Do axies like moss balls?

[Erzs]

My lotls seem to like them! I don't know if it's just because it's something new so a bit exciting or what but Arbie looked to be making a little den with them last night!

During the day they seem to just wander around them and on occasion give them a nudge or a sniff.

But at night when they are most active (actually it was 6am I caught them) they were swimming around and floating down on to them. I'm happy to have them. =]

 

[JWERNER]

Maybe they're catching stuff before the filter does. I've noticed when I've kept them with shrimp, they really like picking at them and I've heard its because they catch things. But mine always pick up sand.

Exactly. They can get any micro particles and fine detritus in them pretty easy, especially in a tank with some current.

 

[melfly]

Shrimp keep the mossballs really clean and fluffy looking!

Mel

 

[allegoriest]

For the American guys here, a certain chain store that starts with pets and ends with mart (or starts with pet and ends with smart depending on your side) seems to have them in stock lately. At least, they've had them locally all spring/summer anyway. And theirs are pretty nice from what I've seen. $7 or 8 for a decently sized one.

The they've had at mine have been bright/dark green and fairly solid and clear. I've seen way too many at certain other places that were tiny and seemed to have their own slime coat for more money.

Just keep this in mind: if you're paying for algae, it better be pretty, and, generally, the pretty ones are the healthy ones. (And no, it doesn't spread into algae of terror.)

 

[Morrison]

Ooh they really sound like fu-un in a tank. I was looking for some today but they were sold out. -_-'

 

[JWERNER]

For the American guys here, a certain chain store that starts with pets and ends with mart (or starts with pet and ends with smart depending on your side) seems to have them in stock lately. At least, they've had them locally all spring/summer anyway. And theirs are pretty nice from what I've seen. $7 or 8 for a decently sized one.

The they've had at mine have been bright/dark green and fairly solid and clear. I've seen way too many at certain other places that were tiny and seemed to have their own slime coat for more money.

Just keep this in mind: if you're paying for algae, it better be pretty, and, generally, the pretty ones are the healthy ones. (And no, it doesn't spread into algae of terror.)

Where are you located? To my experience that chain and the other chain like it:bowl: are the ones most notorious for passing off fake ones.

 

[allegoriest]

Where are you located? To my experience that chain and the other chain like it:bowl: are the ones most notorious for passing off fake ones.

I live in south/central Texas, and I haven't seen any of the fakes here. In fact, everytime I've been and ask them for one, they take it out, squeeze the water, and explain it to me surprisingly well each time. I have yet to see a fake there, but another certain store I've heard friends telling me they've seen fakes there. (Maybe I've been exceedingly lucky to find a place that can feed my marimo addiction.)

Actually, I didn't see fakes at the other one last time I went. I just saw really really sad marimo for $10. Slimy nickel sized ones.

If you're scared though, just ask them to squeeze it. Everytime I've bought one in person they do that, and you'll probably be able to tell if its fake or not, though I've never seen a fake that actually looks like a marimo anyway.


...Though, I'd buy a good fake anyway, cause I can't find any java moss that isn't brown.

 

[animalloversfb]

Where are you located? To my experience that chain and the other chain like it:bowl: are the ones most notorious for passing off fake ones.

The Smart one just started carrying them recently in the past several months. I work there and the ones we have are definitely not fake and are surprisingly healthy(healthier than any of the other plants we stock, but maybe its just because they're hardier) and of good size. Like allegoriest said, they squeeze them out as they put it in the bag to take home...if you find a fake one that they're selling as real, please report it.

 

[dazkeirle]

unfortunately he cost to ship the gigantic moss bals fromt he states proves almost as expensive as the balls themselves.

Unfortunately this has lead to me having to scrap plans on importing a load as the cost would be around £25 each!

Luckily I was moaning about this on a planted forum and a guy there said he was taking down his moss tank and had three balls I may be interested in, all 3 larger than 3" across (so can be classed as gigantic) and he's give me all 3 for £15.

I'm going to go and collect later so will post pictures. Certainly a huge amount cheaper, lets see if they are the real deal.

These will be my 18th moss balls now, lol.

 

[Morrison]

Ooh! I finally found a place nearby where I can buy them! And they're huge enough for my axie tank

My male axie likes round things. I also spotted him playing with his ping pong ball and I tried to make a picture but he started to move so now he's only standing with one leg on it... He was standing on it with... 3 or so. Well, at least he was trying to... His body is just too big to stand on a thing that small. Lol.

 

[allegoriest]

Clearly, he's practicing for the axie world cup. (Are they all for team Mexico? Or is he team leucistic? I have no idea. Maybe for your home team. Who knows. I don't know how the axie world cup works.)


If they're on a planted forum, I hope they would know the difference. But it would probably be plant forum ULTIMATE SHAME to fake someone out on a plant purchase, so its probably a good one. (I'm hoping it is anyway. Cause, that wouldn't be fun if not.)

Just to be safe, I'd always say 'marimo' since technically, a ping pong ball with java moss IS a 'moss ball.' And if you get something else, well, they lied and were a bad bad seller.


<--- marimo that's happy to have found a home with you~

 

[dazkeirle]

absolutely, marimo is very different to java, not that java doesn't have it's place or isn't particularly nice on bogwood etc.

Anyway got my three mahoosive Marimo balls yesterday. One at 3" and two more at 4-5".

The larger are still expanding as had been stored cmpressed for me.

 

[Sean1364]

For the American guys here, a certain chain store that starts with pets and ends with mart (or starts with pet and ends with smart depending on your side) seems to have them in stock lately. At least, they've had them locally all spring/summer anyway. And theirs are pretty nice from what I've seen. $7 or 8 for a decently sized one.

The they've had at mine have been bright/dark green and fairly solid and clear. I've seen way too many at certain other places that were tiny and seemed to have their own slime coat for more money.

Just keep this in mind: if you're paying for algae, it better be pretty, and, generally, the pretty ones are the healthy ones. (And no, it doesn't spread into algae of terror.)

Got mine at Petsmart. They're real, and they're high quality. They cost 5-8 dollars, average of about 7. Highly recommended.