# I hate java moss...



## mikeb210 (Oct 17, 2007)

I've been growing HC in a 5.5G tank emersed for months and months. I did not see any java moss in the substrate and I planted each sprig of HC by hand. So after filling the tank with water, about 2 weeks later, I have lots of stringy green "runners" growing off little twines of java moss. The stuff is really annoying and I can't seem to get rid of it. The runners don't actually grow into anything, they just tangle up and work their way toward the filter intake, where they snarl around it and up into the impeller of my filter. I don't suppose there are fish or snails that eat java moss is there??? I really want this stuff gone and just needed to vent. Thanks all...


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

SAE will eat moss if there is no algae.


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## Homer_Simpson (May 10, 2007)

mikeb210 said:


> I've been growing HC in a 5.5G tank emersed for months and months. I did not see any java moss in the substrate and I planted each sprig of HC by hand. So after filling the tank with water, about 2 weeks later, I have lots of stringy green "runners" growing off little twines of java moss. The stuff is really annoying and I can't seem to get rid of it. The runners don't actually grow into anything, they just tangle up and work their way toward the filter intake, where they snarl around it and up into the impeller of my filter. I don't suppose there are fish or snails that eat java moss is there??? I really want this stuff gone and just needed to vent. Thanks all...



Have you thought about containing it using a moss wall as described here. It could make a nice back drop and keep the moss from taking control.
http://www.aquamoss.net/How to create a moss wall/How to create a moss wall.htm
http://www.killies.com/Mosswall.htm


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

Making a moss well won't eliminate what he's talking about. He's talking about 'zombie moss'... it comes from the dead and invades your tank. You kill it, and it keeps coming back. I have the same problem with my it in my dwarf hairgrass...I never 'intentionally' put any moss in that tank.....


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## Homer_Simpson (May 10, 2007)

macclellan said:


> Making a moss well won't eliminate what he's talking about. He's talking about 'zombie moss'... it comes from the dead and invades your tank. You kill it, and it keeps coming back. I have the same problem with my it in my dwarf hairgrass...I never 'intentionally' put any moss in that tank.....


Lol, that is the first time I heard of Java moss as being referred to as zombie moss. I guess to each his/her own. I have had the opposite problem. I have been unable to keep any java moss alive in any of my tanks. It usually turns brown over time and dies and that is the end of it(never to be seen again) even though all the other plants thrive. And yeah, I know a wall won't eliminate. The idea was to try and "contain it" not "eliminate it" The only other option is to keep pulling it out. Cherry shrimp are known to eat it, but since they only nibble on it here and there, I doubt it would make a dent in the problem. Some say that java moss does not do well at higher water temperatures and will die off, but I cannot confirm or deny.


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## FrostyNYC (Nov 5, 2007)

Apple snails (brigs) will also eat java moss if you don't feed them anything else. They'll just strip the soft mossy goodness off and leave the thin green strings.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I feel the same way about Java moss- never can exterminate the stuff- in my tanks it's worse than Riccia (which, ironically, I don't have much of a problem with...)


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## manofmanyfish (Mar 31, 2008)

I'm confused. I thought everyone recommended Java Moss for my low light tank, so I bought some. Is this going to turn out to be a nightmare??? :icon_evil


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## manofmanyfish (Mar 31, 2008)

*Bump*

Answer my question (please), or to quote the phantom "a catastrophy beyond your imagination will occur" (to my tank). :angryfire


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## BradH (May 15, 2008)

manofmanyfish said:


> Answer my question (please), or to quote the phantom "a catastrophy beyond your imagination will occur" (to my tank). :angryfire


:icon_lol:


Everyone does recommend it, but it can be a pain. Little pieces break off and float around, attaching to something, then growing where you may not necessarily want it growing. It grows so slow though that you can get a hold on it if you keep up on tank maintenance.


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## tlef316 (May 10, 2008)

mine is tied down pretty well, but some does break off and get tangled around the bottom of other plants. Its not a huge deal. I pull out a bunch every couple of weeks. I've got it tied to all my drift wood and rocks.


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## Homer_Simpson (May 10, 2007)

BradH said:


> :icon_lol:
> 
> 
> Everyone does recommend it, but it can be a pain. Little pieces break off and float around, attaching to something, then growing where you may not necessarily want it growing. It grows so slow though that you can get a hold on it if you keep up on tank maintenance.


