# Can moss balls absorb parasites/bacteria?



## cliffordsmom

My male, Clifford, passed away this morning from a really horrific rapidly-spreading mystery disease.

He shared a tank with my other male, and there was a moss ball on his side.
I'm currently trying to clean everything out to get rid of any trace of Clifford.

Do you think the moss ball might be harboring something that could eventually kill my other fish?
This might be a dumb question, but I'm still a betta novice...and I really don't know anything about plants.:shock:


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## MattsBettas

Yes. A plant barbs chemicals but bacteria/parasites will continue to live on it. Isolate it immediately, then decide to throw it away or try to treat it.


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## MattsBettas

Absorbs gah!


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## cliffordsmom

Already isolated! 
I'll throw it out. I don't want to risk another death any time soon.


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## bethyMT

I had to pitch a couple when I first started with bettas...my first girl got really sick and died, and I kept the moss ball. But then, my second girl got the same illness (everything was sterilized except for the moss ball and an anubias), so it all had to be trashed. I was so sad. 

Better safe than sorry, I say.


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## cliffordsmom

Good advice! Thanks for your help, guys!


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## majesticstorm

Would keeping the moss ball in tap water for a few weeks get rid of the bacteria/parasite since tap has chlorine?


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## Laki

I wouldn't throw it out!! Marimo moss balls make such nice decorations! One sec, I'll double post and show you. ..


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## Laki

Marimo is a Japanese symbol of good luck and long life. They gift these all the time in Japan. These pics are my 5 nano moss balls I received in my order off ebay. I quarentined them for 2-3 weeks in tap water in my window.


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## FishFriend9292

I don't keep my moss balls in my aquarium because I heard that it can cause planaria outbreaks (which are harmless but super annoying) so I keep mine in a vase with some glass beads by the windowsill and it makes a pretty decoration.


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## Destinystar

Yea you could keep in a nice bowl but not worth the risk to keep it in with any other fish, so sorry for you lose.


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## Laki

I don't know how marimo moss would be any more of a host to planaria than any other plant but I can say I had my marimo moss for a lot longer than I had planaria. My bettas eat planaria anyway, live food cultrued by me! lol


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