# what causes java fern to get black spots?



## brooksie321 (Jul 19, 2014)

Think that's just reproduction?? They sprout new plants from these spots? Is it every and all.leaves or just a few??


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

just to give you an example. in a video I made 3 weeks ago and the plant in question has one big leaf about 5" and a few smaller ones. the big leaf today was cut off and looks like this


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## fish jihad (Mar 1, 2014)

Mine do the same thing. Tried different lights, photo period, ferts...... everything i could think of. They still get the black spots. Hopefully a botanical genius can chime in and explain why.


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

If the black spot's are uniform and feel like bumps then this is where the new leafs sprout from but that does not look like what the photo indicates.
I cannot grow it either but my sister who lives down the street and knows nothing bout plants grows it like a weed.
I can grow needle leaf java fern but not the broad leaf type that is pictured.
I just quit goin down to my sister's house and feel much better.


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

Somewhat related, but the Java fern virus is related to necrosis spots. I don't know if they are connected but if it has the galls, it almost certain develops necrosis.


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## anastasisariel (Oct 4, 2009)

roadmaster said:


> If the black spot's are uniform and feel like bumps then this is where the new leafs sprout from but that does not look like what the photo indicates.
> I cannot grow it either but my sister who lives down the street and knows nothing bout plants grows it like a weed.
> I can grow needle leaf java fern but not the broad leaf type that is pictured.
> I just quit goin down to my sister's house and feel much better.


Same for me! Hilarious


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

i think i may try using baby plants in separate containers to do some very controlled testing with ferts / lighting / and temp. see if i can come to some kind of conclusions on what causes it and how to get best growth in a non co2 environment.

Bump: i have been doing a bunch of searching and tom barr has stated in other posts that its strictly co2 deficiency. That makes sense in my case because I don't have any in the tank.


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## Maryland Guppy (Dec 6, 2014)

philipraposo1982 said:


> just to give you an example. in a video I made 3 weeks ago and the plant in question has one big leaf about 5" and a few smaller ones. the big leaf today was cut off and looks like this
> http://s1343.photobucket.com/user/p... Uploads/20150224_111219_zps259kigwq.jpg.html


 I don't think that leaf looks too bad at all.
I have some that are 1/2 black with rotted edges growing 3 babies on the leaf.

I have 3 types of java fern not sure what types but they are different.
The smallest darker green one has better leaves but only seem to get 2.5" long.
I have not seen reproduction occur on it's leaves.

I am new too the planted tank world old timer with fish.
I am experimenting with about 20 species in a lets fill in the jungle format.
No specific theme just trying to grow successful plant life.
So far an experiment that is working and I am learning.


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

I've been trying to figure this out for a while and at the moment I think this is a case of all of the above. Any damage to a leaf seems to kill off the cells and they seem to die one at a time. Snail damage will do this and I think alga can do this type of damage also. 

I think some of it must be related to the way the plant cells are capable of rejuvenated a whole new plant and somehow that must be related to normal spore development. 

It seems like the plant will have this reaction to any unhealthy environment challenge and that makes me think it needs a fairly clean environment in order to prosper. 

I've grown this plant to maturity where the large fronds develop the trident form and the plants themselves almost completely filled a 29g tank. I did that by adding lots of nutrients and plenty of extra potassium but I never could get the plant completely healthy. Though I never did add any form of carbon to that tank. 

I hear people suggest it takes co2 to make this plant truly thrive. I suspect that has at least something to do with the with the purifying nature of adding large amounts of co2. I don't mean that the co2 isn't benefitting the plant but that it is also helping to keep the water quality pristine so to speak. I suspect that excel might have the same effect. 

BWTFDIK.............


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