Is Java Moss really THAT hard to find?

[JamesBenjamin]

Of course they don't have it at petsmart/petco, but when I went into my two LFS they acted like I was asking for something that was really really rare! Makes no sense... one of the places had what he called 'half a portion' that was in peices in a few tanks, so he gave it to me when I bought some other plants, but I didn't expect it to be that hard to find!

...scary!

 

[Jeremy S]

I don’t think its that rare. At least in Colorado its not.

 

[somefinnfishy]

Yes it can be tricky to find it try looking for java ferns

 

[downloader]

Your guys might not want to hear this, but yesterday I trimmed my java moss and threw out about 2 handfulls of the stuff.

 

[Richer]

Its funny how hard it is to find this stuff.... before I discovered this one store that specialized in plants, there was only one place that sold java moss... a local pet "superstore." I didn't like the conditions of which their fish was kept, so I didn't buy any. The ironic thing is, its so easy to grow a mass of this stuff as well.

-Richer

 

[JamesBenjamin]

well, right now i have a 'batch' that is about the size of a small margerine tub... should I bother buying anymore? if it grows quickly, I guess i wont have to!

also: java fern, I have some of this too, its about five really tall leaves with a single big 'root' in a line at the bottom, with a 'root system' that looks like brown java moss... should the 'roots' be under the gravel?

it is possible i bought something that was labeled wrong though...

 

[Richer]

Java fern, like java moss take basically all of their nutrients from the water column. The roots you see from the java fern are basically there to anchor the plant (be it a rock, driftwood, or substrate). They can be buried in the substrate if you want.

Oh, the "big root" you see is the rhizome of the plant. Keep this above the substrate (assuming you are gonna put the plant into the substrate) at all times. If buried, the rhizome will rot and the plant will die.

HTH
-Richer

 

[JamesBenjamin]

I just did a google search actually and read that you can make them attach to some driftwood, I think I'll do that this weekend, when I go out again. (I'm sure not going out now with snow everywhere!)

 

[odessa]

To find plant that I want I usually have to buy off the web as the lfs's here don't carry that good of selection. You can find Java moss and other decent plants at Aqua-bid .com.

 

[Robert H]

The plant, like many goes thru a cycle of availability. The wholesalers and nurseries that supply the stores may have it for a few months, sell out, and then it will be a few months before they have it again. It's all timing! I have quite a bit of it right now, tank grown, submersed grown, very green. I must have about 3 pounds of it.

Robert H