Moss Ball?

[JackieofJJs]

Ive read that these are really an algae so I put this post in here, but if I'd have better luck in the plants forum let me know :)

So, I bought a moss ball from petco. I was so excited when i saw them. Was about $5. When I compared it to other pics of moss balls when I got home, it didn't quite look the same. First this one floats. All the way to the top, except i have mine anchored down (but I'm going to let it float a little more than what I have it currently, since i read they rise during the day and sink at night). Is there more than one kind of moss ball? Is mine not a moss ball at all?

*pic*
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[shalafi04]

thats a moss ball. they're all the same. i have 3. they're just moss wrapped around a ball and attached to a weight with some fishing line. They are completely decorative but sooo awesome. Mine do not rise and fall so i'm not sure about that; than again, ive never paid too much attention.
but yours is definately a moss ball.
heres a pic of one of mine.
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[cocoa_pleco]

it will sink, mine took a few hours to sink

[shalafi04]

thats so weird, mine never sink. maybe because the ball they are wrapped around is like a wiffle ball or whatever those things are called, so its full of air. only my sick moss ball is sunk right now. it was dying, my LFS guy gave it to me for free

[JackieofJJs]

Do I need to rotate it for it to stay in shape, or will it be fine just floating there?

[sailor]

Are moss balls good for your aquariums? They look cool. I want one lol

[Fishalicious]

Wait a mo peeps... Moss balls are Chladophora aegagropila which are completely different to these here...

These here are 'moss balls' but fabricated from Java Moss being tied around a ball (usually ping pong ball) so they float.

Real moss balls soak up water and will sink and sit on the tank floor.

[JackieofJJs]

thanks :) I've searched around a little and saw that yeah, these are mostly imitation moss balls. I've found some real ones on Ebay I may purchase though.

[Fishguy2727]

Ditto. Not a genuine moss ball but a ball of (java) moss. I have three true moss balls and they are an algae, but this is a true plant.

[smaug]

I was wandering what type of "mossball"those were.What has the world come too?The ones I had sunk and look nothing like those floaters.I liked mine but I found out that the excel I use makes them melt.

[JackieofJJs]

those kind are apparently java moss balls. they're kinda neat too, but I still want the marimo type ;) the REAL ones :p

[shalafi04]

hahaa i totally forgot about the real ones cause we call those algea balls at the LFS. oops. but yeah these are not algea, the real ones are and they are really awesome. and these wont sink

[kitten3326]

I also have the genuine moss ball, which are just giant balls of algae, I started with one, and I have since split it three times and are growing beautifully, since putting these in my tank, I have no algae problems as I believe the nutrients needed to create algae are absorbed in the moss ball helping them to grow successfully, these are truly the perfect plant for the aquariums as they are almost impossible to kill.

[cocoa_pleco]

theyre easy to take care of too.

The originate in japan, and the tide rolls them on the sand keeping their shape.

I still have mine from a year ago, and ive found that shrimp like to eat food off of them

[JackieofJJs]

thanks :) I ordered one last night off of Ebay