Ball Plant

[adrodema]

Went to Clementi florists & aquarium today, saw that they were selling something called 'ball plant'. Would anyone care to elaborate whether this is for real? or is it some cottonball that is overgrown with algae? If these are for real, what are the lighting and nutrient conditions needed? How do they propagate? Am fairly intrigued.

[anarchy]

it is actually a ball of algae. don't scream at the word algae as plants are also a form of algae. but, those we hate are unwanted algaes. anyway, the ball is easy to keep from what I hear.

[tawauboy]

called marimo ball.
originates from a lake in japan

[leafhorn]

I wonder can we tear the ball apart and "piak!" the plant on driftwood and grow them like we grow moss?

[nbk3]

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On 8/22/2003 12:01:39 AM

I wonder can we tear the ball apart and "piak!" the plant on driftwood and grow them like we grow moss?
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dunno leh , the uncle said if the ball is cut , it will grow back into 2 balls [:0]

[leafhorn]

Have anyone been to Toa Payoh Blk 69 recently, the shop that sells ADA stuff, their plant tank inside got a piece of wood with a layer of green moss like algae, the algae strands are fine and delicate, wonder if its the same stuff.

[Plantbrain]

No.
Check out the Dicotomosiphon tuberosus at

http://tom-barr.aquatic-plants.org/

This ball algae will attach to wood IME, but will to rock, plastic etc if you make/cause it to go sexual and it releases spores. Not a problem really.
Some other species grown easily: Pithophora, linme green, slimely and very pretty, grows well on the tops of rocks under high aeration and current/bright light.
Many fish like to eat this one also(Tropheus moorii, SAE's, plecos many algae eaters etc). Vaucheria is also a semi common algae.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[subxero]

dunno leh , the uncle said if the ball is cut , it will grow back into 2 balls [:0]
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Is it? I guess its time to operate my ball plant[] Maybe I can have a garden of ball plants in the near future

[bluezing]

yes u can actually cut it and PIAK! on your driftwood.one of the forummer is doing that actually. []

[leafhorn]

Like that maybe when free I also buy one ball and piak! onto my wood or rocks, wonder if it makes a good carpeting plant for miniture tanks?

[Darkkon]

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On 8/22/2003 12:25:02 AM

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On 8/22/2003 12:01:39 AM

I wonder can we tear the ball apart and "piak!" the plant on driftwood and grow them like we grow moss?
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dunno leh , the uncle said if the ball is cut , it will grow back into 2 balls [:0]
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Well the uncle is only half right. If you cut the ball into 2, sometimes both will survive, but more likely either 1 or none will survive. They propagate by division (saw a pic on a Jap website can't remember URL though). As for the PIAK! thingie... what's the point of getting a marimo ball which cost at least $4 then? The value is in the ball shape what.

[subxero]

Darkkon... You mean if i cut the ball into 2, then it will stay at a hemisphere forever and not grow back into a sphere?[:0]

[leafhorn]

Because its finer than moss.

[Darkkon]

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On 8/23/2003 9:37:25 AM

Darkkon... You mean if i cut the ball into 2, then it will stay at a hemisphere forever and not grow back into a sphere?[:0]
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Like many others here i was very interested in the plant when i first came to know of it. Hence i read a bit on it and what i gathered was if you cut into 2 and IF you are lucky they both grow back into a ball. If not then they die, won't have the luck of staying at a half-ball one. It's from Lake Aikan in Japan, Hokkaido. They do not recommend temperature higher than 25 degrees, which put it out if range for aquariums in Singapore. This link taken from Chit Chat forum:
http://english.marimo.com.hk/ go take a look for more info.