# Help with Marimo Moss Ball



## bettaloco (Aug 20, 2015)

I have a couple of Marimo Moss Ball that everybody recommended as good plants for bettas... but mine are yellowish and I don't know if they are dead and why? or if I should still keep them or if there is anyway to make them get greener.

I tried putting them on ice and added plant fertilizer and got a little bit greener but after that they are yellow again...

Could you look at the photo and tell me if they are aliver or dead? any advice is welcome! thanks!!!


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## AquaPlayz (Aug 14, 2015)

Do you have a light on your tank?
You have to squeeze/rinse them every few weeks in old tank water because they get alot of gunk built up in them, also should turn them over now and then so they get even light.
Marimo balls are a type of algae and plant food could harm them so wouldn't do that pr put them on ice.


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## BubblesTheBlueBetta (Jul 15, 2015)

I think that you should give them a "bath". Run them under cool water and gently squeeze them.


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## bettaloco (Aug 20, 2015)

I have squeezed in and rinsed every week but that color is still weird. I habe them in a talk where they get a lot of light all day.. Are they still alive?


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## AquaPlayz (Aug 14, 2015)

Do you ever use peroxide or algae control products?


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## bettaloco (Aug 20, 2015)

no, I was planning to use algae control but the guy at petco told me that it could kill my plants too.. so I am just cleaning manually my algae... and I added plant fertilizer from Tetra... but I haven't see any improvement... I don't know if the problem is too much ligt or what...


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## AquaPlayz (Aug 14, 2015)

Stop adding the ferts, I've heard some kill algae, which would kill the marimo.
Try that and cut some of the brown off.


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## ErynLyn (Sep 10, 2015)

*i had some of issues myself*

greetings,

sounds like your having the same problems i was. brown sad marimo

i ended up going to a marimo pet care video.. yes.. pet care.. they are kept in little jars in japan as pets.. kinda like rocks.. only moss.

thats where i learned that water movement is key.. they like bubbles and flow.. and a bit of light.

then there are the moss ball groomers.. shrimp.. snails.. algae eaters, or you can trim the brown off with your fingers.

i placed my moss balls close to the bubbles and filter flows and in the last few months im proud to say they have grown in size and are as green as can be. i can honestly say the led tanks look greener then the old bulb style tanks i have.

i had one that was being a bit harder to turn around so i ripped it apart and attached it to some branches under the water flow, its now a deep green bonzi tree, and my waters bang on every time i test due to them being natural bio sponges.

i will see if i can attach some images.

hope this information helps a bit.

*marimo tree*









*giant marimo*









*giant marimo next to fish*









*micro marimo started from torn apart one that is now tree*









*two mid size marimo purchased from petsmart*


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