Is there a natural and easy method to grow moss in your fish tank?

Question

I really like the freshwater tanks that have all the plants and neat looking moss. Is there any type of moss that you can grow w/o going out and buying it?

Answer 1

Java Moss is the option you should look at. It is unlikely that you will be able to get your hands on an aquatic moss without buying it. You could post on craigslist, I suppose. People trim and throw the stuff out all the time - it grows very fast. If you live in a major US, Canadian or European metropolitan area, it is almost a certainty that there's someone or the other in your city throwing handfuls of the stuff out.

Java Moss is very tolerant of lighting and water conditions. It will start slowly and then surprise you by proliferating rapidly. A great medium to protect baby fishes from being eaten. It will surround and clog your filter intake over time, so keep its tangles away from that.

Some other moss options (there are dozens) - Willow Moss (Fontinalis antipyretica), Erect Moss (Vesicularia reticulata), Nano Moss aka Creeping Feather Moss (Amblystegium serpens). There are also the Moss balls (Chladophora or Cladophora), which are basically algae balls. Not the same thing, but you may have had them in mind ...

Answer 2

If you don't buy your moss, the only way is to find out if there are local fish clubs with members or other nearby fellow hobbyists willing to give you some. Getting any kind of aquatic plants in the wild is not advisable due to risk of parasites & other undesirable hitchhikers. Don't expect any quick success in growing moss. They don't need strong lighting or CO2 to survive but do better with it, also generally prefer cooler water. Java moss seems to be one of the hardiest & great for driftwood & rocks. Another favourite method is growing a moss wall using mesh attached to the back tank wall, looks very impressive when fully grown.

Check some websites for more info from experienced hobbyists. One sample is at http://www.aquamoss.net/Introduction.htm

Answer 3

Unfortunately, unless you live in an area where the aquatic moss is native, you'll either have to buy some or find a friend who will give you some when they prune theirs back. I do have some aquatics near where I live, but they live in cold water streams, and don't survive in a tropical tank.

Terrestrial mosses aren't suited to living underwater and will die and rot in time.

Rather than buying online, (I've seen some pretty steep prices on Ebay and Aquabid), see if there's a fish club near you. These often hold public auctions a few times during the year and members sell their surplus livestock and plants. The prices are better than online, and the selection is usually better than you find in stores. You might need to become a member, but it's worth it for all the help and info you can get, and you may even find someone willing to give you some of their moss.

Here's a pair of websites with fish club listings: http://fins.actwin.com/dir/clubs.php?c=1
http://www.aquaworldaquarium.com/Local_Fish_Clubs.htm

Answer 4

It seems as if you have thought this out very well. I don't think you have over stocked your aquarium because the shrimp stay at the bottom. I would suggest Cardinal tetras instead of neon tetras. You can do the same amount and they look almost exactly the same but the cardinal tetras are more hardy(harder to kill). To keep all your fish happy, keep the Temperature at 74 degrees. And you can use whatever color gravel you want. But fish like natural color gravel better then like blue or rainbow. For the gouramis, but about 2 tbs of aquarium salt in after every water change. If you have a female and a male gourami then they might lay eggs in the plants but that doesn't happen very often so you shouldn't be to worried. Hope this helps and You don't have to apologize for having your question be long, it's better when you give us to much info then not enough. :)