[spypet]

Last Month I got a Taiwan Moss sample from an active SnS trader here on PTF. The sample he sent me is doing well, but had two odd things about it that I hope someone very familiar with Taiwan and other Moss can explain.

~ The moss arrived healthy, but a light bright green. after a few weeks in my tank it turned darker green like all the other mosses in my tank. note it had only been in the dark mail for 2 days. so does moss have different shades of green depending on your own tanks chemistry? I've gotten other moss samples and never noticed them arriving anything but dark green.

~ The moss had this small hitchhiker on it that I allowed to grow in my tank till I noticed it was not part of my Taiwan moss, rather a seemingly separate plant. it was easy to completely remove with a pair of tweezers. is this how Taiwan moss spreads it seeds? or is this a completely different plant that came along for the ride, and if so, what the heck is it?

 

[JenThePlantGeek]

That's Utricularia gibba, a bladderwort. It isn't harmful really, but highly invasive and tough to get rid of.

And sometimes moss grown in different light and water will have a different color, nothing wrong with the moss. Pellia does that too - Grown in super high light high CO2 it gets broad "leaves" and is dark green. When grown in a little nano under a regular lamp on a timer with an air bubbler and infrequent water changes it gets very thin "leaves" and is a much lighter green.

 

[spypet]

Thanks Jen, that all makes sense.
fortunately I have removed it all,
but will keep watch for any strays
during my weekly water change.
It's actually not bad looking and
would probably make a good fry
tank medium. it flows with even
the slightest amount of waterflow.
if you embedded it in some large
leaf stems, it would give them an
ancient over growth kind of look,
without hurting the large plants.

 

[Wasserpest]

I love U. gibba. Great hideout for fish fry. Had it in my tanks for a while, then it disappeared. Not sure why you'd call it invasive and hard to get rid of, I enjoyed this interesting plant.

 

[JenThePlantGeek]

I originally got some from AShappar, and he hates it! He's always picking it out of his moss. That's where I got the "invasive and hard to get rid of" from :hihi:

I think of it kinda like I think of my snails... some people love 'em, some people hate 'em. There's not too much out there that I _hate_. Duckweed, wolfia, bladderworts, snails - they're all interesting and useful in their own way

 

[Betowess]

Wasser, you're an exception. Its invasive because It is very hard to get all of it out. One little piece breaks off and it will spread, albeit slowly. Does best in low nutrient settings, oddly I have read.

Interestingly, those little pods on it feed on microorgs, so its a carnivorous plant.

 

[spypet]

Interestingly, those little pods on it feed on microorgs, so its a carnivorous plant.

Hmmm, I suppose that's why it's designed to move along your water flow.
I wonder under what water conditions such a plant would be an asset,
say if you have green water or other clouded water problems.

 

[macclellan]

it was easy to completely remove with a pair of tweezers.[/IMG]

mwahaha. that is what you thought. maybe you got it soon enough. I can't get rid of the stuff. I'm considering taking my moss walls apart and picking through with tweezers and a magnifying glass. I may just let it grow.

 

[Wasserpest]

I originally got some from AShappar, and he hates it! He's always picking it out of his moss. That's where I got the "invasive and hard to get rid of" from :hihi:

I think of it kinda like I think of my snails... some people love 'em, some people hate 'em. There's not too much out there that I _hate_. Duckweed, wolfia, bladderworts, snails - they're all interesting and useful in their own way

Now now, the D-word... that's another thing! :angryfire