# Marimo Moss Ball "shedding" everywhere



## FionGleann (Apr 15, 2016)

Hey gang,

I have a five-gallon heated tank with one Betta and a Marimo moss ball. I love the moss ball, but it definitely makes the water "sludgy"; the silk plants and gravel in the tank have gotten a bit green and I regularly have to scrub off tank decorations because they're covered in algae sludge. Is there any way to keep the moss ball in the tank, keep my Betta happy, but prevent this kind of "shedding"? It's not a health problem for the fish, but it's kind of unsightly....

Thank you!


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## ryry2012 (Mar 31, 2015)

I don't think it not marimo's fault. You are getting algae that is not from marimo.


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## FionGleann (Apr 15, 2016)

Grumble. I was hoping it was something more easily addressed. I've go nowhere to put the tank that isn't in direct sunlight at least part of the day.

Thanks!


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## ryry2012 (Mar 31, 2015)

Bigger water changes can reduce algae. 


Ammonia, nitrate, not enough water movement, anything can cause algae. I used to have a tank that didn't have a light in a part of living room where it rarely got direct sunlight. It still got cyanobacteria and diatoms... Algae and pest snails are easiest to thrive and always find way to get into tanks.


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## cakes488 (Dec 2, 2015)

Is the Marimo a new addition to the tank? When I first got my 5 gallon up and running I bought a marimo as well. It looked very skanky in the cup...so I thought I was getting a good deal since I asked for a discount. I brought it home, cleaned it off and plopped it in the tank and it did bring algae into the tank...it was longish and very green.

There is a form of algae that can encompass the Marimo. I tore down the tank and removed the Marimo to his own cup and it didn't happen again. It's now been over a year and I'm still afraid to put the Marimo back in even though there is no longer any sign of this "other algae" that was on the marimo.


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## FionGleann (Apr 15, 2016)

Well that's comforting. At least it's not just me.

I can't get the water moving any faster than it already is because the Betta who lives in the tank is kind of a princess about current. I much prefer scrubbing his decorations every two weeks or so to seeing him tail-bite. Maybe I'll bump the water change ratio a bit and see if that helps clear out the problem....


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## FionGleann (Apr 15, 2016)

Not a new Marimo, but the tank had no algae issues before the Marimo. That's why I assumed the two were linked.


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