Agreed. There are tradeoffs. You may have to thin it out with every water change; like weeding a garden. But it does add plant density to the tank thereby allowing you to maintain more of a balance which would otherwise not be possible. And a balance means less water quality and algae issues. It also serves as an additional food source for critters such as cherry shrimp and even nesting material for fish and cover for fry. You could also sell the extra java moss or swap some with someone else for another plant that you want or need.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Java Moss is strange. For some of us it barely grows or just survives, usually assuming a nice brown color. It is a highly desirable plant for us, much appreciated.

For others it grows rapidly, everywhere, never stops until it grows down the sides of the tank. It isn't much appreciated by those people.

Toss a coin to determine which group you will be in.


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## Natty (Apr 2, 2008)

Moss just takes time to settle in. It's like HC or UG, you plant it and it looks like its going to RIP on you, but after awhile when it settles in, it starts to grow relatively fast.

To OP, you got any pictures? Want to see how bad it is.


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

Hoppy said:


> Java Moss is strange. For some of us it barely grows or just survives, usually assuming a nice brown color. It is a highly desirable plant for us, much appreciated.
> 
> For others it grows rapidly, everywhere, never stops until it grows down the sides of the tank. It isn't much appreciated by those people.
> 
> Toss a coin to determine which group you will be in.


I seem to be a little of both, I've had a couple batches of java moss over time, The first few I got were either mostly dead or I managed to kill them off, finally a couple of hitchhiking sprigs I've gotten are growing for me.

I would've laughed at 'Zombie Moss' had I seen this two days ago, but yesterday when I was cleaning out my 29 gallon, I pulled a rock out and stirred up the substrate a bit, and a little hunk of java moss floated up. :icon_eek:
It had been growing there under the rock for god knows how long. I don't even remember when I last had java moss in that tank.


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## mikeb210 (Oct 17, 2007)

Zombie moss is the perfect term. I "knew" for sure that there was none in the gravel I put in this tank and several months of emersed growth and several more with water and bam! there it is. Its getting worse, these little green runners are now knotted around eachother in a gnarly mess. I pull it out and it comes back with a vengance. All started from a piece maybe 1/4" long. 

Manofmanyfish- If you _want_ java moss, then it is a great plant. It can handle abuse and grows anywhere. The only reason I complain is because I _did not_ want it.


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## mikeb210 (Oct 17, 2007)

Here are some pictures. Sorry they aren't great, cell phone is all I've got for now.





-Mike


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## bklyndrvr (May 24, 2008)

that's not java moss. I don't remember what it's called off the top of my head, but it's like a weed. It'll eventually kill the plant.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

some kind of liverwort maybe?

Anywho, H2O2 kills moss pretty well. You will not, however, completely get rid of it; at least I haven't.


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## mikeb210 (Oct 17, 2007)

bklyndrvr said:


> that's not java moss. I don't remember what it's called off the top of my head, but it's like a weed. It'll eventually kill the plant.


HA! I guess you learn something every day huh? I've always had this crap growing intertwined with java moss and I guess I just took for granted that it was "part of the show." I have small sprigs of java growing amongst my hc, it just didn't show very well on the pictures I took. This stuff is the real enemy though. It grows about double its size every couple days. If anyone can name this plant I'd be eternally greatful. Where's Tom Barr when you need him haha....


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## Minsc (Jul 9, 2006)

Looks like Utricularia gibba in that picture.
Using tweezers, pull it out as gently as possible, every time you see it.
If you can pull it out without breaking it, you can be rid of it soon.

It is a total PITB though.



As for the original topic, unwanted moss is totally obnoxious. Xmas is just as bad as java...


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

I'm pretty sure you can kill it with either excel or H2O2.


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## markopolo (Jun 2, 2008)

get singaporean moss, it grows nice and well, nice!!!roud:


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## Choco (Dec 8, 2007)

anyone has problem with algae entangling with java moss?
I always find hair or string algae all over my java moss whether it is low light or high light tank.

btw...I know java moss will grow back in full force if you leave even the smallest piece of it in the tank....even if it is just <1mm.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Minsc said:


> Looks like Utricularia gibba in that picture.
> Using tweezers, pull it out as gently as possible, every time you see it.
> If you can pull it out without breaking it, you can be rid of it soon.
> 
> ...


Yeah, commonly known as bladderwort. It's a carnivorous plant, and I get it all the time when I get mosses. :icon_evil At least java moss won't potentially eat my shrimplets... (not that I know if bladderwort can really do that or not, too, but I wouldn't be surprised!)


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