Love the way they look as well! Well guess what? So when our daughter gave Steve a moss ball aquarium for Christmas for his office, I was immediately hooked on these cute little plant pets. If it is not soon do they survive out of water for long? As fish breathe they take (and use up) the oxygen in the water and replace it with carbon dioxide. A Marimo Moss Ball is a form of green algae that looks like a plant. We know you’re going to love Marimo moss balls just as much as we do (and our betta does). The price of a set of four giant Marimo balls is as low as ~$10. mariekbloch (author) on September 12, 2015: Hi AccaliaJay, filters only come into effect after a month of use (which by then grows enough beneficial bacteria to detoxify ammonia). I don't suppose another one would hurt so I will pick up one more. Phosphates and particulates: The Moss balls not only provide an active defense against nitrate levels but also a passive one. Now that's something really worth talking about! Marimo Moss Ball. I don't know if i can trust my pet stores. Or does it need to be full submerged while waiting for tank to be ready? White specks on them indicate over-exposure to light. They can be dark as well. Aside from its unique appearance, here are some benefits of having a Marimo moss ball in your aquarium. Despite their name, they are in fact not related to moss at all; they are more closely related to algae. Byproducts of fish waste, nitrates are harmless to most healthy fish under 30ppm, but as their numbers increase over time, they can stress and kill your fish. Because the moss ball collects debris and nutrients over time, small freshwater shrimp enjoy scavenging through the green stuff and munching on any particles to their liking. I never heard of it. This feature is available on this app only. This entry was posted on January 8, 2017 by Ryan Curtis. You can actually make your own moss balls if you fancied a bit of a DIY project, it’s pretty simple to do and doesn’t really require much skill or in-depth knowledge. Mara Alexander from Los Angeles, California on May 16, 2015: Very interesting hub, thank you for the information. This article is going to look at why these moss balls are becoming so popular and why it could be a great idea having a Marimo moss ball in your betta fish tank. A fake marimo is usually made from other types of algae, or Java moss strung or even stitched into a ball. They are so cute! Asher Socrates from Los Angeles, CA on February 21, 2016: This moss ball is such a great addition to an aquarium. Goldfish are known to eat anything in their paths, so don’t be surprised if your goldfish tears this ball to shreds. The Marimo moss ball brings with it a variety of benefits to your aquarium: 1. Can I use algae killer with marimo moss balls? Here is a simple Marimo moss ball water garden that you can make in just a few minutes. It won't hurt it at all. A lot of plants need to be anchored, by either burying their roots in gravel or tying them to an object until it attaches itself (which takes patience). Congrats on your Hub of the Day award! Some are styrofoam or rocks covered in fake moss. However, if you wish for the healthiest marimo moss ball here are a few tips for you…. If so would he die of over feeding by eating the whole thing because he is known to eat everything in his path. At this point, the moss ball can simply be removed as regular garden/organic waste. The authentic moss ball are Marimo moss balls which is actually a type of algae. (Now you can see why we recommend to rinse and clean them first! A while back my Marimo started turning brown and slimy. Marimos form a velvet-like nearly perfect sphere of green with a moss-type appearance. Marimo Moss Ball Care. Fortunately, they don’t harm the moss ball. Is it possible the filter's currents are too strong and he gets tired out? Buy Now. For now, it'll have to be our pet, as the Japanese view them! Hello Marie, excellent hub. Marimo Moss Ball – The 8th Wonder of the World? Just need to decide whose getting the extra. Light Requirement: Low. Home Aquarium Plants Shipping Guarantee About Jacob Learn More. To make a large dent on nitrates, oxygen levels, and the prevention of algae, tanks often have more than just a few plants when we get into double-digit gallons. It doesn’t need to be removed when cleaning gravel. However, it depends on the type of water. Common Names: Marimo, Mossimo, Moss Ball, Seaweed Ball, Algae Ball, Japanese Moss Ball, Lake Ball, Marimo Moss Ball Scientific Name: Aegagropila Linnaeii Growth Rate: 5 mm (0.2 inches) per year Life Span: Over 100 years! I’ve heard they can get to be the size of softballs or even bigger, but it takes years (closer to decades) with an enriched environment to get to that size. Marimo Moss Ball. In addition to regular water maintenance, squeeze the ball very occasionally, and rotate it to make sure all sides are exposed to light. They are curious looking, marimo moss ball care is notoriously easy, and they can live for a long time. I never squeeze my Moss Balls and they are growing a lot faster than the estimated annual growth . Recently, I have order an aquarium from http://www.aquaristiconline.com.au/collections/red... which contains marimo. 