spiky moss. Does it ever attach?

[gmartins]

Hey,

I just ordered some spiky moss but now I am reading that this particular moss never really attaches to anything. Does anyone has experience with this moss? Is this true?

Many thanks

GM

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
If it is the Taxiphyllum sp from Aquamoss <Aquatic Moss. How to grow Aquatic Moss. Info on Java Moss, Christmas Moss, Taiwan Moss, Peacock Moss, Stringy Moss> it definitely attaches to wood using DSM. A lot of mosses won't attach very well under water, even if they grow well.

cheers Darrel

 

[gmartins]

Hi Darrel,

thanks for your quick reply.

It's the Taxiphyllum sp spiky (2127) from Tropica. It looks like the one you posted.

I will use DSM then

cheers

GM

 

[zanguli-ya-zamba]

Hi maybe you should read the thread about george farmer DSM where he use the blender and yogurt methods for attaching moss on wood or rocks ! For me it s giving the more natural effect for moss ! Sorry for my English lol

Let me look at that thread and i will put the link


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

maybe you should read the thread about george farmer DSM where he use the blender and yogurt methods for attaching moss on wood or rocks

It worked really well, but I don' think you'll need to do this for Taxiphyllum species. The moss will produce rhizoids (root-like structures) which will attach the moss to any rough damp surfaces. You could just tease the fronds out and lie them on the wet wood surfaces. Cotton would probably help to ensure a good contact, but you could remove it once they've attached.

If you wanted to try covering a larger area the "blender and yoghurt" method should work.

cheers Darrel

 

[gmartins]

Hi maybe you should read the thread about george farmer DSM where he use the blender and yogurt methods for attaching moss on wood or rocks ! For me it s giving the more natural effect for moss ! Sorry for my English lol

Let me look at that thread and i will put the link

I've been following

No worries about the english... I'm a non-native myself.

Not sure about the blending though. I am also using Fissidens but I think I prefer the two species on specfic places... but that's some food for thought.

It worked really well, but I don' think you'll need to do this for Taxiphyllum species. The moss will produce rhizoids (root-like structures) which will attach the moss to any rough damp surfaces. You could just tease the fronds out and lie them on the wet wood surfaces. Cotton would probably help to ensure a good contact, but you could remove it once they've attached.

If you wanted to try covering a larger area the "blender and yoghurt" method should work.

Many thanks Darrel. I though all moss species had rhizoids. After all true aquatic mosses are not pelagic species and since most of them are in fact terrestrial... But then I read somewhere that this particular species never attached to anything... hence the question.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I thought all moss species had rhizoids

Good point, they probably do. If you look at this picture (not mine, and I'm not sure which moss) it shows better what I meant, that the rhizoids from along the main axis will attach to the wet substrate in DSM.

Even an aquatic moss like Fontinalis antipyretica (below) will naturally grow as long streamers, which don't attach. I assume a major method of propagation is for these stems to eventually be detached, and then caught in gaps in rocks etc down-stream where growth, and presumably re-attachment, will re-commence.

cheers Darrel

 

[LondonDragon]

Not sure which moss I have in this tank, had so many in there over the years! But it attaches pretty well to rocks:

I can send you a sample if you interested in trying it out!

 

[gmartins]

Even an aquatic moss like Fontinalis antipyretica (below) will naturally grow as long streamers, which don't attach. I assume a major method of propagation is for these stems to eventually be detached, and then caught in gaps in rocks etc down-stream where growth, and presumably re-attachment, will re-commence.

This happens with marine macroalgae as well. For instance, most Sargassum spp. (if not all) cast their upper portion of the thallus away. This is boyant to increase dispersal and in theory will release the gametes somewhere else... however, they still retain a small portion attached to the orginal position (the holdfast). This will regrow the next growing season. This is probably the same situation you described with the F. antipyretica.

Marine algae are similar to mosses in that they also only have rizhoids (or a holdfast in the case of fucales).

I can send you a sample if you interested in trying it out!

That is a nice looking moss in deed. Let me have a try with this one first. If I fail I will claim the offer later

cheers

GM

 

[AshleyAttwood]

Hey can any one help me with some free plants cuttings and moss would highly appreciate it.