychus said:


> I see you're from Lexington... I'm from Irmo... maybe there's some kind of Carolina magic working on our ferns...


Maybe it's something in the lake.lol. Tbh, you're the first freshwater hobbyist I've ever even talked to in SC. Everyone else I've talked to from here is in salt.

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## samee (Oct 14, 2011)

I have narrow leaf and they do the same, hate it. Its like something is wrong when really nothing is. It doesn't make it look good too. Weird plant. But I like the narrow leaf.


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

yeah, it takes a while for the leaf to color in. sometimes the clearish part even has a red tint to it.


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