Moss Balls?

[Labenator65000]

Every time I shop at PetSmart they really push moss balls as the best thing since sliced bread. Thoughts on this?

 

[BlaseMrNiceguy]

I love the Morimo moss balls they will help filter water and actually are in the algae but it is said to eat algae they grow and once big enough can be split apart to make multiples and in the right conditions will actually move towards the light. But these things aren't for every tank some fish will eat it and tear it apart but that's mainly the more agressive species. I have kept them in my community tank and in a semi aggressive tank with no issues. The background history is pretty neat on these things there is only one lake in Asia that they initially came from. Beware of cheap imitations make sure it is a Morimo moss ball.

 

[LyndaB]

I love mine. I love the way they look. More importantly, my fish/inverts love them. The rcs are always all over them. I also see my gourami pecking at them. I think of them as a food source for the tanks and also as a help in removing nitrates.

You have to remember to turn them over every now and then so they get even light, or the downward facing part will die off.

 

[Greater-Ajax]

They are amazing. From my knowledge, you can put it in, and not really have to care for it. It sometimes moves around, but I do not suggest putting it in with fish that eat plants, or crayfish, due to them destroying.

 

[Labenator65000]

Do they really need to be rinsed out, as they instruct at PetSmart? My Cichlid tank has Labs, Peacocks, Haps, and a Syno.Eupterus. Would there be any reason for me not to try a Moss Ball or two in this tank?

 

[BlaseMrNiceguy]

I would rinse it when you get it home and just squeeze the excess out best way to do it if you have the time and energy is to rinse it in old tank water when doing a water change.

 

[BlaseMrNiceguy]

Cichlids will probably tear it apart.

 

[RaygunK]

I love my marimo moss balls! I bought one at petsmart for $7.99. I really loved it, so i wanted to get my other tank one (and add another to my first tank). I found them on eBay for $1.50 a piece (i think shipping was like $2 or $3). I bought 3 and my total after shipping was still less than the petsmart one. The eBay ones are much smaller, but that didn't matter to me.

 

[Cornstar]

Sorry for hikacjing this thread, but would kribensis tear them up?

 

[Gillie]

I love the Morimo moss balls they will help filter water and actually are in the algae but it is said to eat algae they grow and once big enough can be split apart to make multiples and in the right conditions will actually move towards the light. But these things aren't for every tank some fish will eat it and tear it apart but that's mainly the more agressive species. I have kept them in my community tank and in a semi aggressive tank with no issues. The background history is pretty neat on these things there is only one lake in Asia that they initially came from. Beware of cheap imitations make sure it is a Morimo moss ball.

Marimo( ball seaweed in English) are an algae by the name of Chladophora aegagropila which is found in lakes all over the world ( I found some in the Great Lakes) and formed by wave action in shallow water. The Marimo found in Japan are protected so it is not collected there. it is very easy to tell man made balls from wild collected balls, man made balls won't have the almost perfectly round shape of the natural ones unless they put time into rotating the balls or have a wave maker setup under high light which would make those some Quality man made Marimo.

Oh and it can spread to things like driftwood and rocks

 

[LyndaB]

OMG, what a fantastic piece of wood..... me want, me want.....

 

[Malawi Freak]

Cichlids will eat moss balls and you will be left with a burnt out filter and a mess to clean up.

 

[Gillie]

OMG, what a fantastic piece of wood..... me want, me want.....

Hehe, thanks. Every piece of wood in that tank was covered and it all started with 1 ball the size of a pea.

 

[Gish]

I assume these don't last long with an algae eater in the tank?

 

[Gillie]

I assume these don't last long with an algae eater in the tank?

For some reason they don't touch it and if they do it's never been enough for me to notice. I think shrimp might, possibly why they are so popular with shrimp keepers, but the probably can't now it down faster than it grows.

 

[BlaseMrNiceguy]

My shrimp just pick the bits of food that get stuck to it off.

 

[Labenator65000]

Cichlids will eat moss balls and you will be left with a burnt out filter and a mess to clean up.

Well that settles it. Thanks.

 

[Dirt Diggler]

Has anyone had any luck splitting these? I just bought 2 of them home to help with the water conditions, but I'd like to have more. I'd rather avoid buying a bunch more when I can just split them, but I'm not trying to ruin them either.