# "java lance fern" "java moss" whatever its called..



## Pixielator (Jul 22, 2012)

What exactly is this stuff? Why do I keep seeing stuff about it in articles I read about breeding bettas? What is so special about it? And where can I get some of it from?


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## Curlyfatbottom (Sep 29, 2011)

Just plant low light plants
Great to have inside your tank to control te ammonia 
That all 
Some lfs carry them, online or some local fish breeder
But I don't have any luck with either plants
Im using frogbit water sprite


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Java moss is an aquatic moss that is sold pretty much in most stores here. It is good as it offers females somewhere to hide during the spawning process, encourages infusoria or something similar, and gives your fry hiding places once they are free-swimming. I use it in a lot of my tanks as it is a very easy plant and will grow even in near darkness. 

Java fern is another low-light plant that is commonly used in betta tanks. If you mean lace fern however, this is generally the name applied to water sprite, which needs higher light and usually a basic fertiliser to really thrive. 

As these plants (except water sprite) are very slow growing they don't really have an effect on your water quality and are not very good at consuming ammonia. You can usually purchase all these plants from wherever you buy fish as they are very common.


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## Pixielator (Jul 22, 2012)

LittleBettaFish said:


> Java moss is an aquatic moss that is sold pretty much in most stores here. It is good as it offers females somewhere to hide during the spawning process, encourages infusoria or something similar, and gives your fry hiding places once they are free-swimming. I use it in a lot of my tanks as it is a very easy plant and will grow even in near darkness.
> 
> Java fern is another low-light plant that is commonly used in betta tanks. If you mean lace fern however, this is generally the name applied to water sprite, which needs higher light and usually a basic fertiliser to really thrive.
> 
> As these plants (except water sprite) are very slow growing they don't really have an effect on your water quality and are not very good at consuming ammonia. You can usually purchase all these plants from wherever you buy fish as they are very common.


How slow growing do you mean?


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

The rate of growth will depend on your conditions. It's not so slow that I can't see it growing but java moss and java fern probably aren't going to fill your tank in a couple of weeks. 

If you want a faster growing plant which will actually have an effect on the ammonia levels in your tank you need to look at either stems or floaters as these are big nutrient sponges.


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## jeffegg2 (Apr 5, 2012)

They are both good for tanks that have no substrate, sand or gravel.

Plants give a more natural environment for the fish.


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## choob99 (Aug 9, 2010)

Java Fern and Java Moss are VERY easy to keep and they help provide insuforia for fry to feed on and provide hiding places as well, both will live and slowly grow in low light and no ferts.


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## Pilot00 (Jul 24, 2012)

Moss









and Fern


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## Pixielator (Jul 22, 2012)

Thanks for the pictures Pilot.

So I'm interested in growing a java moss wall. I saw a tutorial for it on youtube and thought it would be cool to have one (or 2, or 3, or 4, etc..). How long do guys think it would take for the moss to have grown enough so that there are no gaps in it and it has completely covered the entire wall? Also if you know any, what are the cons of having a java moss wall in a tank?


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## Pilot00 (Jul 24, 2012)

I tried to do that, and well it didnt turn out well (completely newbie i am though, through and through with these things) it got brown inside the mess. I have them in larger messes now in the substrate, not touching it above it. And they seem to grow back now. But it takes time. 

My advice (as a newbie so it might be an error) is to let it acclimate a bit in the tank free and let it grow. Once it starts to grow, mess it to the back of the tank.


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