Java fern looking diseased

[twiggin]

Hi
I've had a planted tank for two and a half years, java fern and anubias. Since I moved from Toronto to Montreal last summer my java fern hasn't been as happy as it was. It hasn't been growing as much and now it's developed a new problem.

The leaves of the smaller plants have brown splotches along the veins that get bigger and bigger. It seems to be spreading from one plant to another. I'm trying to pick out diseased leaves when I see them, but I think I'm going to end up picking all the leaves off my plants.

I'll try to attach a picture.
Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks
Tom

The picture will have to wait. I can't figure out how to upload a picture from an iPad to a post. (If anyone knows how....)

[ScottishFish]

Is it brown patches, or defined brown circles.

The brown patches are the leaf dieing

If it is small rounded bumps then these are the start of what are known as plantlets. Plantlets are the java ferns way of reproducing copies of itself. They start as the brown bump then you will see brown feathery strings coming off of them, these are the plantlet roots, and finally small leafs will appear.

Will send you a link to my javas plantlets

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/fishpictures/showphoto.php?photo=21847

At the tip of the leaf is a formed plantlet, lower down are the ones not yet formed

[twiggin]

Thanks for your answer Scottishfish. It's not new plantlets -- I used to have lots of those so that's a familiar look (not for a couple years though -- dunno why).

I've managed to attach a picture. The browning seems to start at the central veins. Sometimes I see it as a brown spot on the edge of the leaf that then spreads. My older leaves don't seem to be affected, though I do notice that some of them have blackened stems.

I'm very sad about this. I loved how lush and green my tank has looked over the years. It still looks okay now, but I'm worried that whatever is wrong is going to spread and kill my whole fern plantation.

[ScottishFish]

Hmm that looks more like a disease to me, I've had javas die due to lack of light (shadowed by amazon swords) and they and up patchy and die. Yours look more specific to the centre of the leafs. After seeing that my moneys on it being a disease of sorts