# Pet Store Plants: Bulbs and marimo moss balls



## Joey Fish (Jan 26, 2014)

I have been browsing our local pet stores, for planted tank ideas, I was wondering what people knew about the "guarenteed to grow bulbs" and marimo moss balls.


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## Mommagalicia (Dec 30, 2013)

I have some of those bulbs sitting in water in a window right now. I'm glad I did not put them in the tank as suggested because they grew mold which is appearantly very common. It's been nearly a month and I will be contacting the company soon for replacements.
I ordered a marimo moss ball online and it should be arriving tomorrow. I have heard nothing but good things about the moss balls. I can't wait till I can put it in my tank and hopefully my boy will play with it!


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## Joey Fish (Jan 26, 2014)

Thanks I bought the bulbs as well, but I lost the receipt. Thanks for the moss ball info, they look great, I just didnt know if they could be trusted


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## johnnymillenium (Feb 15, 2013)

I have a moss ball and I think they're great. I've had no problems with it what so ever. looks so cute too! ^.^ 
Don't know about the bulbs tho, never tried them. I don't really trust the idea of them being in the tank with my fish. However outside in the garden bulbs are great.


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## Joey Fish (Jan 26, 2014)

alright, I was definetely a skeptic about the moss, but they do look great.


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## kittenfish (Dec 1, 2013)

I bought a pack of 4 bulbs which actually contained 6. 3 of them grew, which isn't too bad. They can take a long time to start growing. The problem with the guarantee, at least on my pack, is they want you to mail them the bulbs that didn't grow and also pay for shipping for the new bulbs. Ends up costing as much as a new pack.


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## Joey Fish (Jan 26, 2014)

Ok, did they look good after they grew?


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## Joey Fish (Jan 26, 2014)

Oh and how did you get em to grow?


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## relaxedcrazyman (Dec 19, 2013)

i can vouch for the bulbs causing fungus/mold. three sets, 3 different tanks. All got fungus/mold. It seems i have has the worst effects of the 3 tanks. The fungus/mold has spread to other parts of my tank in the span of a weekend. AVOID!

the moss balls are awesome, they look great and my betta loves moving them around. and depending on the size of it, they sometimes like to rest on it


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## Joey Fish (Jan 26, 2014)

thanks it sounds like they are a real joy to have, and not just a petstore scam


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## meganlbetta (Nov 25, 2012)

I love my moss balls!!!!! you will love them! most you have to do is roll them around haha!


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## relaxedcrazyman (Dec 19, 2013)

the moss balls are great, and the plants in a tube have survived pretty well. with the tube ones, make sure to get all the gel/crap off the roots before going in tank. some of their plants are grown above water, so when going into aquatic mode, they might die off a bit then come back. i would def read up on the plants before purchasing, i have heard of cases where the plants are not completely aquatic and then just end up dying. good luck


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## isntanything (Dec 9, 2013)

I can't recommend moss balls enough. Super easy to keep, don't care about lighting, and do good work in the tank. 

I don't do live plants because they seem like too much hassle, but moss balls are nothing but fun.


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## Joey Fish (Jan 26, 2014)

Ok that sounds great, and I care for a few live plants myself, and with research and care its not as hard as you might think.


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## kittenfish (Dec 1, 2013)

Joey Fish said:


> Ok, did they look good after they grew?


I ended up with one onion plant and two aponogetons, I'm not sure what kind, maybe natans. The onion was way too big for my tank, so I gave it away and it quickly died. Not the bulb's fault. The aponogetons have reproduced like crazy and now I have them all over my tank. They also get pretty huge. I didn't do anything special to grow them, just stuck them halfway in the gravel and waited.


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## TheFishyFoxy (Nov 9, 2013)

I bought a pack of Aponogetons and 2 out of 3 grew. I can't remember how much they cost, but it was a pretty good deal, I think. They are really nice if they do sprout. I find they like some extra light, and sprouted when they were placed closer to a window. 
Be careful if they do sprout, they grow really tall, and you can't trim the leaves either! Mine are at least a foot tall and still sprouting leaves.


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## Joey Fish (Jan 26, 2014)

Sweet guys thanks. I will try a new pack of bulbs and a moss ball. Hopefully it turns out great.


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## Joey Fish (Jan 26, 2014)

What are the moss balls made of inside? Is it just moss, or is it wrapped around a ball of something?


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## isntanything (Dec 9, 2013)

They are actually a type of algae, not moss.

The authentic Japanese ones are naturally shaped into a ball by years of growth at the bottom of certain lakes. I suspect most of the moss balls that are produced commercially are shaped that way by hand.


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## Joey Fish (Jan 26, 2014)

Oh. Cool thanks, in the tank, do they just act like all other plants and keep it clean?


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## isntanything (Dec 9, 2013)

They grow very slowly, so they won't absorb a huge amount of ammonia, but they help keep other algae down by out-competing it, and they do provide a large surface area for beneficial bacteria.

So overall they do good things in the tank.


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## Joey Fish (Jan 26, 2014)

Sweet they sound great. You mentioned that it is algae, what will otos do to it if they encounter one?


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## isntanything (Dec 9, 2013)

They won't do anything much. Some types of algae (including moss balls) are too tough for fish to eat.


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## Joey Fish (Jan 26, 2014)

Thanks, i didnt want my otos to make a meal out of it.


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