Oh my goodness...what have I grown?

**CrunchyLeaf** · 04-30-2012, 02:01 AM

Hey all! A couple of weeks ago I added my first live plants. Java fern and anubias, both anchored to driftwood. I also upgraded my lighting from the regular incandescent hood that comes with the ten gallon setups to a fluorescent hood with a 15 watt light bulb in it. I don't know what kind of bulb, it's just the one that came in the hood that says "15 w" on the glass under the brand. I think the type is a T8? I know it's NOT a T5 fixture.

This is a picture of some little brown hairs that have shown up on my java fern. They aren't on the substrate, driftwood or anubias. Is this algae? How do I combat it? I have the lights on a timer so they turn on and off at the same time every day. They stay on for about 10 hours. I also dosed the tank with seachem flourish comprehensive initially, though I have been told that may not be necessary with these plants so I haven't put anymore in since then.

Thanks for the help! (sorry for the blurry pic, it's a cell phone pic)

**DylanisHawttt** · 04-30-2012, 02:09 AM

Those are little daughter plants. They are the roots and then the rhizome of a new plant. No algae, nothing to worry about

**CrunchyLeaf** · 04-30-2012, 02:30 AM

OH! Good thing I didn't pull them off the plant then. When I first saw them I was like "Oh I gotta get that out of there" but I thought I better have someone look at it first

.

I guess I thought new plants would grow out of the base of the plant, not the middle of the leaf. Shows how little I know.

**DylanisHawttt** · 04-30-2012, 02:33 AM

It's alright, it's a common misconception with some plants, well, mainly Java Fern LOL

. But I usually take mine off when the leaves are about 1.5"-2". Otherwise they will eventually fall off the mother plant and settle somewhere when the roots catch.

**homemadepopcorn** · 04-30-2012, 03:05 AM

I was a little worried when my java fern produced daughter plants, they arent the prettiest looking things in the world and the placement is just strange lol.

**CrunchyLeaf** · 04-30-2012, 04:08 AM

Originally Posted by homemadepopcorn

I was a little worried when my java fern produced daughter plants, they arent the prettiest looking things in the world and the placement is just strange lol.

So true! I was kind of judging Otis for not eating them, but now I get it