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I like them a lot, gives a different look as opposed to 'typical' plants.

I have them in 3 tanks. Mine don't really move around except when I clean. They have good coloring and the fish don't bother them.

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There is water at the bottom of the ocean

my african cichlids ate parts of my algae ball so now it is with my goldfish. i think it rises because the oxygen bubbles it produces raise it to the top where they pop and the ball falls.. that is what i observed but it may be different then what you are all talking about. it was sold as a moss ball that helps control algae, but the more you have the less algae there will be

I have three of them which I bought on E-Bay also. Fairly good price and I've had them for about one month. I love them. They are like your seperate pets. I have several plecos,catfish,gauramis,snails,etc and nothing has ate on the moss balls at all. I do recommend to turn about twice a week because they will turn brown & rinse at least once pr month.Great addition to my tank!!

have one and its pretty cool, my fish seem fairly interested in it, they use it like a soccer ball lol
and yes it is algae .. and i even think its helping kill the brown algae in the tank... at least where the ball is all the brown algae died...

me

umm,would a pleco eat the marimo ball or what??

two of mine move about two inches each every day. About two days ago we had guests & one of the moss balls started rocking & slowly rolling across the front of the tank...we were gobsmacked...then we realised the crab had hold of it & was trying to pull it away to keep for himself !!!

sounds like an animal. . lol

i hope you get more than 1 for $11 !!! I have been reading that they like to live in little coloneys anyway.

when i switch my fish from a 10gal to a new 29gal i plan on getting a moss ball.my lfs just got some about 2 weeks ago and they look pretty cool.the only problem i have with it is that they said the price is $11

heres some more info

http://www.petfish.net/Marimo_Balls.htm

[span class="edited"][Edited by fishowner 2004-08-16 18:36][/span]

i have to tanks, a 11g & a 120g (UK gallons).

As I'm not confident yet to have live plants I have fake ones & buildings etc for fish to swim arround.

What do people think about moss balls? are they a good way to start, will fish like them? what do they do?

well i got bored at work today & ordered some off ebay...

Just found out that a dispute i had with an ex employer is being settled.

Only a few but it will go on my new 120uk g set up...

now i need to find some pretty fishes....

I just got mine today. They are awesome. The one floats around for a little while and then sits on the bottom, gets restless and floats again. It's not an algae to me. It's not just folded moss either. It's and actual spherical ball.

Hello little Rover. I shall call him Rover, and he shall be mine. And he shall be my Rover. Come here Rover. Come here little Rover.

Sorry, couldn't help it!

I have seen them on ebay, but i was hoping to find out if anyone had used them before I made up my mind.

I just bought 5 of these awesome marimo balls on Ebay, great price too, 19 canadian free shipping. Apparently they are really easy to care for, just take em outta the tank once a month and wash em off, and make sure you rotate them in the tank because they will go brown on the side that is down if left too long. They can actually move by themselves, towards the light, and can float and sink of their own accord. Very neat thing. I cant wait to get mine. I have no idea how long shipping will take cuz they are coming from germany, but hopefully not too long.


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I THINK these are actually algae. My LFS has some, but i never picked any up. They look nice but thats all I know

My lfs sells them for $2.99 can not tell you much about them.:%)

I was curious about these too, so I found this about a month ago on AquariumPlanet. It has a wealth of information.

For you reading enjoyment:

