Cladophora aegagropila/Marimo Balls

[dpots]

Does anyone have any experience with these "Algae Balls"? They look
interesting and would make a nice display in a plant tank. Is there
any worries to adding this to an established tank? It also looks like
it would be a great addition to a breeding tank.

dpots

[Dave Millman]

dpots wrote:

> Does anyone have any experience with these "Algae Balls"? They look
> interesting and would make a nice display in a plant tank. Is there
> any worries to adding this to an established tank? It also looks like
> it would be a great addition to a breeding tank.

I got mine from www.floridadriftwood.com more than a month ago. They are
just a 3" green ball that occasionally moves around the tank when the
bottom feeders hit it.

No down side at all, unless you consider that one of ouir dogs got pretty
interested when he noticed a ball in the tank. Gave up after a couple
minutes of scratching at the glass.

Karen Randall wrote an article about them, perhaps two years ago. Hers
grew sufficiently for her to split them and share with friends.

[kush]

I had two of then and didn't know what they were. I idiotically siphoned
them up and threw them out in the snow!!

Anyway, neither my pl*cos, otos, guppies, snails or ghosties ate them (not
that I would have noticed, kick me).

LeighMo > wrote in message
...
> >I got mine from www.floridadriftwood.com more than a month ago. They are
> >just a 3" green ball that occasionally moves around the tank when the
> >bottom feeders hit it.
>
> Speaking of bottom feeders...do algae eaters eat this algae? Would I have
> worry about my snails or SAEs or Amano shrimp eating it? They sometimes
eat
> the java moss, but so far, it's growing faster than they can eat it. I'm
not
> sure Cladophora would.
>
>
>
> Leigh
>
> http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

[dpots]

Sounds like they are pretty harmless and interesting. I am going to
give them a try. I'll post my experiences with them in a few months.

(LeighMo) wrote in message >...
> >Does anyone have any experience with these "Algae Balls"? They look
> >interesting and would make a nice display in a plant tank. Is there
> >any worries to adding this to an established tank? It also looks like
> >it would be a great addition to a breeding tank.
>
> I don't have one of these (yet), but I read the article Karen Randall wrote.
> She said they do better in low to moderate lighting. They don't spread, if
> you're worried about algae taking over the tank. They just get bigger. The
> really large algae balls are hollow inside.
>
> They do tend to accumulate mulm. She recommends squeezing them out once in
> awhile, to clean them.
>
>
> Leigh
>
> http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

[Dave Millman]

LeighMo wrote:

> >I got mine from www.floridadriftwood.com more than a month ago. They are
> >just a 3" green ball that occasionally moves around the tank when the
> >bottom feeders hit it.
>
> Speaking of bottom feeders...do algae eaters eat this algae? Would I have
> worry about my snails or SAEs or Amano shrimp eating it? They sometimes eat
> the java moss, but so far, it's growing faster than they can eat it. I'm not
> sure Cladophora would.

Ancistrus, ottos, SAEs, amano shrimp don't eat it. It looks more like moss than
algae. They roll around the bottom of the tank occasionally, which can be
startling. They don't accumulate any more mulm than java moss does.

All in all, pretty innocuous. One of our dogs did get pretty interested when he
saw a ball rolling around on the bottom of the tank, though!

[Craig Morrison]

LeighMo wrote:

> Thanks for the info. I am going to have to try one of these sometime. If only
> because they don't need frequent pruning.


I just bought six of them myself. My loaches play soccer with them. They are
an interesting addition to planted tanks.

If you can, try to talk your LFS into ordering them for you. Florida Driftwood
sells them for $9.50+shipping.. Your LFS should be able to get you a better
price. Mine sold them for $4.99.

[Robert H]

Craig Morrison > wrote in message >...
> LeighMo wrote:
>
> > Thanks for the info. I am going to have to try one of these sometime. If only
> > because they don't need frequent pruning.
>
>
> I just bought six of them myself. My loaches play soccer with them. They are
> an interesting addition to planted tanks.
>
> If you can, try to talk your LFS into ordering them for you. Florida Driftwood
> sells them for $9.50+shipping.. Your LFS should be able to get you a better
> price. Mine sold them for $4.99.

I sell them for $4.50 Order online...ship anywhere in the USA

http://www.aquabotanic.com/shop/en-us/dept_11.html

[E. Mito]

Phyl at www.trueaquariumplants.com also has them:

http://www.trueaquariumplants.com/plants_details.asp?cat=Aquarium&id=366

She's selling hers for $4.99.

Erica
http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/mitoem/mitoem/index.htm