Java fern not doing too hot

[MonteCarlo]

Hey guys, its been a little over 3 weeks in my 10g NPT, and my anacharis, cabomba, and crypts have been doing great. Ive clipped/replanted the stem plants a lot and Im starting to run out of room haha. For some reason, however, my java fern arent growing at all. I had a hard time trying to plant them since the roots werent long enough to hold it down, so I eventually just put a weight on it and let it sit at bottom and see if the roots would take hold. The leaves look a little crinkly/dark greenish/black spots in places, but I wouldn't say they look like they're rotting or anything. I wonder why this easy plant is not doing well with all my other flourishing plants?

Im concerned because my ammonia is at .25 ppm today. Im usually used to it being 0. I also have a stalling Bacopa, since I cut the roots/stem off to replant and two stems of them havent really recovered. I wonder if these are affecting my water quality

[sandybottom]

java fern grows very slowly. also it sounds like it is getting acclimated to your tank, it may lose some leaves or others become discolored.you should tie it to a rock or driftwood.planting it in the substrate can rot the rhizome. has your ammo level decreased?

[MonteCarlo]

Its already around week 4, I figured I would see somee growth or improvement. It hasn't really gotten worse or better. Even my crypts have melted some leaves and grew back already. And as I said, I barely even planted it, just put a weight on it and left it on bottom. I took the weight off just recently and it stays put so it does seem that the roots grew, the rhizome is fine. My ammo hasn't risen. I did a small change two days ago and its still at 0 at the moment. I would like to point out how there are little black dots with... tiny root like things coming off them? Ill show you in a pic. I know I get string algae on it often, but this looks harder and almost like tiny roots...

[sandybottom]

those black dots are spores and the little root things are actually roots. this is one of the ways java fern reproduces.if you leave it, they will each produce a new plant. so, it actually is giving signs of growth.