Java ferns turn brown for the following reasons:
- Intense lighting
- Lack of nutrients
- Old age
- Suboptimal water conditions
- Not yet acclimated to the tank
If the Java ferns are new, they might be turning brown because they haven’t adjusted to their new environment. However, if established Java ferns are suddenly turning brown, something might be off in the tank.
Here are some things you can do when your Java ferns suddenly turn brown:
- Prune browned leaves with a sharp pair of scissors
- Ensure the ferns’ rhizomes aren’t covered with substrate
- Dim the tank’s lighting
- Change 10-20% of the water
- Clean the tank
- Consider using liquid fertilizer in the tank
