Moss Balls

[Mystil]

Hello Boys and Girls
Just wondered how people keep there moss balls from falling apart?

I have been keeping two for months going and they seemed okay and now they seem to be splitting up into little peices.

How do you look after them?

 

[smegforbrains]

I have a couple of Java moss balls which are doing fine.


Are yours Java?

Are you sure it is not the fish pulling them apart?

 

[Mystil]

Nope I am pretty sure that my fish just ignore them. My shrimp love them though.


Not java moss as I have some of that stuff in my tank as well and completely different "leaf" i think.

Is that what is in you sig picture with your betta?

 

[Nick16]

i have the moss balls like in smegs sig, and they are fine!

 

[smegforbrains]

Is that what is in you sig picture with your betta?

Yeah, that's the Java Moss. Brinn loves chasing the Corys around it and he occasionally takes a nip at the algae growing on it.

 

[RadaR]

Is that what is in you sig picture with your betta?

Yeah, that's the Java Moss. Brinn loves chasing the Corys around it and he occasionally takes a nip at the algae growing on it.

Err, no it's not.
That's an ordinary "Moss ball" which is actually a type of algae called Cladophora.

 

[Rlon35]

Is that what is in you sig picture with your betta?

Yeah, that's the Java Moss. Brinn loves chasing the Corys around it and he occasionally takes a nip at the algae growing on it.

Err, no it's not.
That's an ordinary "Moss ball" which is actually a type of algae called Cladophora.

^^^^^^^

Right, I have several of these, and one unraveled. So, now it looks like a curly carpet. I took it and wedged it into a groove on one of my driftwood pieces, where it contrasts with attached java moss, riccia, and nana pettite. Unravel it, make it like a carpet, and wedge it into a groove. It will look good. By the way, they are called Marimo balls, and they have been referred to as a National Treasure of the Japanese.

 

[aaronnorth]

Is that what is in you sig picture with your betta?

Yeah, that's the Java Moss. Brinn loves chasing the Corys around it and he occasionally takes a nip at the algae growing on it.

Err, no it's not.
That's an ordinary "Moss ball" which is actually a type of algae called Cladophora.

agreed.

They split but eventually form balls of their own so you will have 2 instead of 1

 

[Nick16]

Is that what is in you sig picture with your betta?

Yeah, that's the Java Moss. Brinn loves chasing the Corys around it and he occasionally takes a nip at the algae growing on it.

Err, no it's not.
That's an ordinary "Moss ball" which is actually a type of algae called Cladophora.

agreed.

They split but eventually form balls of their own so you will have 2 instead of 1

how big will they be before they do this, i take it is pretty large!

 

[aaronnorth]

they do it whenever, and it takes a long time to form a new ball. I had some ages ago, in 1 yr, they grew about 1" larger lol!

 

[Mystil]

Thanks guys...It seems that they are falling apart almost..I will keep an eye on them and see what happens.

I have heard other people here say that theres was falling apart and dying and I was wondering if this what was happening to mine. I suppose I will have to wait and see.
Also maidenhead aquatics say that you should run them under the tap once every two weeks. What do you do/think?

Thanks again
Liza

 

[aaronnorth]

the MA advice is probably to stop detrius collecting, it is up to oyu if you want to do, alternatively rinse it in the tank water when you do a water change.

 

[smegforbrains]

Is that what is in you sig picture with your betta?

Yeah, that's the Java Moss. Brinn loves chasing the Corys around it and he occasionally takes a nip at the algae growing on it.

Err, no it's not.
That's an ordinary "Moss ball" which is actually a type of algae called Cladophora.

Oops! My bad.


Just checked it out, it's Marimo Moss. The Java is in my other tank.

 

[Mystil]

Oops! My bad.

Just checked it out, it's Marimo Moss. The Java is in my other tank.

Glad I am not the only one who is having a long day!

 

[Nick16]

i dont rinse mine, i just swill them around when doing a W/C. its much easier, and you dont need to remove them from the tank!