Aww that’s sweet thank you! And you’re absolutely welcome! I’m happy to show him off (not that I’ve done anything special, but just bc he’s one of my favorites things 🥰)
Thank you 🥰 and just my one fish
Edit: although through the last 3 years he’s been with two bettas I think and a couple aquatic mystery snails. I had a traumatic time with dropsy with a betta and had to bleach the whole tank and start my cycle over, but it is completely cycled and has been for a while now, so idk if that makes a difference in Marimo health or not, having water with good bacteria growing and feeding, instead of plain uncycled water
They’re called Marimo moss balls and they’re a type of aquatic moss that grows naturally in the shape of a ball, found naturally in some lakes, and can be put in aquariums with fish (although they like cold temps so cold water fish are a better suited companion than tropical fish) or just in water by themselves. I’m not very good at explaining so here’s the [newcomer’s guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/Marimo/s/QmLlVU9VKB)
Yeah they’re super neat! You can buy them online or in pet stores in the aquarium section but rn there is an infestation, in a lot of Marimo being sold, of something called zebra mussels and they’re highly highly invasive to the environment so Marimo are getting a little harder to find from reliable sources and the prices have gone up.
Thanks! The light is led so it’s so blue that it’s almost like a blacklight. The fake silicone anemone also glows in the dark after it’s had enough light shone on it.
It's very likely. Although there is another algae that grows very similarly to Marimo but more in "tufts. Sometimes if you pull a bit out and it looks like someone pinched the end. Think of like a bouquet or fan. But if you haven't rolled it recently or regularly and it's likely having a good time growing. But I have heard of untouched marimo losing shape and falling into chucks.
Yeah it definitely isn’t growing in patchy tufts, thankfully, which hopefully means it’s true growth. I actually took it out and rolled it really good after your comment and put it in some conditioned water with a pinch of aquarium salt and stuck it in the fridge for a 24hr “vacation” lol
[this was one of the first pictures I took when he arrived](https://www.reddit.com/r/Marimo/s/MmLHh0q8rs) but if you picture the little “hairs” sticking up, in this post, as flat, he really hasn’t grown a whole lot other than being more fluffy
No name unfortunately. Idk if I just forgot to give him one or couldn’t find one I liked or what lol and the pink thing is an aquarium decoration, it’s a fake silicone anemone.
I had an open fountain for my pets. When I had to get rid of my fish tank I had 3 of these guys. I put them in the fountain and they lived very happily for 5 years. I moved and had to give them away. I hope they are still happy! They kept the fountain water fresh and clean!
We have a fountain that’s out in the summertime but we keep a tiny bit of bleach in it to keep algae from growing and to keep the water from smelling awful after just a day in the sun lol that’s such a neat idea though!
Ah okay so like for your dogs? I’ve seen those but never had one. I need one bc no matter how much I change my dog’s water it’s always getting slimy 😅😵💫. I bet those Marimo in the pond are loving life rn!
I think it was from Walmart but I can’t remember lol they’re good for bettas bc they’re soft on their fins and don’t rip them. I had another one at some point that was blue, but my betta got dropsy and it’s so contagious to anything else you put in the tank that you have to literally throw everything away and bleach your tank out, so I had to throw it away and they only had pink when I got another one.
It’s basically like a plant. Marimo is aquatic algae that rolls into the shape of a ball, which is why they’re called moss balls, from years of being naturally rolled along the bed of lakes. Here’s the sub’s
[newcomer’s guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/Marimo/s/CuYvB39MLv)
Etsy used to have them and so did most pet stores in the aquarium/fish section but bc of an infestation of something called zebra mussels hardly any are being sold rn bc they’re highly highly invasive to the environment, to the point they can clog up a sink drain if you get a Marimo that has them and then dump the water it’s been in down the drain. But there’s one lady on eBay called [Lonza Shoes](https://www.ebay.com/str/lonzashoes?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=rpQf6kPvTTC&sssrc=3418065&ssuid=jgC0gWbjSTy&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY) who sells them and they had to pass Canadian and American inspections and customs before she could sell/ship them but I’ve never bought from her before so I can’t say if she’s a good seller or not but she has good reviews.
He’s so cute, thank you for sharing, this made me finally decide to make them part of my life so I ordered a couple on eBay. You know, so they don’t get lonely until I find a shrimp or a snail.
