A Gentle Introduction to Marimo

Marimo Moss (Aegagropila linnaei), a ball shaped moss formation mostly found in Japan, Iceland, Scottland and Estonia was first popularized in Japan in the 1920’s; where it is considered a national treasure. Its popularity, however, caught on quickly around the world with aquarium lovers and now this fantastic spherical algae can be found in homes everywhere.

The Perfect Pet:

Because of its ability to roll around on lake beds and float to the surface of the water in search of sunlight, some people keep them in tanks all on their own, much as one would do with a pet. While these cute mossy balls are alive, they are not really animals.Regardless whether you plan on keeping the Marimo Moss in a tank on its own, as a way to enjoy this exotic type of algae, or whether you intend on adding fish to the tank, you should have in mind the right filter for your aquarium.

Depending of the dimensions of your tank and whether or not there will be fish in the tank, there are many options: For larger aquariums with lots of fish a canister filter can prove to be the best option, and it’s sure to maintain excellent water quality.

However if you are shopping for a filter for a smaller tank, or a tank containing small fish, such as fry, an air driven internal filter will work best. There are also power filters which are the most commonly used aquarium filters based on how easy to use they are. The external power filter, as the name suggests, sits on the back of your aquarium and are ideal for most aquarium sizes and also for a large variety of fish and vegetation. Internal water filters are placed underwater. These provide excellent filtration and water movement since they are generally placed at the bottom of the tanks. Then there’s the under-gravel filter which create conditions which are very favorable for biological filtration, allowing beneficial bacteria to colonize the gravel and efficiently break down waste materials.

However, rest assured that regardless of the tank or type of filter you chose, the Marimo Moss will also do its best to help keep the water in your aquarium clear and it’s sure to produce oxygen and remove ammonia in the water making the Marimo Moss a biological filter of its own.

This odd little vegetation not only is a beautiful addition to any aquarium but also a very beneficial one to any and any type of fish with which it cohabitates.