Best mosses to grow emersed

[imported_Afroturf]

This post isn't really to do with fish tanks but for a vivarium to keep poison dart frogs.

I have a small tank that I'm planning to setup for a couple of dart frogs, I want it to be covered with lot of moss and the odd fern/other plants. I'm planning on using tree fern panels or something similar to grow the mosses on and use a small external filter with a spray bar positioned at the top of the panel to keep them and the moss moist.

My question is which moss/mosses would be most suited for this setup?

Thanks in advance

[Robert]

Hi Steven,
I never had the chance to set up a vivarium but I do keep various mosses. One of the most hardy mosses I've ever found is Amblystegium serpens. It's a native moss in Europe and grows well submers and emerse. In nature you will find it on lawns, on wood and sometimes even submersed. Emerse it grows very short and it's rather small. It's nothing special like the native European Thuidium tamariscinum which I never kept yet.

If you are intested in Amblystegium serpens, send me a PM. I have more than enough of it in my tanks.

regards
Robert

[imported_stephan]

All the mosses you will find in the aquarium trade grow well in your type of setup. The only exceptions are Fontinalis and Fissidens fontanus since these grow best submersed.

[timebomb]

Steven,

A couple of years ago, a frog-keeper saw the mat of Riccia fluitans growing on the surface of the water in my tank and he said it was perfect for his frogs. So I gave him the mat.

Loh K L

[imported_Afroturf]

Hi, cheers for the replies guys,

Robert, the moss you mention is seems very nice (googled it) I'd be interested in giving it a go, but are you sure that it would be able to survive in the warm conditions of a vivarium with it being a temperate moss?

Stephan, I was hoping that would be the case, gives me more choice plus I have the odd bit of moss hanging around in some of my fish tanks.

Loh, I'm a fan of riccia but I really would like to stick to mainly moss as I feel it would give a more authentic jungle? effect. Although I may mix in a little riccia to give some colour contrast against the usual dark green of most mosses.

Does anyone know if particular mosses would grow in a particular direction when mounted vertically, would they grow up, down horizontally or just towards the light?

Also has anyone had any experience with this plant - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Crepidomanes-a...QQcmdZViewItem Couldn't find much via google, but does look like a semi-aquatic/terrestrial plant that could survive in aquarium, could be a candidate for the vivarium,?

[Robert]

Hi Steven,
the Ablystegium serpens survives each year the warm summer months with water temperatures of 30°C and air temperatures with more than 35°C sometimes. My appartment becomes really warm because it's in the roof top. So I would give it a chance.

regards
Robert

[louis_last]

Riccia is a good option but personally for dart frog vivariums the most visually pleasing moss i have used is Hypopterygium tamarisci , it will thrive on the tree fern panels you mentioned so long as it is provided with good lighting and high humidity and you may find this species particularly pleasing if you enjoy the frond structure of christmas moss in your planted aquariums.
You might also like to consider the liverwort Conocephalum Conicum , it will grow vigorously throughout your vivarium, covering the surfaces in a mat of green and is more tolerant of higher temperatures and abuse than H. tamarisci
It is also possible to grow all of your aquarium mosses emersed in a tropical vivarium but they tend to lose the delicacy of form that they posses when grown submerged.

kind regards,

louis

[imported_Afroturf]

Louis I agree with your opinion on the Riccia, also love the look of the Hypopterygium tamarisci from looking on google. Where about did you come across this moss?

[louis_last]

afroturf, I was able to procure a small patch from the royal botanical gardens in edinburgh which i then cultivated myself, it grows on the tree ferns in their glasshouse so i have only ever grown it on tree fern panels, i doubt whether it would do well on the substrate as it seems to be somewhat like an air plant in that it doesn't like to be wet but requires high humidity.
in a week or two i can give you a patch if you like.

[imported_Afroturf]

Louis, if you do get some spare Hypopterygium tamarisci, I'd love some. let use know.