Can All Aquatic Mosses Be Grown Emersed?

[hn5624]

I've kept supposedly Weeping,flame,java,mini christmas,anchor,fissidens. I've managed to get all of them growing emersed in a high humidity setup. I've brought some mini pelia and a bunch of other mosses to experiment with next.

I have an entire 20 gallon tank filled with various mosses, if they can be grown emersed, I much rather do just that and avoid the consistent hair algae I've been getting.

Currently I've got some moss growing emersed with a vivarium humidifier an in attempt to kill off the algae. Normally takes me about 2-3 weeks, this seems to be much more effective than spraying them with hydrogen peroxide.

 

[a1matt]

I don't know if all the mosses in the hobby will grow emersed, but I would surprised if they don't. Especially with 90% humidity.

It's an interesting technique for algae removal, I will try it. Thanks for sharing.

After the 2-3 weeks, do you put the moss back under water? How does it fare? Do you need to manually remove the dead algae?

I favour shrimps for moss cleaning duties.

On occasion setting up little cleaning containers. 1litre of water, algae infested moss, two or three dwarf shrimp and some frogbit.

If the container is scrupulously clean and you don't feed them, the shrimp quickly go to work on the algae. The frogbit acts as a filter.

After anything from 2 days to 2 weeks, the moss is clean and everything is returned to the main tank.

 

[hn5624]

I don't know if all the mosses in the hobby will grow emersed, but I would surprised if they don't. Especially with 90% humidity.

It's an interesting technique for algae removal, I will try it. Thanks for sharing.

After the 2-3 weeks, do you put the moss back under water? How does it fare? Do you need to manually remove the dead algae?

I favour shrimps for moss cleaning duties.

On occasion setting up little cleaning containers. 1litre of water, algae infested moss, two or three dwarf shrimp and some frogbit.

If the container is scrupulously clean and you don't feed them, the shrimp quickly go to work on the algae. The frogbit acts as a filter.

After anything from 2 days to 2 weeks, the moss is clean and everything is returned to the main tank.

What do you think about just throwing in 36 ghost shrimp in a 10 gallon cycled aquarium for moss cleaning? I can get a dozen for 2 dollars at my pet store.

 

[a1matt]

I've never kept ghost shrimp, so can't give you an informed opinion.

A quick google shows that they eat algae, but not as voraciously as other shrimps in the hobby. Bearing this in mind it seems worth a try if you have the tank already established and can source them cheap and easily.

I vaguely recollect that ghost shrimp don't last long in our tanks and are just used as feeders. If that is true it would put me off buying them however inexpensive they are. YMMV.

If I am recommending shrimp purely for their algae eating abilities then it is always going to be Amano shrimp.

Second recommendation from me is for easy to breed neocaridinas. Once you have a decent number they are effective clean up crew and the colony adds interest to the tank too.

 

[Chad]

I've had ghost shrimp that would beat my betta to his pellets. I have even seen them go for the bettas fins! Fearless little guys.