The Moss Growers of Boon Keng

**timebomb** · 21st Nov 2005, 21:37

Hi, folks,

In Singapore, many fish shops sell mosses and liverworts. A few even specialise in these plants. One of such shops is called "System Engineering and Control". It's a strange name for a fish shop but that's because they were previously a hardware store. Hobbyists know the shop as "Bioplast" because they are the sole dealer for this particular brand. The shop is located just opposite my house, along a street called Boon Keng Road.

The folks at Bioplast grow bryophytes better than any one I know. Most of their tanks are brightly lit with suspended metal halides. The 2 display tanks at the front of the shop get a lot of sunlight in the afternoons but there's hardly any algae in their tanks. They use chillers to keep the temperature at around 24 degrees Centigrade. They say that one of the key factors to grow mosses well is to change water frequently. It seems they do it once every 2 days although the tanks have very light fish-loads. Anyway, here are some pictures:

The display tank. There are all kinds of bryophytes in the tank. You may already be familiar with some of them.

The same tank from another angle:

I've seen the Mini-Pellia (Riccardia sp)grown well in quite a few fish shops but only in Bioplast, does the plant grow so thick and green:

I have more pictures but I'll post them a few at a time over the next few days. This is so you have to come back here everyday

Loh K L

**Piscesgirl** · 22nd Nov 2005, 08:50

Wow, I'm very impressed!

FC · 23rd Nov 2005, 11:44

Yes, this shop has nice display tanks, the owner put alot of efforts in upkeeping them. The shop is really dedicated to planted tank hobby. However, they carry too little equipment, fish foods, etc, so it is not a one-stop-shop. I like to visit the shop but there is hardly anything to but there, even though I tried hard to partronise the shop. I really think that they can do better (business) than that.

**amber2461** · 23rd Nov 2005, 12:43

Wow ... this is one of the shop(s) to go visit when I am in Singapore then ...

**wEiPInG** · 23rd Nov 2005, 13:43

Yes. Bioplast is a nice place with many many types of mosses. Almost all in the market. the owner can give you an intro to the mosses there. I agree that they do not sell a lot of equipments there. They also do not sell much fishes there too. Plant wise, erm, they so sell some, but not much, and the moss are mostly not for sale, i think. One very good thing about that shop is that they give CO2 refill in 10 minutes!!! Normally you need to wait for 3 days thereabout. the price is the same as most other shops. Will definitely visit the place if i am in the area.

Wei Ping

**timebomb** · 24th Nov 2005, 23:23

Okay, folks, more pictures as promised.

The Mini-Pellia growing beautifully on a rock.

The plant can be grown several ways. One is to tie it to drifwoods.

Or to simply wrap it up with netting. This method is good when the
plant is grown on smooth, round rocks.

One can also grow the plant on wire mesh. This method is useful if you're using it as a carpet plant for your foreground.

Next up is the mysterious Fissidens that Ben Yau found. The professor says this Fissidens isn't native to Singapore but look how well it grows in Bioplast's tanks.

A close-up:

Even closer:

The plant is tied to small pieces of wire mesh and sold that way. Don't ask me how much one piece costs though. It's best if you find out yourself.

I'll be gone for a few days but when I come home next week, I'll post more pictures. In the meantime, drool

Loh K L

**Yong Foo** · 25th Nov 2005, 18:50

I always frequent there to admire their moss.

I think they are the only shop left that is able to grow moss into it's true form. Shop owners are also very friendly.

Regards
Yong Foo

**kimco** · 26th Nov 2005, 10:01

Hi,

Is it only me or does the mini pelia looks suspiciously like the so-called "coral moss"?? or as the Tropica guys call them "special moss"??

KG

**erirku** · 26th Nov 2005, 18:20

Damn, Just DAMN!!!
That tank is just too damn wonderful. Too bad this petshop wasn't in my neighborhood, just Damn! I would be purchasing everything that they had to sell form that tank, especially the mini pelia and fissidens species, just makes me drool really hard looking at those pics! I blame you Kol and only you! Just kidding Loh, nice pics. Thanks Eric.