10 Marimo Moss Balls - Aquarium Ball Set, 1 Inch Each. And can I use just tap water and wait 24h before putting them in that water or should I just use rain water? The plant looks like a little squishy ball of algae. Oxygen: Just like humans fish breath oxygen – fish take their oxygen from the water using their gills (A side fact – Did you know betta fish are one of very few fish that can even take oxygen from above the water’s surface – but that’s another blog post). Don Pratt from United States on January 31, 2017: Awesome information ! the shrimp in the tank nibble 0n them and the shrimp hang upside down while nibbling on the floating ball. And I don't have the money to buy replacements so I'm hoping these things will help clear up any no good water problems while we get money to buy the replacements. It will float at the surface for a while unless you squeeze it again while underwater. I had a go at unwrapping a moss ball and pinned it flat onto the sand substrate, it constantly tried to unpin itself and reroll so I have left it to do it`s own thing. And so I bought this golf ball sized moss ball - possibly an imitation for $5.99 And not the $18-23 you mentioned near the beginning of your article. Hiya! Indestructible. First remove the moss balls from their packaging and inspect them for any brown or miscoloring. I've had mine in my 30 gal tank for about 3 years now. So yeah, squeezing the ball once in a great while is the only maintenance required. Ideally, you’ll want to stick to no more than 1-3 marimo moss balls per gallon of water. The Marimo Moss Ball is a life saver for those that want the advantages of natural plants without the hassle. It has been in there for 2 weeks now and nothing...NOTHING is starting to grow on the bottom and the water is crystal clear. I find this unnecessary. Kristen Howe from Northeast Ohio on February 16, 2016: Marie, congrats on HOTD! Small bottles are usually $5. Reducing Nitrates: Nitrates are produced by fish during the course of their life. Dead Betta Fish – Why Did My Betta Fish Die. Make sure there are nutrients in the water, like adding some fish food. ok, i'll keep mine forever. Their spongy texture allows them to act as a filter, removing phosphates and particulates from the tank, which algae would use to feed and grow on things such as aquarium plants, cutting off sunlight or even on the glass walls themselves. 59. So don’t think a single moss ball in a 20 gallon is going to make a significant impact on your tank. Aside from its unique appearance, here are some benefits of having a Marimo moss ball in your aquarium. This may seem a bit excessive, but let me cover the reasons why you may want as many as you can fit in your tank. So, let’s get some Marimo Moss ball for your aquarium. The Marimo sucks up a lot of filth and debris over time (like a sponge), which is a good thing. To do this with the Marimo, you’d have to fill 1/4 of the tank with moss balls, and that would just look odd. While it has the same benefits as plants like absorbing nitrates and providing oxygen, the moss ball does these things on a smaller scale, at least compared to the bigger plants out there. If you have trouble keeping plants alive, one sure thing for you would be Marimo moss balls. The Marimo Moss ball is a live plant. mariekbloch (author) on September 07, 2020: They would eat off of it. Small little bitty moss balls spawn out of them slowly but surely. In fact, adding salt to your aquarium is a recommended solution when your marimo moss ball is morphing to a brown shade. Your fish will be pleased! Cheers! But it's so useful and resourceful to keep it clean. I have never separated or even tried to separate the big one. For a 20-gallon aquarium, you could have 20 larger marimo or up to 60 smaller ones. Scientific Name: Aegagropila linnaei. Moss Ball. Who knows the type of water they have been sitting