Moss Ball?

[It's Me]

I was at my lfs today and saw a "moss ball" It is the first one I had seen so I decided I would give it a try in one of my tanks. I got it home and did some research. I don't think its a moss ball, well at least not the type I thought it was. Here are some pictures. it is held down with a weight, and will float if not anchored. What is this exactly? I don't know if I should keep it here or move it to a different tank. Thanks for the help

 

[arowana man]

it looks like a ball of moss. lol.

 

[It's Me]

Yes, but what type of moss?

 

[hamato_yoshii]

I dont know what it is, but it's kinda cool.

 

[bigspizz]

Is it squishy? How much was it? They do float at first but should sink. Looks like a true moss ball to me. Sometimes they are hand made..Maybe that is what you have...

 

[It's Me]

it is hard, it was 15.00, and it looks like it was man made. There is a really fine net around the ball all tied together to the fishing line attached to an anchor. It almost looks like little ferns to me. In the store they had a few all floating at different levels. They reminded me of WWII mines.

 

[fishy fishy fishy fish]

I envy you... I have read up on these quite a bit. It seems they were first found in some lake in Japan. "a national treasure" and they rise and sink depending on how much nitrogen or maybe oxygen it has in it (plants convert nitrogen to oxy). It should be round and rise and sink of its own accord (no strings) also they grow bigger. Larger ones can also be spilt apart to make more and within 6-8 weeks look like smaller versions of the same.
So to answer I would leave it and maybe do some very careful removing of its plastic house so it can get bigger. However if it is "man made" I would also have a needle and thread to put it back in the house.

 

[bigspizz]

I envy you... I have read up on these quite a bit. It seems they were first found in some lake in Japan. "a national treasure" and they rise and sink depending on how much nitrogen or maybe oxygen it has in it (plants convert nitrogen to oxy). It should be round and rise and sink of its own accord (no strings) also they grow bigger. Larger ones can also be spilt apart to make more and within 6-8 weeks look like smaller versions of the same.
So to answer I would leave it and maybe do some very careful removing of its plastic house so it can get bigger. However if it is "man made" I would also have a needle and thread to put it back in the house.

lol! I agree...I am going to say man made. The real ones will have no plastic and be squishy.

 

[tsnipe]

I have a moss ball and it doesn't have any netting around it, it is round and looks great in my planted tank, it sinks to the bottom and I have had it for about 5 months now and all is well, I like it as it's different and very green.