# stupid willow moss: how to use?



## waddo (Jan 24, 2013)

I bought a chunk of willow moss attached to a mesh (carpet-like) 4x4cm. It just sits on the bottom looking stupid! Can I expect this to spread and become an actual carpet? Or what?

PS I have some driftwood with the same moss growing and looking nice. So I am wondering why this other was sold as a flat piece of carpet.

Cheers


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

weeping is a creeping moss and likely not to look good sitting flat on stainless steel mesh. why not strip it off and mount it onto some thing higher so that it can hang downwards?

moss is easily grown on stainless steel mesh for sale so its likely done just for that reason.


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## Couesfanatic (Sep 28, 2009)

Actually weeping does well as a carpet. Get some rocks or mesh and spread it out. Heres my tank with weeping moss:


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

True weeping moss is difficult to source.

Here's a phot of what weeping moss looks like. Notice the downward pointing nodes characteristic of this type.


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## laqu (Oct 17, 2012)

acitydweller said:


> True weeping moss is difficult to source.
> 
> Here's a phot of what weeping moss looks like. Notice the downward pointing nodes characteristic of this type.


i want your moss!!!!

i have a moss wall and your moss would look so much better then my java moss!

how did you secure it to your wall?


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## Couesfanatic (Sep 28, 2009)

Good luck finding weeping moss that looks like that. I've been looking for years. 

I don't think that is his tank, could be though.


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

so willow moss is the same as weeping moss?


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## Steve001 (Feb 26, 2011)

waddo said:


> I bought a chunk of willow moss. Can I expect this to spread and become an actual carpet? Or what?
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers


Maybe. Willow moss grows in cold and cool waters though. It is very commonly found moss where I live.




Green_Flash said:


> so willow moss is the same as weeping moss?


Someone misread the question and replied incorrectly. 

Weeping moss scientific name is *Vesicularia ferriei*_ and Willow moss_ scientific name is * Fontinalis antipyretica*. 

See http://www.aquamoss.net


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## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

acitydweller said:


> True weeping moss is difficult to source.
> 
> Here's a phot of what weeping moss looks like. Notice the downward pointing nodes characteristic of this type.


Absolutely gorgeous!


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## waddo (Jan 24, 2013)

will the rectangle of moss spread over the gravel bottom? It looks silly just one clump sitting there. Any way to encourage this?

Cheers


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## Mahlady (Dec 19, 2012)

this would be cool


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

yeah, sorry for the confusion. I have had "stupid weeping moss" in mind hunting this for a while.










This is the willow moss (fontinalis antipyretica) which i find to be one of the largest and slowest to grow. it also does not scale well in small tanks and not as popular as say xmas, taiwan or peacock varieties.IMHO, it only looks good when trimmed short. otherwise it gets leggy and looks less bushy if grown out.


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

Steve001 said:


> Maybe. Willow moss grows in cold and cool waters though. It is very commonly found moss where I live.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


An ok. Thanks for the clarification. I heard willow moss is hard to grow, any truth to that?


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## Couesfanatic (Sep 28, 2009)

waddo said:


> will the rectangle of moss spread over the gravel bottom? It looks silly just one clump sitting there. Any way to encourage this?
> 
> Cheers


get more moss rectangles. they will grow out but it will be a while. Keep trimming the top, let the sides grow.


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## jbrady33 (Jun 7, 2012)

Don't have a pic handy - but you can take that stainless square and attach it to the back of the tank near the top (but still underwater). I did it with a small suction cup and a big sewing needle & some thread. The moss will grow downward like a beard, I trim off the bottom and reuse.

check out these 'leet mspaint skillz:
:smile:


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## Jayme (Nov 27, 2011)

Couesfanatic said:


> Actually weeping does well as a carpet. Get some rocks or mesh and spread it out. Heres my tank with weeping moss:


I think that is the moss I have a ton of! Is it really weeping moss?

Mine was sold to me as java moss and has been identified as possibly willow but I don't think it looks like either of those. It grows in the same fashion as yours above and looks almost identical.

I have a wickedly huge "tree" of it right now, grows great for that look.


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