OziOscar Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 Hello! Just a quick question: Is there more than one kind of plant being offered as Java Fern both from private sellers and from LFS? The reason I ask this is that the JF in my last South American Tank is growing very long (leaves of 6"+) yet another batch in my Malawi Tank (not a biotope tank) is flourishing and producing leaf-tip suckers but isn't giving as much length. They are being kept in near identical conditions (save for pH and GH/KH). * SA tank depth = 18", all JF planted in the substrate, root depth of 16-17" * Malawi depth = 20", all JF strapped to rocks or growing on rocks at 10" to 18" root depth. * Both tanks are 2W/G lighting. * Both tanks are Ammo = 0, Nitrite = 0, Nitrate 10 - 20 ppm (fluctates every few weeks). Looking forward to your ideas. Cheers - OziOscar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nornicle Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 there appears to be only one type of java fern in australia. it changes depending on how it is grown. overseas (collected from Papua new guinea) there are various types of java fern such as narrow leaf and 'red.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OziOscar Posted February 4, 2004 Author Share Posted February 4, 2004 All my JF is green... the stuff in the Yank tank is rich and lush green, like good dairy pasture. The stuff in the Malawi tank is a bit ordinary (mid green, unspectacular). I acquired them in two different purchases. Is is the differing water parms making the difference or is there some other difference? The stuff I have seen in streams in Malaysia is long and luscious to look at and yet retains the tough, crispness of leathery lettuce (hard to describe)... it's almost hard to the touch, but the commercially purchased one here is tender to the touch. Still - is it an environmental effect or are they different species or varieties of the same species? Cheers - OziOscar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHL Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 I suspect it's environmental effect; with hight light and good fertiliser, they are lighter in colour. Less light, darker longer leaves. Even mine from one source looks quite different in two of my tanks (I also have another lot from a different source in one of my tanks; you have some from both sources). The plantlets seems to be due to crowding; when mine gets crowded, the plantlets really take off, and do look good in themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett4Perth Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 I agree that they are probably the same plant , an easy way to test would be to shift a piece from one tank to the other and see what happens. I have noticed that Java fern does tend to have different growth habits depending on how big the plants are, how crowded , closeness of the leaves to the surface. One of my larger plants with leaves near the surface developed tri-lobed leaves. There is also the fancy "Windelow" variety. Interested to see how the experiment goes. Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nornicle Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 i would be nice to get narrow leaf variety here what are import laws on aquatic plants like? I would love to see a) christmas moss & 'micro' moss b) java fern narrow leaf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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