# 3 pronged java fern leaves...is this normal?



## cjp999 (Nov 18, 2008)

I've been growing regular java fern in my 46g Bow for about 4 years now. It gets high light, a heavy amount of DYI CO2, and fertz, so it grows quite well. The leaves get up to 16" long. I also grow the lace variety, which is much smaller and bunchier.

A few months ago I noticed some of the java fern growing with 3 pronged leaves. They seem to be coming from one rhizome, although this rhizome also has some regular leaves. Is this normal, or some sort of mutation? Here's a pic:









The prongs that go left and right are about 4" long. The center one extends about twice that length past where the split it.


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## wetworks (Jul 22, 2011)

This is "Trident" Java Fern.


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## keithy (Jun 8, 2010)

I had the same thing happened. Mine is not trident. Just regular but some of the leaves mutated to 3 prongs.


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## cjp999 (Nov 18, 2008)

The first thing I did when I decided to research this was google for trident java fern for pictures. I had never heard of "trident" before, but it seemed as good a name as any to describe it and start my search. The pictures I saw didn't look like what I have. They were small spindly leaves, with a lot more than just 3 prongs. Plus, that wouldn't explain why I just started seeing this a few months ago on old rhizomes that also have regular leaves.


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## Chlorophile (Aug 2, 2011)

cjp999 said:


> The first thing I did when I decided to research this was google for trident java fern for pictures. I had never heard of "trident" before, but it seemed as good a name as any to describe it and start my search. The pictures I saw didn't look like what I have. They were small spindly leaves, with a lot more than just 3 prongs. Plus, that wouldn't explain why I just started seeing this a few months ago on old rhizomes that also have regular leaves.


I donno - but you should try to isolate it. 
Cut the part of the rhizome thats growing these leaves and plant it someplace separate, see if it keeps growing them. 
Also see if the baby plants that grow on the underside of the plant grow the same way. 
You could have a special mutation and it would be cool to isolate!


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## wetworks (Jul 22, 2011)

Most people commonly mistake the Topica version which has many leaf segments for Trident. They are two separate varieties.


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## cjp999 (Nov 18, 2008)

This looks like what I have:

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/fish-pictures/java-fern-1282005984-800.jpg

Still kind of strange that only some of the leaves are like this, and it took 4 years for them to appear. Probably something environmental and it only happens under certain conditions.


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## Jeff5614 (Dec 29, 2005)

I don't think that's trident. While it does have 3 leaves it's not the same shape.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

I get that quite often with my java. Mostly 3 prongs like yours, here's one with 2. I think with age it will happen more than we think.


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## cjp999 (Nov 18, 2008)

I had one with two prongs also, like yours.


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