Step By Step Guide - Riccia And Java Moss

[martin_jones]

Just a quick note that some fish will eat the riccia.

I followed the instructions, put my slate with riccia into the aquarium. Within a week, it was looking thread-bare as my blue rams had feasted on it.

Martin

 

[Fillet 'O' Fish]

Just a quick note that some fish will eat the riccia.

I followed the instructions, put my slate with riccia into the aquarium. Within a week, it was looking thread-bare as my blue rams had feasted on it.

Martin

Thats interesting Martin.
Jim, have you experienced many species of fish that feast on it? Would it not last long in a community Aquarium?
I suppose you have small fish like neons in your planted tanks?

 

[jimbooo]

no experience of this at all. i have a rather full list of fish in my 40G with tonnes of riccia.

fish include (past and present) 1 angel, 4 boesmani rainbows, 10 danio's, glowlight/cardinal/neon tetras, 6 cories, flying fox, molly, guppies, 6 otto's, 15 amano shrimps, 2 blue rams, and an 8 inch common plec who has been in there for 3 years. none have ever eaten the riccia... (i'll stress again this is not all at once but over a 3 year period)

this isn't meant as a dig i promise but have you any hair algae issues. the only time the odd fish has picked at the riccia is when it was infested with hair algae. it was the angel that ate it. for some reason he loves hair algae which isn't the worst thing in the world and ate the riccia in the process.

 

[iSnail]

I had Dwarf Riccia in my small tank and my Amano shrimps and Balloon Molly decided to take it all apart Now I have loads of bits floating & flying (in the current)

 

[jimbooo]

that shouldn't happen, are you tying the hairnet on tight enough. there shouldn't be any give in it at all. i cant get my finger under the net in mine it's flush with the slate. amano shrimp could definatly not pull any out and a molly could get a few bits but nothing major. not sure whats going wrong for you guys. i must have made and redone 40/50 slate pieces over the last 3 years and every single one has gone to plan. they all shed some bits but still leave the slate totally covered.

 

[iSnail]

Hi Jimbooo

When you buy Dwarf Riccia, should it come quite loose? And when you tie it to the slate or to whatever material, do you squash the riccia underneath the net to make it tight??

 

[jimbooo]

yep all loose in a little tub of water. cover slate with riccia and pull net over the top. tie as tightly as possible and i then wrap cotton thread around it 3 or 4 times and tie off underneath just to prevent any sagging when submerged.

comes like this

this slate tile had just been made that day.

 

[iSnail]

Hmmm.... I wasn't tying it tight enough. I was worried that I would kill the riccia by pulling too tight so just tied it loosely and leaving bits sticking out too thinking that would allow growth

Thanks for that Jimbooo..... I'll try to collect the bits and start again hehehe...

 

[Fillet 'O' Fish]

Jimbooo
How does this stuff grow in the wild? If it cant attatch itself to stuff does it just float around in pieces?
Sorry if it seems a wierd question, but I find it quite interesting how it survives outside the 'kept' tank.

 

[BigIan]

its a floater.....

like duck weed ect....

 

[martin_jones]

this isn't meant as a dig i promise but have you any hair algae issues.

I do have some hair algae at the moment (I have another thread in this forum).

I will try re-doing it (with the sad remains of what I have left) and will tie it down too (neglected to do that).

Martin

 

[Marshall..]

Just seen your pictures in photo bucket don't really need an aquarium now could just look at those all day but I am going to give it go. I am getting a jewel trigon 350 tomorrow(can't wait) just wondering if the lighting will be adequate for growing riccia at the bottom.If I need more lighting I dont want to have to damage the lid by drilling holes etc. Any suggestions? The aquarium comes with 2x30 watt flourescents

 

[jimbooo]

Hi Marshall
Thanks for the compliments. in short it wont have enough light as standard but you could add more tubes quite easily (without damaging the tank). if i were you i'd put a thread in the main planted forum and maybe a link to it in the DIY forum. someone will have done it and should be able to advise. i'd guess some power compacts would suit a trigon but have never fiddled with one myself so not too sure.

there was a guy on here with a trigon - heavily planted. nice looking tank but he swapped it to Marine and has since disappeared. if anyone remembers who i'm talking about maybe they could do a search. i think he had a journal with lighting upgrade.

edit: too late, found him

TIGGS Profile

Tank pictures

i cant find a lighting upgrade though so look through his posts. (from the first link click profile options, all members topics and have a dig around.)

good luck with it.

 

[Marshall..]

Thanks I now realise a couple of t5s should be sufficient. With co2 and plenty of laterite it should be fine without adding more lighting,If it needs it later I will add it then thanks for your advice.

 

[Daz CPFC]

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