Marimo Moss Ball Care

[Kytkattin]

I know that there was a topic on this subject recently, but now I have more questions.

1st, and most important: Will my new super expensive Marimo survive in a heated/planted tank? After doing more research i learned that they prefer cool temps and indirect light. My planted tank is heated to 80, and has quite a bit of light. I originally got it to help control algae, but now I am thinking that my conditions won't let it live...

2nd, if it won't survive in that, will it do okay in a 2 gallon heated bowl (pretty much no light) with a female betta? It would be at least a month before that would be possible (I have to move first and figure out how many tanks I can have), so I could put it in a unheated jar until then.

Or should I just wait and see what it does? Watching it for signs of not doing well and removing it if it seems to be sick?

[caroro]

I'm also interested in the answers for these questions. I just got one the other day :O

[LittleBettas]

I have my moss balls in a 2 gallon bowl along with a female betta and two ghost shrimps, they've been doin great in there, I keep all my tanks at 78 and in the kitchen (no widows, no direct sunlight only light is what weak stuff shines from the living room window andthe light bulb)
You can place your moss ball in the tank, but if it starts looking pale or a bt shredded remove it and place it in a jar with some rocks (this is actually how they are kept in Japan where they are treated like pets)
hope that helps!

[bahamut285]

This is how I care for my moss balls, James and Alfred:

1. They can survive in warmer tanks, but prefer cooler water, but in the long run they don't care
2. Give them a "bath" in tank water when you do your water changes, squeeze them while they are above water, then dunk them under and squeeze again to make sure they retain enough water to sink.
3. Roll/rotate them sometimes so the underside doesn't go brown.

I don't recommend DIRECT sunlight, but they do need sun to live, so don't hide them in a dark closet or something.

If they look a little unrounded, feel free to squish and mold them (in old tank water) gently. James came to me in a very tattered shape, but he's almost round again :)

[Sakura8]

Bahamut, how do they do in salt? Are they the same as live plants in that regard? I just got Floofi today, so she's in QT with old tank water. How long do I leave her in there? Gagh, I can't believe my moss ball cost more than three of my bettas combined.

[Kytkattin]

I feel your pain Sakura! That is actually why I bought the biggest, lumpiest one I could find. I think I could split it and have 2 nice sized moss balls! It looks like it is having a little baby off of one side.

As a side note, I have decided to name my Marimo ball Meatwad (from Aqua Teen Hunger Force!). Not sure what I will name the 'baby' when I pull it off.

[Sakura8]

Meatwad, haha, yeah I can totally see a moss ball being named that. Gotta squish it around so it looks like it's kind of grumpy too. Haha, now I'm beginning to feel like I should get Floofi her own tank. Wonder if it's considered inhumane to house a large moss ball in one of those 1/2 gallon betta cubes . . .

[bahamut285]

@Sakura: IME, they did just fine with salt, because you can just pump the water in and out of them by squeezing. At least that's what I do. I always put a "Resident Mossball" in my QT tank so it won't be bare/empty/sadface for the fish in there.

Obviously don't dunk them in a salt bath though, I'm not sure how well that will turn out XDD

[Sakura8]

Great, thanks Bahamut. I was just wondering if I would have to remove Floofi now for any AQ/Epsom salt treatments. Haha, I'm beginning to think having a moss ball will be ALMOST as much fun as a betta. After all, I can't squeeze a betta but I can squish my moss ball. Hehe.

[bahamut285]

To be fair though, I've only put Alfred in a QT with salt twice...so...XD

EDIT: I also think it was half-dose per usual of salt