# Marimo Moss Ball Color Change



## buddyolpallison (Mar 10, 2014)

Hey Betta fish community,

So I've had my new betta fish and his marimo moss ball mate for a little over a week now. My betta, Voltaire, is quite happy. The thing is, I'm worried my marimo, Mo, may not be. Mo the marimo is tiny, about an inch to an inch and a half in diameter. When I got him he had short hairs and was a very nice dark green. These days, he has grown a lot of fuzz, which I think is normal, but sometimes he looks slightly brown and a little white around the edges. I read somewhere that this does not mean he is dead yet though, just that something may need to be changed. There is no odor coming off of him and he is not falling apart; I gave Mo a bath the first day I got him and also yesterday when I treated the tank to a full water change. I also let him soak in some salted tap water at room temperature for three hours yesterday, because I read somewhere that apparently that helps promote growth.

If anything, I think the issue may be the water heater I have for Voltaire or the tank light. But these factors haven't killed Mo yet; is this slight color change just something I need to wait out, or will it honestly not be okay to keep this little plant in the tank for the long run?

Other details:
tank size: 1 gallon
filtered: yes, low current
heated: yes, marina submersible heater, advertised to keep the temperature at a constant 80 degrees F
lighted: yes, built-in yellow tank light that is switched on or off (i keep it on for a few hours every night while i do work)
other chemical agents in the water: Top Fin betta water conditioner

(attached should be two images; the image with Voltaire in it is from the first day I had them both in the tank. The one without him was a picture taken today. The yellow lighting makes it look like nothing has changed, but in reality there is a subtle but noticeable white fuzz and brown-ness. I worry that Mo is not as plush a green as he should be.)


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## AmbiantNight (Feb 12, 2014)

Are you remembering to gently rotate your ball from time to time? Also about once a week you need to rinse your ball. Have a boll of dechlorinated water and take your ball out of it's normal area. Place it in the dechlorinated water and gently squeeze it a few times. After your done with that just plop it back where it goes.

That sounds so wrong.


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## sponge1234 (Oct 29, 2013)

Does it look like diatoms(Brown algae)? Is the tank new?


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## ABETTAVOICE (Feb 2, 2014)

It is usually due to lack of light. Turn Mo ever so often so it will receive light on all sides, and frequent rinses is good too.


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## buddyolpallison (Mar 10, 2014)

sponge1234 said:


> Does it look like diatoms(Brown algae)? Is the tank new?


Mo's not quite as brown as brown algae yet, and the tank is fairly new, it's been in operation since late january.


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## buddyolpallison (Mar 10, 2014)

AmbiantNight said:


> Are you remembering to gently rotate your ball from time to time? Also about once a week you need to rinse your ball. Have a boll of dechlorinated water and take your ball out of it's normal area. Place it in the dechlorinated water and gently squeeze it a few times. After your done with that just plop it back where it goes.


Okay, thanks for the advice; also yes, i do give him a thorough rinse once a week. And when you say to rotate him every so often, how often are you talking? Everyday?


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## AmbiantNight (Feb 12, 2014)

I rotate my daily with a bamboo ka bob stick. You could even use a straw or just about anything. Just as long as it's not dangerous to your betta.


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