Moss Balls

[bugsy66]

Is anyone familar with what is called "moss balls"? They look like those puff balls you buy at the arts store. Anyways, I noticed some of these in our new fish store and was just wanting to know if anyone knows anything about them? They look so neat.

 

[laurasmithuk]

can help to remove algae and also high nitrAtes. i had some mainly for decoration. great little things. my platties liked to eat them.

 

[WILDER]

Might try them my self then, another thing added to the list,lol.

 

[SirMinion]

can help to remove algae and also high nitrAtes.

To clarify:
Can help prevent algae by removing nitrAtes and other algae nutrients, because they are themselves a form of algae.

My Nephew calls them 'Tribbles'

 

[bunjiweb]

People tend to use them in their tanks to stop other types of algaes forming. The moss balls consume the nutrients that other forms of algae would use thus eliminating the "competition".....

Ben

 

[Fella]

I know in theory they sound great, but in reality can anyone name a personal experience when it has worked? I'm tempted to get some see...

Also, would they work if you opened them up? I can't imagine a sphere looking totally natural in my tank.

 

[bugsy66]

Thanks for the replies. I also did some digging on the interent about them. They are not easy to obtain in some places but in order to keep them round you must move them often so they don't loose their shape. So I guess for the one post whom does not want perfectly round in your tank just don't move them and they will take on a different shape.

One thing I did not find out is if a pleco will eat them??

 

[Inchworm]

Hi bugsy66

I have 3 of them in my tanks and while can't say they are preventing any algae from forming, they are nice to look at. I wonder how many of them you need to do the job?

The only problem I seem to have is that they pick up sand from the bottom of the tank and I have to dust them off occasionally. My tanks have ordinary lighting and fussy plants won't grow, so I'm happy to have anything that's green.

 

[nino]

we had one in with a pleco, it fell apart from not being maintained (by rolling) but i do not think that he nibbled on it, though the snails definatly did.
i have one that is still round and i love it. i had it in with my cories and it was the sweetest thing to see them "grazing" it. i imagine it must be soft on their bellies!

 

[OohFeeshy]

I think these woul make a relatively good substitute for riccia in tanks with rubbish lighting like mine

 

[emma12321]

I have 3 in my biggest tank and the bristlenose plecs don't touch them. The chain loaches poke at them a lot and have managed to open one up and they hide inside it. I got mine from pets at home ( i don't buy fish from here though).

Emma

 

[Jules H-T]

My housemate has a few in his tank and the snails and shrimps love them, but the plec ignores them completely. I did put one in my tank, but the water movement was too much for it and I ended up with hundreds of bits of moss ball floating round the tank. Never again!

 

[@ombomb]

I have a couple and I really don't think they make any dent in algae growth. Plecs ignore them but Rams and Loches will sometimes give them a bit of a poke.