Stinky Moss - Should I Toss it Out?

[Steeldog]

Hi there, I'm new here and hopefully I'm posting this in the right area.

I've google searched and just can't seem to come up with an answer, so I was hoping this would be a good place to ask for some info.

Firstly: I have a 29 Gallon Freshwater Aquarium with 2 zebra danios, and soon there will also be 2 pictus cats joining them.

I'm relatively new at things, and have never had aquarium moss in the past. I bought some online, and it recently arrived in small ziplocked baggies. The first bag I opened (Christmas Moss) smelled awful, dead animal awful, but I assumed that was just the way it was since it had been couped up for awhile in the baggy - everything LOOKED healthy and green.

So I set to work trying to make a little moss/mesh cave, and after a lot of fuss I succeeded and was pleased and added it to the tank. Then I proceeded to open the next three baggies only to realize none of them stunk at all.

Could the first bag have been slightly rotten? It was all green. If so, should I worry about having it in the aquarium, will the smell eventually dissipate and it grow healthier? Or should I toss out that whole bag's worth? Am I making things worse by keeping it in there?

Any information at all would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

~Nicole

 

[Epuerto]

What did it smell like? it could be ammonia whick comes from decaying matter and waste

 

[Epuerto]

check your parameters also make sure it didnt throw off everything

 

[Crepe]

Moss has a VERY distinct smell. Even if it's fresh out of the tank. You'll get used to it.

 

[Steeldog]

Well, in that first bag was definitely a deathly smell, or almost fecal like, it was rank. What got me was that the other 3 bags were "normal" smelling, just sort of a musty dirt-like smell out of them.

 

[BigJim]

If you're worried about the moss, put it in a clear container next to the tank for a while. On occasion, I get a rotten sulfurous smell from my tank with a lot of java moss. Usually it's when I pull the lid off to trim the plants, so it could be some water stagnation. I've tested the water, but I haven't found anything out of whack and the fish and shrimp seem healthy.

I throw my smelly extra moss in a big clear plastic tub with some water and let it sit. It keeps growing and the smell usually goes away. If your moss keeps growing, hopefully it will start smelling better.