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Guidance on moss trimming . . .

Wookii

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Joined
13 Nov 2019
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4,283
Location
Nottingham
My new tank is growing in nicely, and I think the moss is ready for a trim. I obviously want it to grow more densely, and start spreading along/up/down the wood. This is what is looks like currently after two weeks growth:

upload_2020-1-10_10-47-13.png


upload_2020-1-10_10-47-25.png


upload_2020-1-10_10-47-53.png


So on the Christmas and Java moss, should I just hack this back quite hard and close to the wood to stimulate more growth, or just trim more gently to an average thickness?

And what should I do on the Fissidens? It is also growing nicely and lightening up at the ends, so how should I trim this to encourage it to grow up the wood and along the rock?
 
Hi all,
That is growing really well.
or just trim more gently to an average thickness?
That one. If you want shorter, but you don't want a uniform look, you can snip off the longer strands (at the base) and plant them somewhere else.

In my experience Java moss is always an untidy grower, so possibly not one for the tidy minded aquarist.

None of mine is now attached to anything and it just forms a large free floating wodge. It is not very attractive, but small fish really like it.
And what should I do on the Fissidens? It is also growing nicely and lightening up at the ends
I wouldn't trim it yet. It always grows in a tuft, although it does spread very slowly low tech.

If you want more coverage you may need to physically move bits to new sites.

cheers Darrel
 
Hi all,
That is growing really well. That one. If you want shorter, but you don't want a uniform look, you can snip off the longer strands (at the base) and plant them somewhere else.

In my experience Java moss is always an untidy grower, so possibly not one for the tidy minded aquarist.

None of mine is now attached to anything and it just forms a large free floating wodge. It is not very attractive, but small fish really like it.I wouldn't trim it yet. It always grows in a tuft, although it does spread very slowly low tech.

If you want more coverage you may need to physically move bits to new sites.

cheers Darrel

Thanks Darrel - I was thinking I could relocate some of the Christmas moss strands that have grown quote well.

On the Fissidens, how does it normally grow new shoots? Does it throw them out from the base of existing strands naturally, or do new shots form where ever it is cut?
 
My advice is place it exactly where you would like it to grow and how you'd like it to grow in the first place. It doesn't always spread or cover evenly on it's own.
I wouldn't trim it yet either, but when it's ready you could use the cuttings to consolidate what you have already to get more even growth, and perhaps more coverage if that's what you want.

For instance, I knew I wanted full and even coverage of moss on the manzi on the RHS, so that's how I attached it. The pic was taken just after it was attached with nylon thread.
48396141151_6353330ef9_b.jpg


Some months later this is what it looked like with little or no trimming. The moss is mini Christmas moss.
49032234018_e66112c132_b.jpg


My scape has since become overgrown and the moss completely left to its own devices and it's still grown fairly evenly...
49248556072_e4ce0380bd_b.jpg
 
My advice is place it exactly where you would like it to grow and how you'd like it to grow in the first place. It doesn't always spread or cover evenly on it's own.
I wouldn't trim it yet either, but when it's ready you could use the cuttings to consolidate what you have already to get more even growth, and perhaps more coverage if that's what you want.

For instance, I knew I wanted full and even coverage of moss on the manzi on the RHS, so that's how I attached it. The pic was taken just after it was attached with nylon thread.
48396141151_6353330ef9_b.jpg


Some months later this is what it looked like with little or no trimming. The moss is mini Christmas moss.
49032234018_e66112c132_b.jpg


My scape has since become overgrown and the moss completely left to its own devices and it's still grown fairly evenly...
49248556072_e4ce0380bd_b.jpg

Thanks Tim. That moss growth in your images is something to behold!

Given what you and Darrel have said, it seems I was a little mistaken in assuming that the moss would just naturally self propagate all over the wood from a single position.

.I think my best plan of attack then is to just let it grow some more, and then when I trim, I will save some larger pieces, partially drain the tank and selectively glue them onto clear spaces on the wood, This should then gradually cover it over time. Where there is a bushy section just on the top side of the wood, I guess I could also just wrap it up with fishing line so it wraps underneath too.

Lesson learned on this one for me I think. Next time I'll tie it all on out of the tank before assembling the hardscape. That should eliminate all the nasty white glue marks too!
 
Hi all,
Given what you and Darrel have said, it seems I was a little mistaken in assuming that the moss would just naturally self propagate all over the wood from a single position.
Fissidens will spread, over time it will creep all along a piece of wood, but very slowly.

I've found little tufts growing on old Bolbitis leaves etc where I assume a fragment has got caught, attached and then started to grow.

cheers Darrel
 
Hi all, Fissidens will spread, over time it will creep all along a piece of wood, but very slowly.

I've found little tufts growing on old Bolbitis leaves etc where I assume a fragment has got caught, attached and then started to grow.

cheers Darrel

Thanks Darrel. I guess my problem with the Fissidens is visualising/understanding how it grows in order to spread. Currently it seems that each individual stem/tuft just grows upwards/outwards in a linear fashion. Does it actually throw out new stems/tufts at the base where it is attached to the wood or rock then?
 
Hi all,
Thanks Darrel. I guess my problem with the Fissidens is visualising/understanding how it grows in order to spread. Currently it seems that each individual stem/tuft just grows upwards/outwards in a linear fashion. Does it actually throw out new stems/tufts at the base where it is attached to the wood or rock then?
I don't trim my moss, so a lot of it is detached (even the Fissidens), and in the Fissidens (both attached and detached) most individual strands are quite long and non-branched.

It definitely does throw out new "shoots" at the edge of the clumps, but low tech. this is a fairly slow process.

cheers Darrel
 
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