# Can Marimo Moss balls become infected with different algae?



## Francis the Docile Dragon (Apr 20, 2016)

The algae became so awful, that we had to put Francis in a FEMA tank, and we're starting from scratch.

I would like to know if the Marimo got contaminated w/ the bad algae, and if that's even possible. 

I intend on sticking them in their own FEMA tank, and seeing if anything happens/grows, but if it is known that they are contaminated, I'm not putting them back in Francis' house. I just hate to waste them. 

Thank you very kindly in advance for any information you are able to offer.


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## Aluyasha (Sep 2, 2010)

Do you have any pictures of this algae?


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## Francis the Docile Dragon (Apr 20, 2016)

Aluyasha said:


> Do you have any pictures of this algae?


I'm not sure. 

It was not green. It was a red/brown colour.

I'll see if it was any photos we took when they were still in there.


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## Aluyasha (Sep 2, 2010)

How long was the tank up before it appeared?


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## Francis the Docile Dragon (Apr 20, 2016)

About 2 months, I think.

We had none until we added a plant (in addition to the marimo). Used the light significantly less after adding the plant.


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## Francis the Docile Dragon (Apr 20, 2016)

This was in the beginning. The purple could not be seen in person, only showed up in photographs.

The black part is plastic, and bumpy, which made it SUPER fun. But it was on the glass, too.


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## Aluyasha (Sep 2, 2010)

Could be diatoms, if so they should just disappear over time. They are common with newer setup tanks.


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## Francis the Docile Dragon (Apr 20, 2016)

Thank you.

Do you mean leave it alone, and it goes away, or scrub it all the time and eventually it dies off? 

Honestly, it seemed like the stuff would survive nuclear war.


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## Aluyasha (Sep 2, 2010)

Just keep cleaning and it should eventually stop showing up.
You can also try more water changes, lights on less, and making sure your fish eats all his food.


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## Francis the Docile Dragon (Apr 20, 2016)

We do 50% weekly change, no food left in tank, but do have a snail. 

Reading p on the diatoms - super interesting...


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## Francis the Docile Dragon (Apr 20, 2016)

Yes. It seems they *can *be infected, and reinfest your tank.


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## Shortnsweet (Sep 16, 2015)

Where did you get the marimo moss balls from? And did you QT them when you got them or just add them in?


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## Francis the Docile Dragon (Apr 20, 2016)

Shortnsweet said:


> Where did you get the marimo moss balls from? And did you QT them when you got them or just add them in?


I quarantine *everything*. 

I don't suspect them as being the source. I think a different plant was. Unless they came from the bottled water we use for the tank. The moss balls were in the tank for a good while before this mess started.

I DO, however, believe that they may have REinfested the tank. 

Bought them from Aquatic Arts on Amazon. 

It's totally my fault. 

I took the risk. I shouldn't have. 

I guess if we get rid of it again, and don't but ANYthing back into the tank, that's the only way to know 100% that it's coming from the plastic bumpy backwall, which is my 2nd suspect. But that was dried out, and kept in the dark for a month, so I can't imagine the things lived through that.


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