What is this? (planted question)

[Steve]

Had my live plants (no co2) in my peacock tank for about 6 weeks now, just been dosing with Flourish excel every other day and they seem to be doing very well so far. I have noticed a few of the Java fern the past week have been growing these brown tags on them up high on the leaves. Anyone know what these are? They look almost like aerial roots that I get on my ficus bonsai tree 

[danielratti]

baby java fern? I generally cut them off and plant them and they grow

[Steve]

How do you go about planting yours? because I don't use any special soil under my sand, mine are just tied to wood with the roots exposed. Do you actually plant the whole part you cut off or are you just planting a little of it but leaving most above the substrate?

[TrailerParkFishTanks]

they do better when attached to wood or crevices of a rock. i think they grow better when the roots are not planted in the substrate, they feed better that way. you could start them off in the substrate if thats easier til they get some size. IME jave fern can grow any which way.  ive had some attach themselves to my filter intake. java fern is like the honeybadger of plants,  it just dont give a crap about how and where it grows. also when you trim it up, for whatever reason it loves a hard cut to stimulate more growth.

[Steve]

Very cool thanks for the info. From the looks of it I have around ten new baby ferns growing, and I just noticed that a few of them actually already have a small leaf or two shooting out of them. I had no idea they would propagate on their own like this but I'm glad they are because now I can grown these little guys up and have some more greenery in the tank.

[TrailerParkFishTanks]

They're very cool, very hardy, and low maintenance. Youll like them a lot

[RichE]

Steve

At what rate are these java ferns growing?

Are you having to trim them often or just a few times a month?

[Steve]

Haven't trimmed them at all yet Rich. I've had them probably about 6 weeks now and in that time they do seem to have grown a tad, but I like tall ferns in a tank so I plan on just letting them grow as tall as they would like too in there. The new shoots/roots are really growing nice and long now so I will most likely cut them and plant the new growth when I get back from my trip next week.

[RichE]

Thanks Steve

The reason I ask, Is I am setting up a planted tank in the bedroom and Ferns are one of the plants. I will have higher lighting but no co2, and I was looking to get some first hand knowledge:)

[African cichlid Keeper]

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/general-aquarium-plants-discussions/46667-excellent-list-plants-low-light-tanks.html

Plants Ideal For Low Light/Low Tech Aquaria
Some people may be wondering what plants do well in a Low Light setup. I used to be the same way(and still am sometimes) and now I am wanting to make a list of what is appropriate for this kind of tank. Any one wanting to add to the list please go ahead. List Common and Scientific name please.

Java Fern - Microsorum pteropus
Windelov Java Fern, Windelov Fern - Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov'
Narrow Leaf Java Fern - Microsorum pteropus v. 'narrow leaf'
Java Moss - Vesicularia dubyana
Green Hygro - Hygrophila polysperma
*Sunset Hygro - Hygrophila polysperma 'Rosanervig'
Ceylon Hygro - Hygrophila polysperma 'Ceylon'
Rotala Rotundifolia - Rotala rotundifolia
Rotala Rotundifolia sp. Green - Rotala rotundifolia sp. 'Green'
Rotala Indica - Rotala indica
Hornwort - Ceratophylum demersum
Parrots Feather - Myriophyllum aquaticum
Moneywort, Water Hyssop - Bocapa monnieri
Brazilian Pennywort, Pennywort - Hydrocotyle leucocephala
Crypt Wendtii - Cryptocoryne wendtii
Crypt Balansae - Cryptocoryne Balansae
Pygmy Crypt - Cryptocoryne pygmaea
Guppy Grass - Najas guadalupensis
Anubias barteri - Anubias barteri v. barteri
Anubias barteri 'marble' - Anubias barteri 'marble'
Anubias barteri v. 'glabra' - Anubias barteri v. 'glabra'
Anubias nana - Anubias barteri v. 'nana'
Coffee leaf anubias - Anubias barteri v. 'coffeefolia'
Crypt retrospiralis - Cryptocoryne retrospiralis
Crypt spiralis - Cryptocoryne spiralis
Golden nana - Anubias barteri v. 'nana golden'
Narrow leaf nana - Anubias barteri v. 'nana narrow leaf'
Petite nana - Anubias barteri v. nana 'petite'
Philippine Java Fern - Microsorum pteropus 'Philippine'
Red Java fern - Microsorum pteropus "red"
Crypt Becketii - Cryptcoryne becketii
Pelia - Monosolenium tenerum
Waterwheel Plant - Aldrovanda vesiculosa
Bacopa - Bacopa caroliniana
African Water Fern - Bolbitis heudelotii
Hornwort - Ceratophyllum submersum
Crypt Aponogetifolia - Cryptocoryne aponogetifolia
Micro Crypt - Cryptocoryne petchii
Tropica Sword - Echinodorus parviflorus 'Tropica'
Downoi - Pogostemon helferi

*Do not ned high light to attain pink color. Dosing Iron can bring out this color. I have learned this from experience.

[Steve]

For sure get some Anubias Rich. My Java fern is doing well, but I think java fern seems kind'a hit & miss though because I had some in my other tank and they all died, yet the ones from a different source in this tank are doing well. So they see a bit hit & miss, but Anubias on the other hand seem to be really hardy in my tank even without co2. I just add Flourish Excel every other day and so far the java is doing good, but the Anubias is doing REALLY good, just had the second one open a little "bloom" on it the other day even.

Java moss may be a good choice as well. I have about two cups of java moss tied onto that wood in the beta tank and so far it's staying green even with only about 6hrs of single t5 non-ho bulb per day. I've only had that moss for about 3 weeks so far though so we'll see if it stays this way over the next couple months.

[Steve]

Now that a month or so has passed and the new little plants were starting to get some decent size leaves on them during a WC today I took them out and cut them free and tied them onto wood in the tank. By grouping them together I was able to add some more nice greenery to the tank. So far just adding florish and keeping the lights on 12hr per day has been keeping the plants looking good and helping the new little plants grow well.