About the species

Java moss is the hobby's most widely used moss and one of the toughest aquatic plants there is — it makes almost no demands at all. The shoots are irregularly branched and fresh green, and the mat grows three to ten centimetres thick. The species comes from South East Asia and takes hold on practically any surface.

Facts

• Latin name: Taxiphyllum barbieri 'Bogor 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 stone in aquarium water and set it in place. It can be moved freely whenever you want to change the layout, and can also be stacked against other hardscape.

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 pre-grown on a lava stone. The porous stone gives the roots an excellent hold and at the same time plenty of room for beneficial bacteria. Placed straight into the aquarium, with no planting.

Recommendation

The moss we recommend first for shrimp tanks and breeding aquariums: shrimp graze the biofilm and newly hatched young find shelter inside the mat. It is also perfect for hiding hoses and filter intakes.