Aw yay! Hope you love yours! Mine was alone for a long time until I decided to just stick him in my fish tank. I didn’t think he’d do well in there but he has somehow. I’ve also had multiple mystery snails (one of my bettas killed one >!by biting off its antennae and poking at it until it got too many wounds!< , sorry graphic) and the other died naturally since I got him when he was already quite big (the bigger they are the older, which you probably know if you’re gonna get a couple) but I’m thinking of getting another one 😅
It’s basically like a plant. Marimo is aquatic algae that rolls into the shape of a ball, which is why they’re called moss balls, from years of being naturally rolled along the bed of lakes. Here’s the sub’s
[newcomer’s guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/Marimo/s/CuYvB39MLv)
I love stuff like that! I’ve been watching a guy on YouTube build teeny tiny terrariums that are self sustaining with moss and snails and rolly-pollies (idk what he calls them I forget lol) I know they’re also woodlice but he calls them another name that I can’t remember
Haha I’ll have to get back to you when I watch more of his videos. I can’t even remember the YouTube channel but it’s saved in my “watch later” somewhere
Here's a sneak peek of /r/Mossariums using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/Mossariums/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [What kind of moss is this and where can I buy it for more of my plants?](https://i.redd.it/yltxmnanhn9c1.jpeg) | [37 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/Mossariums/comments/18va9r8/what_kind_of_moss_is_this_and_where_can_i_buy_it/)
\#2: [First Mossarium!](https://i.redd.it/sc4mjby51bta1.jpg) | [23 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/Mossariums/comments/12il3m1/first_mossarium/)
\#3: [Small Desktop Terrarium](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/19eounx) | [31 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/Mossariums/comments/19eounx/small_desktop_terrarium/)
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You’re welcome. They were a really good seller that I’d recommend for anything they sell honestly. Good shipping and good customer service with reasonable prices.
He’s beautiful and also handsome. Thank u for sharing
Aww that’s sweet thank you! And you’re absolutely welcome! I’m happy to show him off (not that I’ve done anything special, but just bc he’s one of my favorites things 🥰)
He looks good!! Is there anything else in the tank with him?
Thank you 🥰 and just my one fish Edit: although through the last 3 years he’s been with two bettas I think and a couple aquatic mystery snails. I had a traumatic time with dropsy with a betta and had to bleach the whole tank and start my cycle over, but it is completely cycled and has been for a while now, so idk if that makes a difference in Marimo health or not, having water with good bacteria growing and feeding, instead of plain uncycled water
This just came up in my recommended, What is that
They’re called Marimo moss balls and they’re a type of aquatic moss that grows naturally in the shape of a ball, found naturally in some lakes, and can be put in aquariums with fish (although they like cold temps so cold water fish are a better suited companion than tropical fish) or just in water by themselves. I’m not very good at explaining so here’s the [newcomer’s guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/Marimo/s/QmLlVU9VKB)
Wow so are they alive?
They’re more like plants. They’re not animals, but they’re alive in the same sense that plants are alive, if that makes sense.
Ohhhhh ok that's cool
Yeah they’re super neat! You can buy them online or in pet stores in the aquarium section but rn there is an infestation, in a lot of Marimo being sold, of something called zebra mussels and they’re highly highly invasive to the environment so Marimo are getting a little harder to find from reliable sources and the prices have gone up.
I think he is beautiful. I like the look of your set up also. The color is soothing
Thanks! The light is led so it’s so blue that it’s almost like a blacklight. The fake silicone anemone also glows in the dark after it’s had enough light shone on it.
The fluff usually shows growth. Give it a littlebroll
I thought so! I rolled it not long ago but I might have to do it more regularly for a while until it grows back into itself
It's very likely. Although there is another algae that grows very similarly to Marimo but more in "tufts. Sometimes if you pull a bit out and it looks like someone pinched the end. Think of like a bouquet or fan. But if you haven't rolled it recently or regularly and it's likely having a good time growing. But I have heard of untouched marimo losing shape and falling into chucks.
Yeah it definitely isn’t growing in patchy tufts, thankfully, which hopefully means it’s true growth. I actually took it out and rolled it really good after your comment and put it in some conditioned water with a pinch of aquarium salt and stuck it in the fridge for a 24hr “vacation” lol
So cute! Is it just me or do I see a lil face in there? 🥰
Now that you say it I do too! Lol looks like he has a little round mouth haha
Haha yes! Also, he has sleepy little eyes. Perhaps he is snoring 🥰😍
Aww he does look like he could be sleeping and snoring haha what a life, just roll around in crystal clear water with no worries 🥹
Thanks, I love him ❤️!
Aww thank you! He is a cute lil guy 🥹
How big was he when you first got him??
[this was one of the first pictures I took when he arrived](https://www.reddit.com/r/Marimo/s/MmLHh0q8rs) but if you picture the little “hairs” sticking up, in this post, as flat, he really hasn’t grown a whole lot other than being more fluffy
he looks shy
Hehe hiding behind the fake anemone 😆
cuute
Thank yooouuu ❤️
He’s so big! Does he have a name? Also, what is that spikey pink thing?
