Hi all

I have a bunch of Java fern in my disus tank that is looking like its starting to rust

Its starting to get brown rust coloured spots all aover it and the leaves in the middle of the bunch are turning completely brown,

its attached to a piece of bogwood and was until recently sprouting lots of small fronds but they seem to be no longer growing and the plant seems to be getting smaller as apposed to growing

what am i doing wrong as this is meant to be an easy to grow plant

it is situated in the centre of my tank directly below 3 x 15 watt fluros

any suggestions :-? :-? :-? :-?

Mine did the exact same thing, it got smaller and smaller and the leaves started falling off and everything. The tank had CO2, heaps of lighting, and everything so. Felt like crap cos they're supposed to be the easiest plant to keep, but my other plants grew like crazy.

Mines also a discus tank. I'm blaming the fact that I did water changes everyday so the phosphates, nitrates, trace elements etc in the water was really low and java ferns absorb stuff from the water I think. I cut back my water changes to about twice a week, and put it small amounts of fertilizer everytime I did, they seem to be doing ok again. On the flip side, in my other tank which received no ferts, very rare water changes, and no CO2, they grew HUGE....

I now have the same issue but originaly the new leaves formed holes as the came out - see my seperate post on this.

The black spots on the underside of the leaf are spores and are to do with reproduction rather than deterioration (they are ferns)

Mine did the exact same thing, it got smaller and smaller and the leaves started falling off and everything. The tank had CO2, heaps of lighting, and everything so. Felt like crap cos they're supposed to be the easiest plant to keep, but my other plants grew like crazy.

Mines also a discus tank. I'm blaming the fact that I did water changes everyday so the phosphates, nitrates, trace elements etc in the water was really low and java ferns absorb stuff from the water I think. I cut back my water changes to about twice a week, and put it small amounts of fertilizer everytime I did, they seem to be doing ok again. On the flip side, in my other tank which received no ferts, very rare water changes, and no CO2, they grew HUGE....

Brent??? at Pupuke FS said that the Java Ferns love ammonia. It may be a case of your tanks being too good!!!!!! Try reducing your water changes and see if the Java recovers.

The Java F in one of his display tanks was amazing!!!!!!

well that may be the answer. ive only noticed this occuring since i started to do more water changes, but with discus it a fine line

dammit , why cant everything be simple

why cant everything be simple

You said it.. allz I know issat when I was doing daily water changes the ferns were dying, but with twice weekly now, they're just surviving. All good tho, in the balance of things, fish trumps fern.

What looks like roots is only a means of anchoring and the plant only feeds through the leaves so needs nutrient in the water. I read somewhere that the harder the water the more light required.

Heres a pi, sorry it a little out of focus

as you can see it definately the leaves

Thats how mine looked! And then it got transparentish, and all the bigger leaves started coming off the plant. Do ya use any liquid fertilisers?

They are probably not a good plant to have with discus as you want low water nutrient for the discus which means no food for the ferns.

try added potassium-seachem does one-also not to much light.-lack of potassium can cause java fern rust.I hope this helps.