**timebomb** · 29th Nov 2005, 11:22

KG,

It so happens when I was in Kuala Lumpur, I saw the *moss* you mentioned. Tropica lists it under the category "various mosses". I think it's fair to deduce from such a categorisation, that Tropica does not know the identity of the *moss* they're selling

If you're wondering why I put the word *moss* in asterisks, it's because I suspect it isn't a moss in the first place but a liverwort. I could be wrong, of course but I'm quite sure the so-called Coral Moss isn't the same as the Mini-Pellia which is a liverwort.

Anyway, here are more pictures. This is Bioplast's second display tank. As with the first one, it's full of byrophytes:

This picture shows the high rate of pearling in Bioplast's tanks. The streams of bubbles are never-ending.

Willow Moss (Fontinalis antipyretica) tied to driftwood and pearling as if they're Riccia fluitans

Loh K L

**timebomb** · 30th Nov 2005, 23:57

More pictures of the mosses in Bioplast fish shop:

We do not know the identity of this moss but it's very beautiful. I've not seen it on sale anywhere other than in Bioplast.

Loh K L

**greenmiddlefinger** · 14th Dec 2005, 16:20

Jeez . . . I'm swooning over that last moss, can't get it outta my head . . .

um . . . I don't know if my opinion would help any, but the crowns of this moss reminds me of how plagiomnium branches look when they bud emersed.

**timebomb** · 15th Dec 2005, 14:55

It could very well be a Plagiomnium, Steven but we won't know for sure until the professor has examined it. I'll be posting more pictures of the tanks in Bioplast later.

Loh K L

**timebomb** · 16th Dec 2005, 23:39

Besides those we already know, Bioplast also has a new moss which looks very much like Java but isn't. It does not have a common name yet and I'm tempted to call it Mini-Java. Although I detest how the market attaches the prefix "Mini" to various types of mosses, this moss in Bioplast certainly looks like a mini form of Java Moss. Here are the pictures:

I'll be bringing some of this moss to the professor next week. I'll let you know the results of his examination.

Loh K L

**greenmiddlefinger** · 19th Dec 2005, 12:16

Loh-- before I left for college I put some of my plagiomnium in a water-fall environment. The change in the moss is huge:

before:

after:

I'll try to get a better after shot, but all in all, it's formed crowns like the ones in the photo of the moss we were talking about!

**Martin** · 19th Sep 2006, 01:03

Originally Posted by greenmiddlefinger

Loh-- before I left for college I put some of my plagiomnium in a water-fall environment. The change in the moss is huge:

before:

after:

I'll try to get a better after shot, but all in all, it's formed crowns like the ones in the photo of the moss we were talking about!

arrgh... where's the last photo!!?

**Green Baron** · 19th Sep 2006, 13:00

I had plagiomnium growing in my office tank for more than 6 months. While they can survive under water, they do not look as nice as when they are growing emersed and under humid environment.
I have since discarded all the plagiomnium.

**fish newb** · 1st Oct 2006, 08:15

Nice display tanks there. My lfs near me is setting up a 150gallon tank so that should be nice when it is done. Its nice to see a store that is deticated to moss. But with that does come a price. Your pictures are great too.

More Pictures Please?

- Andrew

**timebomb** · 1st Oct 2006, 12:33

Sure, Andrew. Your wish is my command

Bioplast has many display tanks, some of which are "one plant tanks". In other words, there's only one species of aquarium plant in the tank. Usually, it's hard to create a nice aquascape with only one species of plant but Bioplast does it quite well with the various bryophytes. Here's an example:

Close-up:

Doesn't it look like a single tree growing on a field of grassland. The Crystal Red Shrimps are like cows grazing on the field.

The bryophyte is Fissidens fontanus, a plant that came from Tony aka Gomer who lives in the United States. According to the professor, the F. fontanus can be found in most parts of North America.

Loh K L