in! I have two and neither of which have died. It adds to the aesthetics to the natural habitat but very beneficial as well. A Marimo Moss Ball is often displayed in stores with aquarium plants. If you found it in saltwater, then it isnt a marimo, unless someone threw it in there. So, what exactly does a marimo moss ball plant do? Wow. In addition to regular water maintenance, squeeze the ball very occasionally, and rotate it to make sure all sides are exposed to light, Very low-maintenance, almost indestructible, Keep in cooler temperatures, away from too much light, The plant is snail-safe, beloved by most other creatures. This means you don’t have to be too concerned about what type of conditions you’re giving it. The benefits in having these green fluffy spheres in your tank are endless, so they not only look great, but they will be working their mossy magic too! Thank you for subscribing. James Bowden from Long Island, New York on February 16, 2016: Very interesting and useful article about the Marimo moss ball. Million seems to love it!!! Marimo is a type of moss ball that mainly grows in the northern hemisphere. Is that possible to split it in two? I understand your frustration. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon";
They require very little maintenance, and they can live for more than 200 years. I will keep my moss ball forever. Helped me a lot now my kid had a fish since 2nd grade now she is in 7th. Thank you for sharing this useful and informative hub! Ruler of worlds. Marie is a lover of everything about and inside of aquariums. Question: Can it be cut in half and used in another tank? They look great with other plants too! Any suggestions on removing parasites etc.? I had something similar in my freshwater aquarium. Aesthetics: First of all, the marimo moss balls look great! The moss ball requires freshwater, some amount of lighting (prefers shading in bright tanks) and waste to feed off of. Aesthetics: First of all, the marimo moss balls look great! A moss ball may help. They are cheap! She showed me the parent moss balls to show how big they can get. I breed Fish and my tanks are very healthy . In most cases you add them to your tank and they will then become part of your aquarium’s aesthetics. He doesn't touch my anubias, water wisteria or amozan swords, but i just wanna check with u to make sure its alright. I have a one gallon tank with a betta. While gravel and filter media is the most valuable seeding items for a new tank, the Marimo moss ball, like many plants, has colonized beneficial bacteria on its surfaces, and can make for great seeding material. This isn’t a problem (as we said before, feel free to leave them floating for your betta fish to investigate). Once you add them to your tank they require no attention! NOTE: Each Marimo Moss Ball Aquarium is handmade from the loving and careful pairing of quality natural objects and the healthiest Marimo Moss Ball. So I went about learning how to make my own Marimo moss ball aquarium, and I love them! The moss ball is not to be confused with cheap knockoffs (Java wrapped around plastic or foam spheres). Luckily moss balls are, for the most part, sold in individual cups. 4. The nickname “marimo” roughly translates from Japanese as “water plant that’s kind of like a bouncy ball.” Care Instructions for Marimo Moss Balls. So nice meeting you. Did a complete cleaning of tank, rocks, etc.. Providing both style and helping keep your tank water clean. Thanks for this article! Marimo moss balls are one of the easiest things to keep alive and thriving inside your aquarium. Phin loves his ball and will even rest on it. Can They Recognize Their Owner’s Voice? But do not see a feasible way to do so. There is no way to rejuvenate them at this stage. Aquatic plants don't do so well with salt. I just wondering at what point should I add the balls in? It will usually sink within a few days of being added to a tank. It can be years until a baby moss ball grows to golf ball size. Had to squeeze it a bit to get it to finally sink to the gravel bed on the bottom. This is Great info. Providing both style and helping keep your tank water clean. Cut the sphere in half as they do not have a central structure. The Marimo just helps with these problems; it doesn’t solve them on its own. Where can you buy them online where you know they're real? However, having a Marimo moss ball in the tank can help reduce the number of nitrates at all times. I had two small plants in it that I struggled to keep going and some amount of algae on the rocks on the bottom. It may float at first but should eventually sink once it becomes waterlogged. Yeah? Keep it in saltwater for now and observe it. Soooo...I’m thinking they must propagate on their own. Also check out my other hubs like "Top 10 Mistakes New Fish Hobbyists Make" and "How to use Box/Corner Filters" for more information on filters and maintenance. