# Moss balls - DISLIKE!



## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

Hi Wen, its definitely not normal. I think green water might be another type of algae all together. I have Marimo balls in several tanks and seen them grow slightly albeit slowly. Oddly the tanks that do have green hair algae are in my other tanks without the Marimo balls, which i say is just coincidence since those are strictly fish/plant tanks and not shrimp/plant tanks.

Sometimes with algae, you are better of extracting it physically but before you toss the moss balls out, consider cutting back on the amount of hours the tank lamp is on. Take note whether the condition has slowed or increased regardless of photo period.

Also, a water change may be due as algae would bloom when there is an excess of nutrients in the water column. very opportunistic in this regard.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

The thing is that the only change in either tank has been adding the moss balls, and these problems started about 2 weeks after they were added. These tanks have been set up for years. The algae growing looks identical to the moss balls - it's even forming in a stupid ball shape around the cord of my internal filter. I do bi-weekly water changes on both tanks - always have - and have been manually removing the algae I see growing. The tanks are very low light already. I'm just wondering if it's affecting these tanks so much because they are so small.


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## Mike Hawk (Mar 9, 2012)

I have never had any problems from moss balls. I would look into what else is causing the problems. Test your water maybe do a 50% water change. I have had my moss balls in with my shrimp for months without any problems caused by them.


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## reefdive (Aug 16, 2011)

I hate to disagree but those Marino balls are hair algea and the worst thing ever to be sold . Yes if you maintain them in that ball and keep turning them constantly you can control them but get on tiny tiny bit of of them on your net or anything else and put it into another tank and you have the algea monster from Heck all over your tank in 3 days . They should be outlawed . They are cute and cost nothing to make but time an invention that make sense in Asia where time is cheap at the moment but natural resources scarce . I have not researched this but am going on the word of 2 biology majors , and the plague I have in some of my tank's at the moment


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Sorry, reefdive, but Cladophora aegagropila (Marimo Moss Balls) isn't the typical kind of hair algae we're talking about.

It is possible for it to spread if it's broken up or constantly agitated. Especially in warmer tanks, I've found. But it's easily controlled.


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## reefdive (Aug 16, 2011)

Oh they or it will slow down or stop growing in low light and can be controlled by crayfish grazing on it . It only reaches plague stage in very high light . It will smother every plant you have and there is no way to recover them . Twirling it around something will remove a lot of it but never all . The crays do finish it off eventually .


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Nope, even in high light, Cladophora aegagropila is extremely slow growing. 

wendyjo: You have any Amano Shrimp? If so, toss them in the tank and they'll go to town on clado or hair algae.


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## reefdive (Aug 16, 2011)

somewhatshocked said:


> Sorry, reefdive, but Cladophora aegagropila (Marimo Moss Balls) isn't the typical kind of hair algae we're talking about.
> 
> It is possible for it to spread if it's broken up or constantly agitated. Especially in warmer tanks, I've found. But it's easily controlled.


 It must be that under High pressure sodium lights it does grow out of control . And removing it is easy but there is always a tiny bit left on the sponge filter and it will return from that . 1 Tier down from the top rack of tanks it does not seem to be a problem or issue . And the crays especially clarkii seem to love it so it is becoming a non issue . Someone gave me one of those balls and yes it did break apart and started growing very quickly but it was only under that very bright light that it created a problem . And only directly under the relector where in fact the tanks do get warm . It is easy to remove from gravel but in Akadama seems to grow into the pores in the rock . A big mess in any case . I was warned like I said by a Biology major and a Professor . I thought it was cute as well .


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## reefdive (Aug 16, 2011)

somewhatshocked said:


> Sorry, reefdive, but Cladophora aegagropila (Marimo Moss Balls) isn't the typical kind of hair algae we're talking about.
> 
> It is possible for it to spread if it's broken up or constantly agitated. Especially in warmer tanks, I've found. But it's easily controlled.


 OOOpppss I stand corrected . I must have had something different than the typical hair algea but not Marino balls . Did some research ( which I should have done first and usually do because I know very little about moss's ) And It does grow rounded and is not going to spread rapidly . Interestingly it mentioned algea eaters not eating it and that it could be spread out to make a nice slow growing forground plant . So my apology . Just had a similar experience and wonder if the hair algea came in on the moss balls . But it certainly is not the moss that I have an issue with .


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

No I don't have shrimp, and these are betta tanks so even if I did they wouldn't last long.

Ima toss these things out and see how it goes. They were $5 each so it's not the end of the world. I just have a hard time believing that my tanks are stable for years, I add these things, get all these problems suddenly, and it's just a coincidence.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Some Amano Shrimp are as large as Bettas and are super-hardy. I keep them with Bettas all the time. Some of the larger ones I've received from Rachel are so big that I can't keep them with smaller kinds of Tetras without causing lots of stress to the fish, in fact.

It's possible other types of algae hitch-hiked with the moss balls.


