Best Aquarium Moss & Buyers Guide

Characteristics

• Water hardness: soft and hard water
• Temperature: 57-86 degrees Fahrenheit
• Lighting: low light to bright light
• Rate of growth: moderate to fast
• Anchoring needs: self-attaching, but you can use a cotton thread or a thin fishing line to attach them to the position you want.
• PH range: 6.0-7.5

Java moss has an excellent reputation overall. It is the most widespread on the market. It also has the reputation of being the most versatile and undemanding when it comes to maintenance.

There are many reasons why Java moss is preferred amongst others, but the main reason is that it is hard to kill. Once attached, it’s almost impossible to degrade or die. That is because it will grow in nearly every water and light conditions.

When it comes to lighting conditions, it grows best in medium lighting, but low or high lighting is okay. It has a relatively moderate to fast growth rate, and that’s why it needs pruning from time to time.

Java moss is excellent for decorating, but it also provides a safe place for spawning and shelter for your fish or shrimps. It is self-attaching, and you can create lots of shapes with it. You can attach it to a cave entrance and let it hang, place it upright on driftwood, or create a moss wall, and even little bushes or a moss carpet. Its bright green color gives your environment a natural look. You could definitely decorate your whole tank with it, then trim it and shape it however you want.

This batch of Java moss comes in a cup that measures around 2.5 inches. Don’t be fooled – at first, it might not seem like much, but when you take it out of the cup, you soon realize that it’s plenty. This generous amount might be sufficient for your tank if you don’t plan on decorating all of it with only the Java moss.

Characteristics

• Water hardness: low
• Temperature: 68-82 degrees Fahrenheit
• Lighting: low to medium lighting
• Rate of growth: slow to moderate
• Anchoring needs: self-attaching, use any thread to attach it to any substrate. Attach it to hard surfaces like wood or stone.
• PH range: 6.0-7.5

Flame moss has an attractive appearance, and that what sets it apart from other popular mosses. This one grows upwards, and its swirling shoots create a shape that resembles flames.

This type of moss doesn’t demand much attention. However, you should know a few things about it if you want to see it thriving.

Flame moss grows best when it’s fully submerged in water, so feel free to decorate your tank however you want. If it’s emersed, it will grow slower, so if you’re going to see its full potential, try to keep it fully submerged in water. Also, when it’s fully submerged, it can grow up to 3-4 inches long.

Just like Java moss, Flame moss doesn’t require special lighting conditions. It can grow in low to medium light just fine. Pay attention not to flood your tank with bright light, as too much can cause an algae bloom.

When it comes to temperature, between 68-82 degrees Fahrenheit is considered acceptable. It doesn’t require any special attention, like a heater, to stay alive and grow.

It can also grow on any hard surface, like wood or stone. Its dark green color and thick bunch formation can add interest to any aquarium.

Flame moss is self-attaching. It has a short adaptation period of maximum two weeks, so you shouldn’t encounter any problems when you place it underwater for the first time.

This ready to use Flame moss is excellent, as it comes already attached to a stainless-steel mesh. The pad size is 3″ X 3″, and you can use it as it is to create a live carpet/wall, or you can attach it to your various hard-surfaced decors using a fish line or even glue.

This dense bunch will eventually grow into even thicker bushes, giving your aquarium a beautiful foreground with lush green colors.

Be careful and don’t keep your algae-eating fish or moss eating shrimps in a flame moss decorated tank, as they consider it a treat.

Characteristics

• Water hardness: low to medium
• Temperature: 68-77 degrees Fahrenheit
• Lighting: low to medium lighting
• Rate of growth: slow to moderate
• Anchoring needs: can be left free-floating, or attached to various surfaces
• PH range: 6.0-7.5

This moss is also relatively widespread and accessible, so you shouldn’t have much trouble finding it. What is really special about this moss type is its appearance. Its leaves are growing in a pattern that resembles evergreen trees. Hence, its name “Christmas moss”.

This moss is great to have, as it doesn’t need much attention and care. It has a low to moderate growth rate, even with the help of fertilizer. It grows best when it’s fully submerged in water.

When it comes to lighting conditions, it prefers low to moderate light. Continuous bright light might cause algae formation, and that’s something you don’t want to see in your aquarium.

The temperature should be kept between 68-77 degrees if you want to see your Christmas moss thrive.

Its bushy and dark green appearance is mostly used as a carpet or a wall. It looks great in any aquarium, it’s easy to care for, and it creates beautiful scenery in any setting.

This quantity proves larger than expected, especially for being squeezed into a cup. The Christmas moss arrives in a cup and takes about a full palm size when you take it out of the packaging. That is more than enough for decorating your aquarium.

You can let it free-floating, or you can tie it to rocks or wood decorations. It should adapt pretty fast as well. If you have any trouble the first three days, you can send it back and receive a brand new one or a full refund, as it has a three-day guarantee.

When it comes to aquarium plants, the Christmas moss is one of the best you can get. It is easy to care for. It doesn’t require any special conditions; it’s visually pleasing and easy to find.

Characteristics

• Water hardness: low to medium
• Temperature: 59-86 degrees Fahrenheit
• Lighting: low to medium lighting
• Rate of growth: fast
• Anchoring needs: Free-floating, has no roots, it can be attached using wire
• PH range: 6.0-8.0

This fascinating aquatic plant is both intriguing and beautiful, mainly because it’s not precisely a moss. It’s actually a livewort, and it has a stunningly vivid green color that can brighten up any tank décor.

It has grown approximately one inch tall, and it’s mainly used as a ground-covering carpet. It also has a relatively fast growth pace, so it needs regular trimming.

