Signs Of A Dying Moss Ball..?

[AquaPit]

Hi

How do I know whether a Moss/Marimo ball is dying?

I have 3 Moss Balls which are not as green as before and they have turned greenish-brown of some sorts... Are they dying or something can be done to save them?!

Appreciate the help! Tks in advance!

 

[Chad]

They require pretty bright lighting and will brown up and die if they don't get it. They also need higher flow on them and if they don't get it they tend to accumulate other forms of algae on their surface which can cause the browning and die off. Fortunately you can just take a pair of scissors and trip the ball around to remove a little of the outer layer. This will help it to survive after the conditions that caused the issue are corrected.

 

[AquaPit]

They require pretty bright lighting and will brown up and die if they don't get it. They also need higher flow on them and if they don't get it they tend to accumulate other forms of algae on their surface which can cause the browning and die off. Fortunately you can just take a pair of scissors and trip the ball around to remove a little of the outer layer. This will help it to survive after the conditions that caused the issue are corrected.

That's a good piece of advice! Tks!

 

[Chad]

You're welcome. I have 3 of them in my tank. One is huge and requires regular "haircuts". 

 

[stanleo]

What if they are no longer balls? I have two and when shaking them off a detritus they tore and now are not balls but they look like mats on the tank floor. They are still green though and have not lost their color.

 

[Chad]

Well, you've stumbled upon a favorite trick of mine. I like to cut them open, flatten them out, and trim them into a nice shape somewhat like a green on a golf course. This is a quick and easy way to create a carpet of green in your tank. 
 
It will live just fine if it has the right lighting and flow but will not take on a spherical shape again in your tank.

 

[AquaPit]

Well, you've stumbled upon a favorite trick of mine. I like to cut them open, flatten them out, and trim them into a nice shape somewhat like a green on a golf course. This is a quick and easy way to create a carpet of green in your tank. 
 
It will live just fine if it has the right lighting and flow but will not take on a spherical shape again in your tank.

Wow! I can try making it into a carpet! Woohoo! nice trick! haha

 

[Chad]

Yup, you sure can. Often, with regular ground covers they are difficult to deal with. I love the look of them but have always hated having to deal with them. So I experimented with my moss balls to see what I could do. I just pulled one apart with my fingers then used the scissors to shape it and it worked great.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I have one that ripped too.... but I wish it could go back to being round.  LOL

 

[Chad]

Ha! Round requires high flow in a tumbling environment. It's not impossible to create it but much easier to buy a new ball.