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## Gsneufeld (May 13, 2012)

Whoa.. You bought these for 5 bucks each? Were these being sold as Marimo moss balls? That strikes me as pretty suspicious.. The cheapest I've ever seen them was 8 each for the little tiny ones, and over 25 dollars for good sized ones. I've heard stories about certain chain stores wrapping rocks and pieces of wood in moss and selling them as 'moss balls' though, if you're tossing them anyway, would you mind splitting one in half to check?


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

Sure, I'll check. I got them at Petsmart - I actually think they were $5.99. They are soft and spongy, cause when I got them I rinsed them in tap water and then gave them a good squeeze to rinse them out. So they don't feel like they're wrapped over anything.


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

If you got them at petssmart or any big box shop, it is likely that something hitchhiked along with them... I ve had a few things like this happen. Bought a wister java fern thingy and all of a sudden, i have a hair algae in that one tank... this isnt even any thing closely related to a fern too. i should have QT'd or dosed before adding it to the tank. Me and my constant rescaping in all my tanks have now spread this to a second tank... *sigh* live and learn... and i know that's definitely my own doing.


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## Gsneufeld (May 13, 2012)

Very mysterious... I've had Marimo moss balls before, and they were kinda spongy I guess, more dense than sponge-like though, when I broke one apart to attach it to decor it turned from a little 2 inch ball into a huge mound, you say the algae looks like tiny moss balls everywhere? Thats so weird, I thought marimo balls formed from rolling around on the bottom of lakes and stuff. Very odd!


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

Not all the algae looks like balls - lol I didn't mean to make it sound like it was cloning itself! And it's not a huge algae problem, just an annoying one especially since I've never had an algae issue in either of these little tanks till now. One tank has what looks like another pretty good sized moss ball that has formed around the power cord of the internal filter. That's the only one that has a round shape. The rest is just a bit sprouting here and there.

The other tank also has a few sprouts. Both of them have a green water problem now as well, altho it's alot worse in one of them (the one without the growth on the cord). Both tanks are identical, 5g minibows with identical filtration and heaters, with identical water change schedules. Neither has any ferts or co2 added, and both get their water from the same supply and treated with Prime. Both have dinky little 7 watt spiral type bulbs in the hood for lighting. One of these tanks has been set up for at least 5 years (probably longer), and the other for about 3 years. Both have a java fern glued to wood in there along with a taller fake plant to help disguise the heater, and each has a cave type decoration.


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## zdnet (Aug 13, 2010)

NO! I don't believe that moss ball can spread like that! It is a case of mistaken identity. Please upload some photos.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

It's too late - I've tossed out the moss balls (which just sort of unfolded into a rather large mats and had no stones or anything in them) and cleaned all the other algae out and then did a large water change on each tank. 

I will not ever be adding these things to my tanks again.


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## jeremyTR (Mar 21, 2012)

Way to heavily misjudge something. I have two of them and I don't have any algae problems.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

Funny thing is when I do a search on this subject I come across posts just like mine - even complaints about green water - after adding moss balls to a tank, with replies just like ya'lls saying it can't be. LOL. We'll see if the green water and algae problem resolves itself with these things gone now.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

Marimo Moss ball wont cause green water nor do they cause other algae issues. IN FACT they are a benificial thing to tanks as they can be nutrient suckers for tanks that really need them. This doesnt mean that something else cant hitch hike along with them. 

Here is a great idea How about some pictures of the algae your having issues with? That way it can be identified.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

wendyjo said:


> It's too late - I've tossed out the moss balls (which just sort of unfolded into a rather large mats and had no stones or anything in them) and cleaned all the other algae out and then did a large water change on each tank.
> 
> I will not ever be adding these things to my tanks again.


If it comes back I'll take pics, but as I said earlier it's too late now.


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## chicken (Aug 22, 2007)

I've never kept moss balls (something about them has always struck me as icky, lol), but I have heard people say they've been responsible for introducing cladophora algae into their tanks. I don't know if those moss balls are truly responsible, or they're just getting the blame for being in the same genus. 

The way you described it growing in a ball around the cord of your filter sounds like the way cladophora has behaved in one of my tanks. I also used to find little wads of it growing down on the substrate or in among stem plants. Ugh. Did the stuff you had feel kind of rough (as opposed to slimy)? Because that's how clado feels to me when I rub it between my fingers. 

I discovered amano shrimp seem to eat the stuff. So if it starts coming back, you might give that a try.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

Yes, it was not slimey at all. It felt just like the moss ball.


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## zdnet (Aug 13, 2010)

Does this look like what you think your moss ball was spreading?


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

No, it was much shorter and denser than that I think. It looked just like the same stuff the moss ball was made of. Same color, length and texture.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

Since I got rid of these my tanks have gone back to normal, no more algae or green water. Irregardless of what everyone has said about the issues not be related, I will not be buying these thing again!


