Hello. What do you know about care of marimo balls. And their effects in tanks (?) Or to fish, like which fish are best with them. Sorry if this sounded weirdly worded
Okay first off I want to express how much I freaking love marimo okay like if they had the ability to do even the tiniest thing on their own they would be my favorite thing in the world. I love them.
On that note, there is nothing that makes me as sad as a marimo dying.
Marimo are kind of the pet rock or even bonsai tree of the hobby. They’re a bit expensive, but I’ll tell you what, the one you have is quite likely to be older than you! They grow VERY VERY slowly, and are known to live for hundreds of years! Having one die to me is much like felling a sequoia redwood.
They’re also called cladophora, and get “Marimo” from the Japanese, which is where most are from. They’re actually not a moss, but an adorable little algae that has been rolled up by minimal currents so that no matter which way it’s laying, it gets an even amount of light. This means they like to have a little current, but do just fine if you swirl them in a jar (where they can happily live) every few days.
They prefer colder water, so I don’t recommend keeping them in a betta or tropical tank. If that’s what you would like to do, go ahead as I believe they’re safe with any fish (except maybe goldfish and other heavy herbivores but don’t quote me on that)- just make sure you take them out once a week or so and give them a chill in the fridge!
A lot of sources say they like low light, but I’ve had them thrive in vibrant windowsills or higher light tanks. Just keep an eye on it- the brighter green the happier it is.
Others say they love an occasional seltzer bath, but I’ve never attempted one.
In short:
Love and cherish the innocent things
Give them cool water (or occasionally refrigerate them)
Low-ish light
Any container with clean, dechlorinated water (with weekly water changes)
Friend to all, especially shrimp and axolotl
I hope this was what you’re looking for!
Have a wonderful day!!!
(All my photos and my edits, please don’t take or use without permission)
Dama Cherepaha 