Java moss is easy to grow and the plant is pretty undemanding when it comes to water conditions.Temperature changes and fluctuations in the water conditions can also cause leaves to die-off. However, once the moss settles in and becomes acclimated to the new environment, the problem should resolve itself. You can also find that happening when you first introduce the plant to your tank. However, if you include a few natural algae eating fish or invertebrates in your setup, they can help to keep algae blooms under control.Īnother problem with Christmas moss is that if you don’t trim it, the leaves might turn brown and die off. If the water quality is poor, your tank is exposed to sunlight, or you leave the lighting on for too many hours per day, you could find algae growing in the moss. The plant is readily available and is relatively inexpensive to buy.Īll mosses are prone to problems with algae, and Christmas moss is no exception.Christmas moss makes a wonderful carpet plant and it can also be used to cover the sides of the aquarium, piece of driftwood, and rocks.pH can be anything from 5.5 to 8.0, and water hardness can be up to 20 dGH. The plant will grow in temperatures varying from 57° to 86° Fahrenheit, although 70° to 75° Fahrenheit is preferred and will produce the brightest color. Java moss is a versatile, hardy plant that can tolerate many different water conditions. Thanks to an absence of roots, Java moss takes up the nutrition it needs via its leaves and stems. The rhizoids cannot absorb nutrients for the plant. The plant uses short filaments called rhizoids to fix itself to surfaces within the aquarium. The plant is bright green underwater, making it a very popular choice for aquariums. The plant’s stems are covered in small, long, oval-shaped leaves that grow over each other. Java moss is a delicate plant that has small branched stems and irregular leaves. The plant prefers a fairly strong current, too, so if you don’t fix the moss to something, it will most likely attach itself to your filter box or tubing. Java moss grows best when attached to some kind of structure in your tank, such as rockwork, driftwood, etc. The moss is very easy to grow and is extremely hardy, surviving and thriving in harsh water conditions that would kill most other plants. Java moss comes from Southeast Asia and is just about the most popular species of aquarium moss in the trade. AppearanceĬhristmas moss needs trimming every so often to keep it tidy, and that can also help to keep the plant healthy. In comparison to Java moss, Christmas moss is a slow-grower with totally different water requirements. The plant is also included in many setups to remove nitrogen. In the aquarium, Christmas moss is generally used by aquascapers to create a carpet or a wall. The plant originates from Brazil, although it is available worldwide and is a popular addition to many home fish tanks. Christmas MossĬhristmas moss is so named for its triangular leaves that make the plant look like a miniature fir tree. Unfortunately, Vesicularia Dubyana is also known as Christmas moss, so, when buying these mosses, I advise you to always use the Latin name to avoid any confusion. The plant was formerly known as Vesicularia Dubyana, although it was recently reclassified as Taxiphyllum Barbieri. They both make an excellent spawning medium for egg-scatterers, and newly-hatched fry can take shelter within the mosses’ fronds until they grow large enough to be safe from potentially predatory fish.Īlso, the microscopic organisms that provide food for newborn fry grow readily on mosses, as do biofilm and beneficial bacteria that process the waste products in the water.Īre Christmas Moss And Java Moss The Same Plant?Īlthough Java moss and Christmas moss look very similar at first glance, they are actually two separate species of plants.Ĭonfusion also arises over Java moss’ scientific name. If you have a breeding tank, both these species of moss can be extremely useful. Mosses also generates oxygen and absorbs CO2 from the water, helping to oxygenate the tank for your fish. Like all plants, these mosses extract nitrates and other nutrients from the water column, lightening the biological load on your filtration system and helping to improve the water quality in your tank. Benefits Of Aquatic MossĬhristmas moss and Java moss both look beautiful in your fish tank, but they bring other benefits, too. To spread, the plants produce spores that are carried through the water until they reach a suitable spot in the tank where they can germinate. That physiology prevents the plants from growing to more than just a few inches in height.Īquatic mosses don’t produce flowers or seeds. What Are Aquatic Mosses?Īll moss species are classified as bryophytes that have no vascular tissues. Now, let’s make a detailed direct comparison between Christmas moss and Java moss.
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