This is information that we found from several different sources...we apologize, as it has not been edited and may be somewhat redundunt... These "Moss balls" are the latest craze to hit the aquarium plant hobby. They actually are said to be great for algae control because they "outcompete" the algae by using the same nutrients and starving the algae. In its natural habitat, their ability to move around by using the undercurrents to sink or rise in order to position themselves to receive plenty of light to carry out photosynthesis is interesting. What is Marimo?... Those who have not heard of Marimo would probably wonder what it is. Commonly known as Marimo in Korea, its technical term is Cladophora aegagropila, also called "Tribbles" or "Algae Balls" in the West. Marimo is the name given to a type of land locked algae formed by many small strings of algae tangled together in a radial pattern forming a fuzzy green ball. Mari comes from the Japanese word for ball and mo refers to algae. Native to Akan Lake in Japan, it is considered as national treasure declared as a natural monument. Although these balls have been observed to grow to some degree growing in freshwater lakes and ponds in European countries and some other lakes in Japan, only in this particular lake they grow to be a noticeable size in perfect spherical shape. Why is it popular?... There are numerous reasons that account for the Marimo craze. First of all, it is very simple to raise. Marimo neither requires special care nor occupies much space, as it is grown in a glass jar or even in a fish globe with fishes. No sun light is necessary, and of course, fertilizer is not needed. Softly rinsing off moss on the ball and gently tabbing it in order to help it form a perfect spherical shape with a finger on a palm when changing water once a week are all that it takes. A Marimo vase can be placed anywhere below 25 degree. Unlike pets such as dogs or cats, of which the owner feel uneasy to leave them alone at home, and might grow up to have an abnormal character, there is nothing to worry about Marimo. Rather, it helps to refine emotion. In addition, this algae is free floating, and displays unique behaviors according to habitat changes. As it is photosynthetic, it floats or sinks in the water in response to columns of light, and actually rolls around on the bottom of the aquarium. Thereby, it is mistaken with animals because of its movement, which is another factor that grabs people's interest. Moreover, as its life span is quite long - the biggest Marimo ball is known to have lived over 100 years. Breeding the algae balls in right condition, one can hand over a couple of generations from grandparents to a grandson, working as a medium of family love. Above all, the main reason for it gaining public favor would probably be due to the legend; once there lived a daughter of the chief of a tribe around Lake Akan. She fell in love with a commoner, but confronted opposition of her parents. She ran away with him and sublimated into Marimo. For that myth, in Japan, it has become spotlighted as "love plant," which realizes true love and accomplishes one's heart's desire when it is given and taken as a present. It has crossed the ocean to reach Korea, welcomed by children, lovers and parents. ---------- Marimo Balls were first discovered in Lake Akan almost 100 years ago by Tetsuya Kawakami. In 1921 they were declared a "Japanese Natural Treasure" and the public's interest in Marimo was stirred. Marimo began being sold in jars to tourist who paid high prices to have their very own Natural Treasure.------------ Not long after, a hydro-electric plant was built on the Akan river leading into the lake. This river was dammed and the lake's water level fell dramatically. Dead and decaying Marimo began littering the shores of Lake Akan and people were appalled at this mass death of their Natural Treasure. Due to both the peddling of individual Marimo and the damming of the Akan river, the numbers of Marimo balls were declining fast.------------- An environmentalist movement to save the Marimo of Lake Akan was started, and an appeal was made to the people of Japan to return their bottled Marimo souvenirs. Surprisingly, the people responded, and great numbers of the bottled Marimo were returned to the lake. The people of Lake Akan were so overwhelmed by the support they received that they held a festival in appreciation. And so it was, on October 7, 1950 the first of the annual Marimo Festivals was celebrated at Lake Akan.------------ Two years later the stature of the Marimo was elevated to "Special Japanese Natural Treasure." ---------------- The population of Marimo balls is still dwindling and there is much research being done now to try to save or recreate this unusual form of Cladophora. As of yet no breakthroughs have been made.------------ Cladophora balls are a mobile form of algae and exhibit a number of interesting "behaviors". These include rising and sinking in the water column in response to light, rolling about and dumping collecting sediment from their surface and rotating positions with other Marimo on different tiers of the lake bottom. This last phenomenon allows Marimo to be found at deeper depths than light would allow for stationary plants.---------------- Marimo (Cladophora aegagropila) have been designated as a special natural treasure by the Japanese government. They grow to a diameter of 25 centimeters or 10 inches at maximum.---------------- Lake Akan is the most famous habitat for the plant in Japan. The balls, which rise to the surface in the morning and sink at night due to photosynthesis, are an unusual natural phenomenon of the lake (area: 12.7 sq km or 4.9 sq mi; circumference: 31 km or 19 mi; depth: 45 m or 148 ft).------------- Marimo (Cladophora algae balls):------------ The marimo is a spherical ball of algae of the cladophora genus, more specifically, of the species Cladophora aegagropila. This species of algae grows specifically in Lake Akan, a freshwater lake in Hokkaido, Japan. Although these balls have been observed to some degree growing in freshwater lakes and ponds in European countries and some other lakes in Japan, only in this particular lake to they grow to be a noticeable size, usually between 20-30 cm (8-12 in.), whereas in Europe they usually only reach between 1-2 inches in diameter. This is normally a filamentous species of algae that attaches itself to rocks or floats freely at the surface of the water. But the shape of Lake Akan allow this algae to take on a spherical shape. This algae is free floating, and displays unique behaviors in response to habitat changes. They will float or sink in the water in response to columns of light, and will actually roll around on the bottom of the lake. ------------------ This peculiar species of algae was first discovered in 1823 by Dr. Anton E. Sauter, an Austrian botanist, in Lake Zeller, Austria. They were discovered in Lake Akan, Japan, by Tetsuya Kawakami at the beginning of the 20th century. The marimo algae ball was declared a national treasure of Japan in 1921, and people from all over the country gathered these balls in glass jars to take home as souvenirs. However, after a hydroelectric plant was built on Lake Akan, the marimo was nearly wiped out. In the 1940's, the local people launched a campaign to protect the plant. Many people who had jars of the marimo returned them to the lake. Originating in 1950 by the Ainu people is the marimo festival, which takes place every year ------------- ......... Diameter:2-12" (5-30cm) Light requirements: high-very high Temperature: 68-82F (20-28C) Hardness tolerance: medium pH tolerance: 6.8-7.5 Easiness: average.

[span class="edited"][Edited by JediDragon 2004-08-14 13:24][/span]