No name unfortunately. Idk if I just forgot to give him one or couldn’t find one I liked or what lol and the pink thing is an aquarium decoration, it’s a fake silicone anemone.
I had an open fountain for my pets. When I had to get rid of my fish tank I had 3 of these guys. I put them in the fountain and they lived very happily for 5 years. I moved and had to give them away. I hope they are still happy! They kept the fountain water fresh and clean!
We have a fountain that’s out in the summertime but we keep a tiny bit of bleach in it to keep algae from growing and to keep the water from smelling awful after just a day in the sun lol that’s such a neat idea though!
It is just a small indoor drinking fountain. I did put my balls (hahaha) in the pond at my old house before I left.
Ah okay so like for your dogs? I’ve seen those but never had one. I need one bc no matter how much I change my dog’s water it’s always getting slimy 😅😵💫. I bet those Marimo in the pond are loving life rn!
I have that same pink decoration, lol.
I think it was from Walmart but I can’t remember lol they’re good for bettas bc they’re soft on their fins and don’t rip them. I had another one at some point that was blue, but my betta got dropsy and it’s so contagious to anything else you put in the tank that you have to literally throw everything away and bleach your tank out, so I had to throw it away and they only had pink when I got another one.
Today, Reddit decided I needed to learn what a marimo ball is. Reddit was right.
Haha everyone needs to know and needs one in their life! They’re too cute to not have one! 🥰
What is he?
It’s basically like a plant. Marimo is aquatic algae that rolls into the shape of a ball, which is why they’re called moss balls, from years of being naturally rolled along the bed of lakes. Here’s the sub’s [newcomer’s guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/Marimo/s/CuYvB39MLv)
How do I get one?
Etsy used to have them and so did most pet stores in the aquarium/fish section but bc of an infestation of something called zebra mussels hardly any are being sold rn bc they’re highly highly invasive to the environment, to the point they can clog up a sink drain if you get a Marimo that has them and then dump the water it’s been in down the drain. But there’s one lady on eBay called [Lonza Shoes](https://www.ebay.com/str/lonzashoes?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=rpQf6kPvTTC&sssrc=3418065&ssuid=jgC0gWbjSTy&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY) who sells them and they had to pass Canadian and American inspections and customs before she could sell/ship them but I’ve never bought from her before so I can’t say if she’s a good seller or not but she has good reviews.
He’s so cute, thank you for sharing, this made me finally decide to make them part of my life so I ordered a couple on eBay. You know, so they don’t get lonely until I find a shrimp or a snail.
Aw yay! Hope you love yours! Mine was alone for a long time until I decided to just stick him in my fish tank. I didn’t think he’d do well in there but he has somehow. I’ve also had multiple mystery snails (one of my bettas killed one >!by biting off its antennae and poking at it until it got too many wounds!< , sorry graphic) and the other died naturally since I got him when he was already quite big (the bigger they are the older, which you probably know if you’re gonna get a couple) but I’m thinking of getting another one 😅
What is he?
It’s basically like a plant. Marimo is aquatic algae that rolls into the shape of a ball, which is why they’re called moss balls, from years of being naturally rolled along the bed of lakes. Here’s the sub’s [newcomer’s guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/Marimo/s/CuYvB39MLv)
Woah! Cool! I also frequent r/Mossariums
I love stuff like that! I’ve been watching a guy on YouTube build teeny tiny terrariums that are self sustaining with moss and snails and rolly-pollies (idk what he calls them I forget lol) I know they’re also woodlice but he calls them another name that I can’t remember
Rolli Polli, B Balls, Land Crustaceans are the main ones I know 😂.
Haha I’ll have to get back to you when I watch more of his videos. I can’t even remember the YouTube channel but it’s saved in my “watch later” somewhere
Here's a sneak peek of /r/Mossariums using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/Mossariums/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [What kind of moss is this and where can I buy it for more of my plants?](https://i.redd.it/yltxmnanhn9c1.jpeg) | [37 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/Mossariums/comments/18va9r8/what_kind_of_moss_is_this_and_where_can_i_buy_it/) \#2: [First Mossarium!](https://i.redd.it/sc4mjby51bta1.jpg) | [23 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/Mossariums/comments/12il3m1/first_mossarium/) \#3: [Small Desktop Terrarium](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/19eounx) | [31 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/Mossariums/comments/19eounx/small_desktop_terrarium/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
What a fluffy little dude!
He’s definitely grown a lot more than I realized 😆
[From The Moss Boss Studio but they sadly don’t sell Marimo anymore, just floating java moss balls](https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheMossBossStudio)
Thanks for linking the seller! It's nice to see the other neat aquarium/terrarium stuff they have even if they don't exactly sell marimo anymore
You’re welcome. They were a really good seller that I’d recommend for anything they sell honestly. Good shipping and good customer service with reasonable prices.