moss ball?

[PumpkinPie]

So, at my LFS today, I saw a "moss ball" for sale. It looked interesting, sort of like a green fuzzy golf ball. Do they get bigger? Is it really just a golf ball covered in some weird kind of algae? Any reason I couldn't put it in my 28 gallon?

[petluvr]

It probably was just a piece of styrofoam covered in java moss. Was it floating? Yes they are safe to put in your tank although I have never had any luck with them, even though I have a few pounds of java moss growing in one of my tanks.

[cellodaisy]

Could be marimo "moss" balls:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marimo

http://www.aquariumplants.com/product_p/moss1.htm

[triickster]

If you seen them in petco and the are the floating variety on a fish line and weight, they can get very big. I bought one that was golf ball sized and now it is the size of a softball. Myshrimp love it though. I did stick another one in a low light tank and is growing very slowly. They are made with a rock in the center, wrapped in foam, then wrapped again with some kind of cloth, I think it's filter media. The moss grows on the cloth.

[PumpkinPie]

Could be marimo "moss" balls:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marimo

http://www.aquariumplants.com/product_p/moss1.htm

Yup, this is exactly what they looked like. After reading those links, I think I may get one for my 5 and one or two for my 28. Interesting critters! I like that one of the links said it could possibly help to control algae growth, as it outcompetes for the nutrients that helps algae to grow.

[PumpkinPie]

If you seen them in petco and the are the floating variety on a fish line and weight, they can get very big. I bought one that was golf ball sized and now it is the size of a softball. Myshrimp love it though. I did stick another one in a low light tank and is growing very slowly. They are made with a rock in the center, wrapped in foam, then wrapped again with some kind of cloth, I think it's filter media. The moss grows on the cloth.
I have seen these, and it definitely was not the same thing. The moss ball I saw was much more velvety in appearance. I have seen the floating plant on a fish line and it was much more "leafy" looking. Tiny leaves, but definitely looked much more plant like. These moss balls really looked like algae. They were actually quite beautiful!

[marinkafuschia]

I love the marimo moss balls, I got three of 'em in my tank and they've even grown a teeny tiny bit! lol

[starrystarstarr]

i got 5 of them in my tanks and shrimp love nibbling on what ever gets stuck on it

[bushwhacker]

the reason they looked like algae is that they are... its a cladophora algae