Crystalworth is naturally found floating in ponds and slow-moving streams. So, it’s a plant that likes to float. If you want to attach it to stones or wood, just know that it doesn’t grow roots. Considering its fast growth rate, it can detach itself and float around in your tank once it reaches enough growth. That’s why it’s regarded as a high-maintenance plant. You could attach it to a mesh and use it as a carpet, wall, or you can place it all over your aquarium in bunches.

With this deal, you get three packs of 4×6 cm, which might seem like a small bunch, but you can propagate them in water, as they tend to grow fast. Tie them wherever you feel they look good, put them in a mesh base, or let them float freely, and make sure you offer them enough light to thrive.

Characteristics

• Water hardness: low
• Temperature: best between 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit, but it can stand higher temperatures
• Lighting: low to medium lighting
• Rate of growth: moderate to fast
• Anchoring needs: it needs anchoring to gravel, rocks, driftwood
• PH range: 5.0-6.0

This is a beautiful overhanging pant that adds diversity to your tank’s décor. The name comes from its resemblance to a real-life willow. It needs anchoring to grow, but it’s versatile. You can attach it on top of caves and watch its branches hang over them; you can put it on driftwood and even on gravel.

Its bright green hanging shoots need regular trimming. It prefers a more acidic environment, so keep your water’s Ph between 5.0 and 6.0.

It is a tricky aquatic plant, as it can quickly develop algae, so be careful with bright lighting. It thrives in low to medium lighting. It also requires a few days to adapt to its environment, so be patient.

It also needs more CO2 than other mosses in order to grow.

You can buy it in a cup, which is more than enough to get started. Make sure you anchor it properly and wash it thoroughly before placing it in your tank.

It also comes with a three-day guarantee, so if anything happens to it, or you see browner then green, you can easily request another one.

Characteristics

• Water hardness: low (soft)
• Temperature: best between 59-77 degrees Fahrenheit
• Lighting: low to medium lighting
• Rate of growth: moderate to fast
• Anchoring needs: it easily attaches to most substrates
• PH range: 6.0-8.0

This is another beautiful-looking moss. With its bright green leaves when it’s growing, turning into olive-green when it reaches the plateau, this is one of the best aquarium mosses that you can decorate with.

Its leaves form specific and precise patterns. It can reach up to 5 inches, and it can create dome shapes that look beautiful.

In terms of water hardness, it prefers soft water. Be careful with temperature, as it cannot stand too high temperatures. Keep it between 59-77 degrees, or else it can start browning and eventually die.

Keep your bright light away, too, as it doesn’t need it. It can grow in low to medium lighting conditions. Bright light can rapidly start the browning process.

So, it’s a bit sensitive to temperature and light, but other than that, it’s suitable even for beginner hobbyists. You can create a carpet or attach it higher on rocks to create the dome effect.

Here you can get it in pads. It comes already attached to a stainless-steel mesh, so all you have to do is wash it with dechlorinated water and place it at the bottom of your tank to create a carpet or wherever you think it’s suitable.

Characteristics

• Water hardness: soft to hard
• Temperature: 40-80 degrees Fahrenheit, but it can withstand higher temperatures
• Lighting: low to bright
• Rate of growth: slow to moderate
• Anchoring needs: it can float or be anchored to various substrates
• PH range: 5.0-8.0

If you are looking for something both beautiful and easy to keep healthy, this livewort is what you need. This undemanding aquatic plant can withstand harsh conditions and doesn’t require much attention.

Being a livewort, it doesn’t have leaves – they are called thallus. Each one divides into fork branches, creating a cushion shape. It’s versatile and carefree, so feel free to anchor it or let it float freely in your tank.

Its dark green color is great to use as an accent in your aquarium. It can grow in smaller clumps or even longer ribbons, and it anchors to most substrates.

This portion is 1.6″ x 2.4,” and it’s perfect to start decorating with it. Keep in mind that Pellia tends to be brittle, so pieces can break off if you are not handling it with care. Place it in your tank and attach it to stones.

Characteristics

• Water hardness: soft to medium
• Temperature: 73-86 degrees Fahrenheit
• Lighting: medium to bright
• Rate of growth: slow
• Anchoring needs: it can be anchored above the water
• PH range: 5.0-7.5

 This mainly star-shaped moss is definitely not for everyone, but it’s gorgeous and unique. It is not natively waterborne, so if you decide to fully submerge it in water, unfortunately, it will not live a long life. This aquatic plant needs a shallow water tank or some kind of terrain, rock, or wood that extends above the water.

Its appearance varies depending on its water accessibility. When it’s fully dry, the leaves gather around the stem, and they change their colors from green to brownish-red.

Characteristics

• Water hardness: soft
• Temperature: 53-86 degrees Fahrenheit
• Lighting: low to medium
• Rate of growth: slow
• Anchoring needs: anchor it on driftwood
• PH range: 5.0-8.0

This bright green moss can grow into thick clusters, and the best news is that it doesn’t need to be fully submerged to thrive. As long as it has access to water, it will survive and grow.

It grows horizontally rather than vertically in a triangle-shape. It’s perfect for carpeting, and it can withstand harsh temperatures. It doesn’t need special conditions to grow. In fact, it’s fairly easy to maintain.

It has a slow growth pace, and it only needs moderate lighting, but it can survive with minimal lighting. The number one reason why it’s popular among hobbyists is that it helps reduce algae growth. This moss is perfect to pair with other types that quickly develop algae, as they can thrive together.

This one comes with a stainless-steel mesh that measures 3” x 3”. It can be propagated, and immediately placed into the tank. Use it for carpeting, or anchor it on driftwood and watch it grow.