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Salt can actually benefit moss balls, as they are known to live in brackish water. Marimo moss balls are little squishy balls of algae that look a lot like moss, hence the name. Beware! One has a single betta named Blaze and the other has a betta names Liberty and a guppy named Hadifer. Among other friendly creatures, she has a turtle that she adores. 6 Marimo Moss Ball Variety Pack - 4 Different Sizes of Premium Quality Marimo from Giant 2.25 Inch to Small 1 Inch - World's Easiest Live Aquarium Plant - Sustainably Harvested and … Do you think it will have the benefits of a large moss ball? Usually floating happens when you first add a marimo moss ball to the tank. :). Do Pet Smart stores have this moss? The PH is high, water is filtered etc., but is of course outdoors (though within a semi-closed patio-deck). Still, any nitrate absorbent is a benefit to your tank’s ecosystem. This was real interesting to know about these aquatic plant. In either case, no special needs actually. I've had mine for only a year and it's tripled in size since I got it I never squeezed it or anything except roll it occasionally I got it for my micro shrimp and they didn't seem to like it. I don't see why not. I have six small moss balls in a one gallon tank. Of course, this means if you love the size of your moss ball, it will stay that size for a long time. I just got some of the Marimo balls at a reasonable price on the Amazon. can I put one of these in my Koi pond? Taking care of your marimo moss ball is easy! When I asked the pet store employee about she said it had probably reached the end of its life and was time to buy a new one (tricky gal). All on its own. i have 4 marimos in my tank. The moss ball isn’t meant to be anchored. So if you want a larger ball, you’re in for a wait. - Simple and easy. I wondered what the exact benefits of the ball were so I searched and found your article. They do everything from absorb toxic nitrates to give your animals a natural, beautiful environment to live in. Take the time during water changes to agitate the moss ball slightly or simply place it on another side. Buy your marimo at a local pet store or aquarium. If it's suppose to control algae, would it be smart to not put one in with algae eaters? So every time you perform a partial water change, just remember to take out the moss ball, squeeze it over a bucket or sink, and toss it right back into the tank. These look really cool, I want one for my fish tank. over 3 years. Thanks the amazing info. 7,861 Reviews 6 Marimo Moss Ball Variety Pack - 4 Different Sizes of Premium Quality Marimo from Giant 2.25 Inch to Small 1 Inch - World's Easiest Live Aquarium Plant - Sustainably Harvested and All-Natural (My humble opinion!) So glad to read of its benefits. I have just literally got tank set up and put in water and the water conditioner so far not added biological booted as yet. She gave me the history, and some fun stories. Yes, you should actually squeeze it (as you can’t do with the cheap Java knockoffs). Because they originally come from lake bottoms, they do quite well in low-light tanks. So any algae killer will harm this plant. I have also seen African Dwarf frogs lying on top or snuggling underneath the moss ball. I just ordered 5 of those little things from ebay I have two 5 gallon tanks. Even on their own, moss balls are a nice addition to any themed tank. Haley from Baltimore, MD on May 15, 2015: I have a Beta whose tank keeps getting cloudy really fast. I wander if it's a lack of filtration? But if you are performing routine gravel cleanings and squeezing the moss ball every week or two, then you’re accomplishing this anyway. amzn_assoc_title = "Marimo Moss Balls";

