# San Marcos Fissdens



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

This photo was taken in my shrimp tank today. The smaller/tighter-growing Fissidens is one I've had for a couple years and has been in this tank since I set it up. It has grown very little since it's been in here. I believe it to be the common one available in the hobby. The lankier one is what I collected out of San Marcos River in mid-October. It has grown substantially faster than the other (as far as Fissidens goes).

I'm wondering if the San Marcos Fissidens will eventually look like the other, or if it will always be different. I know I'm not the only member here who has collected this plant out of the San Marcos. Anyone have it from the PlantFest that has seen any difference?

Other thoughts? I can't help but wonder if the recently collected one is still retaining some nutrients from the river. This tank is NPT, super-low-tech and gets nearly zero nutrition (only from the food I feed the shrimp every 2-3 days).


----------



## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Man!

Don't post pictures like that right now when the Texas wildlife dept. will be deciding about invasive plants.

I have no idea if Fissidens is native to Texas. Please tell me it is.

--Nikolay


----------



## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I have several fissidens species that I got from AFA in CA. There are two that are more lanky. Neither have the scratchy feel that I recall the San Marcos fissidens exhibited. I would have been tempted to say it could be one of the varieties I have , but for that 

@niko. Dave is not a peon like us. He has a permit to natural collect! Maybe before it's all over we will all have to work for the TDWP to have a tank.


----------



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

HAHA! No fears, Niko. _Fissidens fontanu_s is a Texas native (as is another species I believe...don't recall it).

I don't actually have a permit to collect. I only applied for _Eriocaulon decangulare_ and that one turned out to be largely un-suited for aquariums. But you better believe that once this "list" comes out I'll be applying for several species to "possess" via my "Experiment Station".


----------



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Tex Gal said:


> ...the scratchy feel that I recall the San Marcos fissidens exhibited.


I was thinking that was from the hard water, that it would eventually "soften". This stuff I collected was scratchy as well and I have not really payed much attention to it since. I'll go give it a grab and see if I notice any difference.


----------



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Okay, I just felt some in the tank at the house (I'm off work today...HURRAY!!! ) and it is not as gritty as when I collected it, but still more so than normal _Fissidens sp. _ When I get back to work Monday I'll take out the two specimens and compare under a 10x lens and see what I can see.

-Dave


----------



## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

davemonkey said:


> HAHA! No fears, Niko. _Fissidens fontanu_s is a Texas native (as is another species I believe...don't recall it).
> 
> I don't actually have a permit to collect. I only applied for _Eriocaulon decangulare_ and that one turned out to be largely un-suited for aquariums.


Don't give up on that one yet. There are populations that are entirely submersed. Eriocaulons can differ drastically within a species as far as how suitable they are from one location to another.


----------



## miremonster (Mar 26, 2006)

From the soft, normally submerged Fissidens species (subgenus Octodiceras), the 2 species F. fontanus and F. hallianus (= manateensis) occur in E / SE North America incl. Texas. See here: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...es/68102-san-marcos-river-texas-1-14-a-2.html
Fissidens hallianus is distinguished from fontanus by microscopic details. But as F. fontanus is variable, both the smaller F. and the bigger San Marcos River one might belong to F. fontanus.


----------



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

miremonster said:


> Fissidens hallianus is distinguished from fontanus by microscopic details. But as F. fontanus is variable, both the smaller F. and the bigger San Marcos River one might belong to F. fontanus.


I'm thinking it is _F. fontanus_, just a bigger plant. I looked at both, side by side, under a 10x lens today and could nothing more different than the obvious...which you can see with the naked eye. It would be fun to compare under a microscope, but that is beyond my capabilities.


----------



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Cavan Allen said:


> Don't give up on that one yet. There are populations that are entirely submersed. Eriocaulons can differ drastically within a species as far as how suitable they are from one location to another.


Sounds to me like it's time to plan a trip to another part of that park!


----------



## Jeffww (May 25, 2010)

Where did you pick that fissidens up? I'm thinking of going on a collection trip with some friends. Also, any good regions around Lake Houston/Livingston area?


----------



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

kwc1974 and I collected it in San Marcos, from the river. I've not seen it anywhere else in Texas, but that doesn't mean you won't find it. I'm going to Lake Charlotte tomorrow with some coworkers to look for some other species (but mainly to find driftwood).

You should be able to find some good plants in Lake Houston and Lake Livingston. I usually browse the roadside ditches...they are a gold-mine if you look close enough (and if you are looking for the local plants).


----------



## miremonster (Mar 26, 2006)

davemonkey said:


> I'm thinking it is _F. fontanus_, just a bigger plant. I looked at both, side by side, under a 10x lens today and could nothing more different than the obvious...which you can see with the naked eye. It would be fun to compare under a microscope, but that is beyond my capabilities.


If there is a possibility: in F. hallianus the midrib (costa) of the leaf ends 5-15 cells before the leaf apex. F. fontanus: 15-35 cells. (source: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=112827&key_no=2 )


----------



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

miremonster said:


> If there is a possibility: in F. hallianus the midrib (costa) of the leaf ends 5-15 cells before the leaf apex. F. fontanus: 15-35 cells. (source: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=112827&key_no=2 )


Anyone within a reasonable distance (continental US and above-freezing temps during the day), and with the right equipment, care to take a look at these. I actually have 3 that I'm curious about.


----------



## H2OAggie (Jan 10, 2011)

So this is an old thread, but I just collected some of this moss from the San Marcos river myself yesterday. I am a graduate student at A&M, and have access to a several styles of microscopes. When I get a chance to check out my moss I will let you know, although I am not sure which one I have as you mentioned 3 varieties. I might even go by the biology department to see if anyone there can do a better job at ID'ing it. 

How is it growing for you in an aquarium? What temperature? And lastly, how did you clean it? Right now I have a softballs worth, or more, in a pickle jar out back.


----------



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

I cleaned it under cool fast-running water (water hose) to get all the debris out. I didn't worry about bugs because the fish I had took care of that part. I grew really well, but did not form the ball-shape that is typical in the common Fissidens. The texture remained more course/rough as well. I no longer have any though (don't even have a tank right now).

Oh, I think it does not do well in warmer tanks. The river is always near 72, and so was my tank (no heater). When I have grown Fissidens in warmer tanks, it has not done well.

On a side note...there are plans for another San Marcos trip...probably in June...an announcement will come up in the HAAPS forum as well as DFWAPC.


----------

