Italian article on aquarium mosses

[timebomb]

Hi, folks,

You may like to read this Italian moss article co-written by Fabrizio Lattuca and Domenico Pappalardo. The former is a member of this forum and once, lived in Singapore for a while. That's how he was infected with the moss-addiction, I think

I'm listed as co-author but all I did was I contributed some pictures and helped with the editing - the English version, of course. The only Italian words I know are "Mama Mia" and that's just because I was once a fan of ABBA.

Loh K L

[stormhawk]

Excellent pictures and a pretty wholesome writeup. A big to the authors.

[Scott_sg]

Excellent KL, and you should not be so modest about being listed as an author. In the academic world they really fight to get there name listed on anything they touch, and for much less contributions.

But it was interesting, I have been meaning to ask you moss guys about sexual reproduction - for mosses that is, in aquariums

Anyway I will stick to "trying" to grow java moss and duck weed

BTW is it safe once more to mention you like ABBA?

Scott.

[dageti]

a great piece of writing, scholarly yet fully enjoyable by the average hobbyist. it makes me proud to see some essential information on mosses provided by Italians, since there's hardly any available on our forums and websites (with the exception of the aquaplanta forum, apparently run by the same people who created this aquagarden.it webzine), and many hobbyists here still can't read English (not that I see anything wrong in it, mind you). the awful state of taxonomic confusion we're in doesn't really help, like in the event of us seeing any moss that is not Java in LFS - which is very rarely the case anyway.

so I'm glad that someone finally explained to me the scientific names of Taiwan, Singapore, Willow, Christmas etc mosses! prior to reading the article I didn't know about aquamoss.net and the .pdf version of Professor Tan's article - I thought it was only available on paper at the SSC.

hopefully now I may be able to acquire samples of exotic mosses through Fabrizio Lattuca, so I won't have to bother Kwek Leong about it. I would have been yet another in a long line. so far I've only been able to get Christmass moss from a friend....well, some moss with triangular fronds. I've yet to have it identified.

finally, since it's only fair that more people in Italy should know about Kwek Leong's work, I agree that he fully deserves to be credited in the article and that he need not be modest about his contribution. this new webzine looks promising, I'll be checking it out regularly.

and by the way, ABBA rules, and so does everyone who likes them!


francesco

[timebomb]

BTW is it safe once more to mention you like ABBA?

Is it safe? Of course not. No self-respecting music lover will ever confess to be an ABBA fan. But then again, when an old ABBA song comes over the radio, one can't help but sing along

Anyway, thanks for the compliments, guys. I feel like a super trouper already

Super Trouper lights are gonna find me
Shining like the sun
Smiling, having fun
Feeling like a number one

Loh K L

[dageti]

the second instalment of the article about mosses by Fabrizio Lattuca and Domenico Pappalardo has appeared on the current issue of the aquagarden.it webzine. and it's of course every bit as excellent as the first one. also downloadable in .pdf format.

check out the Italian version here.

Kwek Leong is once more credited. perhaps currently working on the English version?

francesco

[timebomb]

Oh no!!!

I better start working on the translated version Fabrizio sent me. Sorry folks, I've been busy and this second installment of the article is more complicated than the first one. It will take a while before I'm finished with the editing of the English version. To be completely honest, I don't think I'm up to it. I need some help.

Budak, if you're reading this, I think you're the perfect person to do it. Can you help?

Loh K L

[dageti]

Kwek Leong,

by no means I meant to put any pressure over you . I trust all the forumers will wait patiently until the English version is out. and surely there is no shortage of moss material to read these days, both in the forum and on the web. so take your time (and let me know too if I can be of any help), everyone will be delighted with the results.

francesco

[budak]

ok.. please send to my email: [email protected]...

[timebomb]

Kwek Leong, by no means I meant to put any pressure over you .

Don't worry about it, Francesco. Budak has kindly agreed to edit the article for us. He will definitely do a better job than me. I don't know of anyone who writes better than him.

Loh K L

[fabry]

I just want to thank you K.L. for your patience and for the extraordinary help and advices you have been so kind to give me until now.

I will always be in debt to you.

I also want to thank Budak in advance for accepting reviewing my article.

I know it's really an hard job.

Thanks again and best regards.

[timebomb]

Aww, gosh, Fabry,

What I did for you wasn't anything extraordinary so you don't have to be always in my debt The next time you come to Singapore, just buy me lunch and your all debts will be cleared

Loh K L

[fabry]

Hello everyone,
I am very pleased to inform you that the english translation of the second article on mosses is available at the following address.

http://www.aquagarden.it/2006/febbra...phyta_eng.html

Hope you like it.

Once again I want to thank Loh K.L. and Marcus (Budak) for their precious help.
Thanks a lot guys.

[Robert]

Hi Fabrizio,
thank you for this great article. Although I keep all the mentioned aquatic moss myself, some facts about them were new to me, too. I found only a single mistake, which could be a bit confusing to the readers. You wrote:

In the same period two other species from the genus Vesicularia were also gaining popularity. They were the so-called Erect moss (Vesicularia ferriei) and Weeping moss (Vesicularia reticulata), named for their characteristic growing habit: with frond that point sharply upward and downward respectively.

Shown here are two pictures of Vesicularia ferriei and Vesicularia reticulata in aquarium. Their common names ‘weeping’ moss and ‘erect’ moss seem extremely appropriate.

And then under the following pictures:

Photo.23. Vesicularia ferriei [weeping moss]

Photo.24. Vesicularia reticulata [erect moss]

As far as I know the so called "Weeping Moss" is Vesicularia ferriei and "Erect Moss" is Vesicularia reticulata . You can find it here: "A Case of Mistaken Identity? What is the true identity of Java moss and other aquarium mosses sold in Singapore shops B.C. Tan, L.K. Leong, C.W. Gan – Singapore Science Center journal" - a source which you also quoted.

best regards
Robert

[timebomb]

Marcus deserves all the credit for translating the article from Italian to English. I played no part in it other than being the middle man.

Mistakes sometimes occur but I think Fabrizio deserves a big round of applause for coming up with such comprehensive articles on the various bryophytes we grow in our tanks. I thought I was passionate about mosses but when compared to him, my passion just doesn't cut it.

I take my hat off to you, Fab.

Loh K L

[fabry]

Robert,
of course you are right.
Wow, you red the article very well to be able to find such a mistake.
Thanks twice!

Unfortunately I did not notice this error occurring in the english version (it is not present in the italian version).

I will tell the editor of the e-magazine to correct it as soon as possible.

Thanks again.


K.L.,
you probably don't believe me but I derived my passion and knowledge about bryophytes from you and your Web site.
That's why I told you that I feel to be indebted to you.
Hope to be able to offer you a dinner as soon as possible in a good restaurant in Singapore.
Lawry's at the Paragon (Orchard road) is O.K. for you?


My best regards.

Fabrizio.