Japanese Moss Balls (Cladophora aegagropila)

Japanese Moss Balls (Cladophora aegagropila)
Common Name Lake Balls, Marimo Balls, Japanese Moss Balls Origin Japan, Northern Europe, Iowa Fertilizers Usually not needed but are beneficial Lighting medium-high Threats Dim light, copper, other plants, debris Water soft - hard CO2 Not required but does respond to added CO2
Japanese Moss Balls aren't really plants, but spheres of dark green algae. They can be found in shallow lakes, where water movement forms them into spheres, They roll back and forth filtering nutrients from the water. They surface during the day and sink back down at night. The oxygen they produce makes them lighter causing them to rise to the surface. The Japanese government have designated them a special national treasure and made it legal to harvest them. In the aquarium they must be turned regularly to maintain the Spherical shape, They can be allowed to spread out and form a green carpet over the bottom of a aquarium. Growth is very slow and can obtain a height and width of about 10 cm. They can survive in temperatures between 5-28 C and a pH range of 6-8.5. I wouldn't advise putting Japanese Moss Balls in a aquarium with goldfish because they will nibble and pick apart the moss ball, destroying it.

Common Name
Lake Balls, Marimo Balls, Japanese Moss Balls
Origin
Japan, Northern Europe, Iowa
Fertilizers
Usually not needed but are beneficial
Lighting
medium-high
Threats
Dim light, copper, other plants, debris
Water
soft - hard
CO2
Not required but does respond to added CO2

Japanese Moss Balls aren't really plants, but spheres of dark green algae. They can be found in shallow lakes, where water movement forms them into spheres, They roll back and forth filtering nutrients from the water. They surface during the day and sink back down at night. The oxygen they produce makes them lighter causing them to rise to the surface. The Japanese government have designated them a special national treasure and made it legal to harvest them. In the aquarium they must be turned regularly to maintain the Spherical shape, They can be allowed to spread out and form a green carpet over the bottom of a aquarium. Growth is very slow and can obtain a height and width of about 10 cm. They can survive in temperatures between 5-28 C and a pH range of 6-8.5. I wouldn't advise putting Japanese Moss Balls in a aquarium with goldfish because they will nibble and pick apart the moss ball, destroying it.