# Is this algae? Or is it normal moss growth?



## webcricket (Oct 16, 2006)

I am pretty new to keeping moss, and I started with some Taiwan moss. It's growing well in a low-light 1.8 wpg tank (no CO2 and no ferts). I have noticed all along that the moss has hairs on the underside (became more prominent once the moss acclimated after shipping and started growing). I have assumed these hairs are a normal part of the moss, but now someone I know wants some moss and I want to be sure I'm not giving them some freak algae as well!

As I said, these hairs are only on the underside of the moss fronds and are not spreading at all to other plants or the driftwood the moss is tied to. The moss has been in the tank for 6 weeks, I noticed the hairs within the first few days of planting. Is this normal, or an algae?


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## meredymae (Jan 5, 2007)

*could be*

My husband has some java moss growing in his newt tank that got overrun with green hair-like algae (I cleaned it out yesterday, so this is fresh in my mind). It looked like it was overtaking the tank. Your moss looks great; I did notice a few "hairs" that seem thinner than the rest of the moss stuck on one of the strands.

Use your best judgement, if the strands look different than the moss in terms of structure then it probably is something else. I just remove the non-moss and leave the good stuff.

Good luck


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Oh man, I was about to post this. I have the *exact* same problem.

It's "growing" everywhere, so I don't think it's algae, but we'll wait for the experts.


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## THHNguyen (Dec 2, 2006)

I think that those are just the structures that the moss usually uses to attach itself to objects like wood and rocks. If so then no worries.


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## webcricket (Oct 16, 2006)

I suppose for now I'll call it part of the moss and leave it at that. I would think if this was algae that it would be spreading to the driftwood the moss is attached to, especially after a period of 6 weeks. The fact that it only grows on the bottom of the frond seems to support the idea that this is part of the plant. Maybe I'll give it another couple of weeks to be sure before I export it to my friend's tank.

THH may be right, this could just be the structure the moss uses to root itself.


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## fish newb (May 10, 2006)

THHNguyen said:


> I think that those are just the structures that the moss usually uses to attach itself to objects like wood and rocks. If so then no worries.


Thats exactly what it is, in simple terms it's moss roots. I can't think of the specific name for it though....

So don't worry it means the moss is happy!
-Andrew


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

fish newb said:


> Thats exactly what it is, in simple terms it's moss roots. I can't think of the specific name for it though....
> 
> So don't worry it means the moss is happy!
> -Andrew


Awesome!

Thanks for the explanation, Andrew. Knew a moss expert would step up to the plate here. =)


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## fish newb (May 10, 2006)

epicfish said:


> Awesome!
> 
> Thanks for the explanation, Andrew. Knew a moss expert would step up to the plate here. =)


I'm not an expert by any means...

But I know some of the basic stuff!

-Andrew


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