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## jeremyTR (Mar 21, 2012)

Funny I still have mine and don't have green water or algae but maybe my amanos help hide any algae problems I might have


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## zdnet (Aug 13, 2010)

wendyjo said:


> Since I got rid of these my tanks have gone back to normal, no more algae or green water.


It could be a coincidence. To rule that out, reproduce a similar effect by using a moss ball from another source.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

zdnet said:


> It could be a coincidence. To rule that out, reproduce a similar effect by using a moss ball from another source.


LOL - you must have missed the part where I said I won't be putting these in my tanks again.


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## s_s (Feb 15, 2012)

It sounds like some people are transferring algae hitch-hikers from store tanks on their moss balls.


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## zdnet (Aug 13, 2010)

wendyjo said:


> LOL - you must have missed the part where I said I won't be putting these in my tanks again.


Ha ha... I was trying to arouse your truth-seeking curiosity. Obviously that didn't work. :wink:


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## amcoffeegirl (May 26, 2009)

I took some christmas moss from a tank that had a marimo ball in it and tied that moss to a piece of driftwood in another tank and now my driftwood is becoming covered in marimo. i will also never buy another one.


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## Qwedfg (Mar 7, 2012)

Correlation does not imply causation.


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## TexasCichlid (Jul 12, 2011)

I have a huge marimo in my low tech tank for the past year+ with no algae issues to speak of.


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## amcoffeegirl (May 26, 2009)

Bump


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Was there a particular reason for bringing back a thread from over a year ago?


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## Knotyoureality (Aug 3, 2012)

Perhaps what Petsmart is selling isn't the real stuff-but I won't be risking it either way again. I bought one there last year ($8 for one a little smaller than a golf ball). It was sold in a small cup by itself so if it picked up/carried other algae it wouldn't be from the store tanks. No green water or other algae problems but after breaking part of it off to grow separately in another tank it started showing up everywhere. Slow growing enough for me not to realize the potential problem until *after* I'd already harvested xmas moss and other plant clippings from the tank to use in my other tanks. All my xmas moss now has this stuff mixed in with it and I can't use clippings from my anubia nana petite in other tanks for fear of the stuff spreading to otherwise clean tanks. 

Never ever again.


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## amcoffeegirl (May 26, 2009)

There is a thread in plants about this topic. I don't know how to link them. I searched my past posts and discovered I had issues with Marimo spreading onto driftwood and into my moss. Even spread it to other tanks in moss also. Grr.


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## brandon429 (Mar 29, 2003)

on that tank above, you would be astounded how well a drain and treat with peroxide would do to take the cladophora off the wood


here is direct biomass transfer of marimo algae from the ball to some dying shoots that fell across the ball. my tank is 12 yrs old with no new plant additions before these balls. The algae was not there before and has direct epiphytically transferred from the ball to a plant shoot in decay

that implies nothing of someone else's containment, variables vary but I won't be risking. my tank does not use algae grazers up until now no algae other than common low level green hair algae was a factor, hope this doesn't persist.


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## Knotyoureality (Aug 3, 2012)

When the time comes to tear down this tank, I'll be doing just that--as well as nuking the substrate and probably tossing most of the plants. Right now, though, I've a line of neo's breeding there that I want to keep and turning the tank inside out isn't an option. Those *were* my mother plants for anubia petite nana -but I trimmed them down by about 80%, put the cuttings thru a peroxide bath and am nursing them back to health algae free (thankfully!) in another tank.


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## amcoffeegirl (May 26, 2009)

That stuff is sneaky watch your other tank carefully. Unfortunately by the time you see it it's pry to late.


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## Melted (Nov 22, 2013)

This is a strange thread. first time i have ever heard of such a thing being a problem. everyone i know who has moss balls have never had an issue with them. one of them has had his for a year and it doesnt even look like its grown even a mm. do you guys do peroxide dips or something similar to new plants before introducing them to your tanks? the only one i had got ruined because i opened it up to make a carpet, but it eventually broke apart too much so i got rid of it. even then it wasnt an issue, nor did it present any.


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## Vepr (Jan 30, 2009)

My understanding is that those moss balls are only one form of that type of moss. It grows in balls because it is rolling around on lake bottoms but it also naturally grows in mats etc. It would make sense that it could attach itself and grow on drift wood etc. even though it is slow growing.


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## brandon429 (Mar 29, 2003)

the fact is variables vary too much between tanks and moss balls to predict. zero indication exists that says the moss will xfer and ruin Johnny's tank for example, he may keep them contained for years. all this thread and pics establish is that this algae genus can attach and does not as a rule stay in the ball form. it follows popular known biology models for plants and algae that fragmentation perpetuates living material. Im glad mine is gone but sad to lose the mb, I really really really liked them. in my tank, obviously perpetuation is occurring so its gotta go. I was amazed that without actually physically detatching some of the algae, it still managed to creep up my rotting stem and onto a new area.


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