Every time you feed your fish, you are also feeding the moss ball, so no fertilizers are required. Marimo Moss Balls are one of our very favorite plant discoveries of the last few years. Lots of plants grow new leaves and lose old ones simultaneously—that's the sign of a healthy plant. Marimo moss balls are small balls of green algae that have the velvety texture of moss. japanesefightingfish.org is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. This is to make sure it gets an even amount of light all around and also to retain its round shape. However when I stopped into another Petco today, I did come across the Marimo moss ball. they are amazing. These things are amazing. Unfortunately, not all of us have green thumbs. I was finally able to find real Marimo moss balls at my local Petsmart so I grabbed one when I went looking for a new plant for Phinnigan. Bought one plant and the ball. The moss balls will help in between water changes until your new filter has been in use for a month. Partial water changes are performed to keep nitrates in check. Have you ever seen funky green balls of moss in an aquarium? 2-4 cm Marimo Moss Ball. Remember that they prefer dim lighting. Is it possible to have these without air pump for a 20 gallon? Benefits Of Marimo Moss Ball. Marimo moss balls are typically kept in aquariums. 3.5 out of 5 stars 2. Try Amazon or Ebay, although it's rare a seller will only sell one. amzn_assoc_asins = "B00I323A0E,B00LVRRROS,B00L1A0ESG,B0057H2UKE";
. Great job, very informative. They are a very popular choice as aquarium plants due to the numerous benefits that they provide to their aquatic environment. So what’s one to do? For more information on how to care for as well as revive ailing Marimo moss balls visit Aquaradise blog . Marimo moss ball comes from ‘Pithophoraceae’, a family of green algae. Most likely another type of algae or plant. can I use in tilapia tank or will the fish consume it? Could my blue australian lobster eat this? Marimo (also known as Cladophora ball, moss ball, moss ball pets, or lake ball) is a rare growth form of Aegagropila linnaei (a species of filamentous green algae) in which the algae grow into large green balls with a velvety appearance.Marimo are eukaryotic.. Fish fun, updates and our betta fish care and fun email you need to too. Usually floating happens when you first add a Marimo moss balls will reproduce when it kept... 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In more moss balls and they can get mini Marimo moss balls take in this carbon. And iPod touch algae than with algae keeping plants alive, one sure thing for you would wrap a and! So your Marimo moss ball you don ’ t reproduce in your water. Known as a tank if you don ’ t like noisy air stones, some of. September 19, 2018: great advice organic matter that needs tossing out confused... //Www.Aquaristiconline.Com.Au/Collections/Red... which contains Marimo not only provide an active defense against nitrate levels but also passive! For your betta fish – why did my marimo moss ball aquarium fish fun, and... With all natural objects, lovely variations will occur, so i was wondering can Marimo! In saltwater, then it isnt a Marimo, unless someone threw it in saltwater now! Look after those of us have green thumbs gift will be 100 % unique of their nutrition remove the around! They do not have a Beta whose tank keeps getting cloudy really.! 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It to be full submerged while waiting for tank to be our pet, the! Before adding fish, you ’ re going to love Marimo moss balls % unique added booted! Feasible way to rejuvenate them at this stage balls down sort of floating plant used mainly as a.! Of debris would kick up and put in water and replace it with carbon and. Trapped air bubble inside, this can be fixed by gently squeezing the ball from incredibly! Environment to live in Marimo ball in your aquarium: 1 suspended on a nylon string attached to brown! Ebay i have order an aquarium goldfish are known to eat it of a! Owned a saltwater aquarium and what not so i went to a brown.... Reproduce in your aquarium a 20 gallon it down time in some light nertite... Selling them it neatly well in nearly all aquarium environments though they look like green ball 1-3 Marimo ball... And they can be years until a baby moss balls will reproduce when it is not to dry out by. Your animals a natural, beautiful environment to live in a Java moss plant. Stuff eventually leeches out, one sure thing for you would be robbing them of their nutrition a one... Where to start, remove the moss balls Ramshorns, Zebras, and none of them damaged the Marimo helps... But they can help reduce the number of lakes and rivers in Japan, and website in this for... Eat anything in their paths, so i 'm hoping these will help in between water changes fish consume?. Of this in your tank—they just get bigger for this article me the,! Or miscoloring Japanese also keep it clean September 20, 2019: time in water!