Marimo Moss Ball Floating

I just added two more to my tank the other day and they floated for about a day and then sank! I think mine were floating because they were relatively dry from shipping but once they were saturated they dropped!

Try giving it a gentle squeeze to get the air out of the central pocket.

You can divide them that way, but they grow so slowly it would take a very long time for the pieces to become spherical again.

you should give them periodic gentle squeezes to get all of the crap out of them,

to get "more" balls you can just rip it in half
i saw some in the store for the first time but the tank was empty

I read an article about marimo balls from Lake Akan, Japan — supposedly, the origin of the "true" marimo? — that stated "This algae is free floating, and displays unique behaviors in response to habitat changes. They will float or sink in the water in response to columns of light, and will actually roll around on the bottom of the lake (aquarium)."

Marimo balls will float due to O2 adhering to the surface of the ball. It's actually a good sign that your aquarium is healthy. I've deal with the floating balls by attaching them to fine polyester thread (preferred over nylon) that magicians use in their acts. Achor with a Stainless Steel nut (1/2" is fine) and it must be 316 stainless to minimize leaching in the water. When initially purchased, your balls might not float so make sure they are in floating condition by leaving them in the aquarium (photosynthesizing) before attachment. The effect is quite "other worldly" with green balls suspended in the aquarium. See photos.

ugh, old thread, but the moss balls will fill with air and that will cause them to float.

always remember to take your balls out of the tank, give them a squeeze and roll them between your hands a while on a regular basis.