My big balls
- Thread starter Robert H
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yes yes!!! where did you get your balls form???
I want couple of them too they sure look great 
thanks
I want couple of them too they sure look great thanks
Ha! I thought that would get your attention! Ok, thats not my picture, I stole it. Thats a pic of them in the wild in the only place in the world they come from, a lake in Japan.
First time I ever saw these was when Tom Barr sent me some last year, at that time they were not available from commercial sources in the USA.
But then a couple of months ago, Florida Aquatic Nurseries got a hold of them and started distributing them to their retailers and distributors across the country. Its unclear how much longer they will be available. Tom, did you or Karen Randall have anything to do with FAN getting this plant? FAN seems to be now importing more rare and unusual plants periodically, something they never used to do.
Mine are golf ball size, and pretty darn neat looking! As part of their photosynthesis, they sometimes float up to the water surface for a few hours, then sink back to the bottom again.
And no, I don't only have one, I have a whole tank full of them and I'm selling them. Even in the picture, all of those are algae balls, not rocks!
They seem to be easy to grow, under low light or high light. I do not know if temps, water hardness or other factors come into play or not, maybe Tom can shed some light.
First time I ever saw these was when Tom Barr sent me some last year, at that time they were not available from commercial sources in the USA.
But then a couple of months ago, Florida Aquatic Nurseries got a hold of them and started distributing them to their retailers and distributors across the country. Its unclear how much longer they will be available. Tom, did you or Karen Randall have anything to do with FAN getting this plant? FAN seems to be now importing more rare and unusual plants periodically, something they never used to do.
Mine are golf ball size, and pretty darn neat looking! As part of their photosynthesis, they sometimes float up to the water surface for a few hours, then sink back to the bottom again.
And no, I don't only have one, I have a whole tank full of them and I'm selling them. Even in the picture, all of those are algae balls, not rocks!
They seem to be easy to grow, under low light or high light. I do not know if temps, water hardness or other factors come into play or not, maybe Tom can shed some light.
Should I be grooming my balls?
Btw, I walked into my LFS a few weeks ago and saw them in their tanks. They were $8 each, but I talked them down to $7 each. I would have paid $10+ each
Yes, one should groom their balls. Some squeeze their balls. This gets rid of any detritus that might have accumulated. Whether or not you squeeze them frequently or not is not much of an issue although trimming can help maintain their overall shape if they are growing relatively fast.
There is a saltwater version of this same genus also, something few folks know about.
I think FAN is having increasing pressure from Asian importers and other growers. So it's sink or swim. When the USA starts getting a fair number of rare or wild crypts in once a year or so, then I'll be happy. They can get stock from most place etc.
Not sure why they have not sold more of Gasser's crypts, they got the collection of his after he passed on.
Regards,
Tom Barr
There is a saltwater version of this same genus also, something few folks know about.
I think FAN is having increasing pressure from Asian importers and other growers. So it's sink or swim. When the USA starts getting a fair number of rare or wild crypts in once a year or so, then I'll be happy. They can get stock from most place etc.
Not sure why they have not sold more of Gasser's crypts, they got the collection of his after he passed on.
Regards,
Tom Barr
I'm going to groom one of my balls tonight. My smaller ball has been looking a little oblong and probably deserves a trimming.
Do you have any more info on these?
Do you have any more info on these?
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Now, will my bristlenose suck on those balls?
ahhh, seriously - since they are algae balls, will any of my algae eaters disturb them
ahhh, seriously - since they are algae balls, will any of my algae eaters disturb them
I've found no normal run of the mill algae eaters we normally keep that will eat them.
SAE's will mow on them, might tickle a bit, but I think they are eating the algae that are on the balls, not the Cladophora itself.
What info do you want to know about them? C. prolifera is a commom Caribbean species. They are around 3 inches in diameter
The FW ones get basketball size and become hollow inside.
A bristlenose might hurt your balls.
Regards.
Tom Barr
SAE's will mow on them, might tickle a bit, but I think they are eating the algae that are on the balls, not the Cladophora itself.
What info do you want to know about them? C. prolifera is a commom Caribbean species. They are around 3 inches in diameter
The FW ones get basketball size and become hollow inside.
A bristlenose might hurt your balls.
Regards.
Tom Barr
yeah all that trimming can really make a mess on your hands.
speaking of which, how the heck can you trim that thing to look like the first photo anyways???
speaking of which, how the heck can you trim that thing to look like the first photo anyways???
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