kev350d
Fish Crazy
Recently ive been purchasing alot of marimo balls (not from Sp00ky "dont want to indicate that his are the same as the ones i have") but after comparing my example to ones in a local sea life centre (tropical freshwater section) mine look very different to the ones they have that originated from Lake Akan where they were allowed to be sought (with permission as this was my next question).
Reading up on them it would seem they grow at a rate of 5mm per annum, although i have formed two from loose spors gathered from the surface of my tank when a couple balls were broken up to form a carpet, these were allowed to grow for a couple weeks.
So what are these Algae balls we are buying, ARE they indeed the slow growing Marimo (Cladophora aegagropila) or are they actually a more common moss being passed off as the real deal, Not that im fussed as they do look nice but i do like to know what it is im adding to my tank.
At the price they can now be offered and at the quantities you can readily purchase (100 balls for around the £55 mark) judging how slow the stuff grows seems a little odd.
Reading up on them it would seem they grow at a rate of 5mm per annum, although i have formed two from loose spors gathered from the surface of my tank when a couple balls were broken up to form a carpet, these were allowed to grow for a couple weeks.
So what are these Algae balls we are buying, ARE they indeed the slow growing Marimo (Cladophora aegagropila) or are they actually a more common moss being passed off as the real deal, Not that im fussed as they do look nice but i do like to know what it is im adding to my tank.
At the price they can now be offered and at the quantities you can readily purchase (100 balls for around the £55 mark) judging how slow the stuff grows seems a little odd.
