About the species

Taiwan moss grows horizontally and hangs downwards, rather like a miniature version of Weeping moss, with finely branched shoots. It forms thin, elegant curtains rather than dense cushions and lends depth to a layout. The exact identity of the moss is still unsettled, and it may in time be moved to the genus Isopterygium.

Facts

• Latin name: Taxiphyllum alternans 'Taiwan Moss'
• Plant type: Moss
• Origin: Asia
• Height: 3–10 cm
• Growth rate: Medium
• Position: Wood and stone

Light requirement

Low light requirement. It manages with the lighting that comes with most aquariums and is happy in partial shade behind or beneath taller plants. Strong lighting does not harm it, but raises the risk of algae on the leaves because the plant cannot use all the available light.

CO₂ & nutrition

Manages entirely without added CO₂, which makes it as suitable for a simple aquarium as for an aquascape. Liquid carbon or injected CO₂ speeds up growth but is never a requirement. Dose an all-round fertiliser with iron and micronutrients every week.

Planting

Moss should never be planted in the substrate. Spread it in a thin layer over a piece of wood or a stone and secure it with thread, mesh or a few drops of plant glue. A thin layer knits together far more attractively than a thick clump, which easily rots from beneath.

Rinse the portion gently in aquarium water and divide it between several spots — it then covers a considerably larger area than if everything is tied down in one place.

Care & propagation

Trim the moss with scissors a few times a year and it holds its shape and grows denser instead of getting long and straggly. Pieces that come loose can be tied onto the next stone — that is all there is to propagating it. Siphon out debris that collects in the moss when you change water.

Position in the aquarium

It grows on hardscape rather than in the substrate, so it can be placed anywhere in the aquarium — on a piece of wood, a stone or a back wall. That makes it as useful in the foreground as high up in the layout.

Difficulty level

🟢 Easy — grows in most aquariums without CO₂ and under ordinary lighting.

Delivery format

Delivered as a portion of roughly one decilitre from our own cultivation. Because it is grown in our own aquariums it is used to the same conditions it is going to, and it has never been in contact with pesticides.

Recommendation

It shows itself at its best on branching wood or a vertical stone where the shoots can hang freely, and it is an obvious choice for a moss wall. A little extra light and a touch of CO₂ give denser branching.