Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fish Tank Plant Advice => Topic started by: Rustle on August 21, 2018, 09:41:03 AM

Title: Trimming java moss
Post by: Rustle on August 21, 2018, 09:41:03 AM
Do anybody know the best way to trim java moss, the problem is catching all the bits that float to the bottom of the tank and clog the filter. If i use the siphon it clogs up and i cant really hold it by the hand because i have loads of shrimp in the moss.

The only way i can do it is hold the moss with the tweezers while cutting but that takes forever to do.

My question is do anybody on here have java moss and how do you catch the trimmings. 
Title: Re: Trimming java moss
Post by: Littlefish on August 21, 2018, 11:05:26 AM
@Matt  - over to you.  :)
Title: Re: Trimming java moss
Post by: Matt on August 21, 2018, 06:10:28 PM
My advice would be to siphon as you trim.  Scissors in one hand. Siphon in the other. That way you will have less going up the siphon at once and hopefully(!) not much of a clean up effort required after the trimming.

I have even seen people cable tie the siphon hose to the scissors so they can do this one handed. :cheers:

It is worth noting that this is really good practise also because left over bits can quickly attach themselves somewhere you don't want them and start growing there. Once java moss is growing on something... good luck killing it! You can have it on dried out hardscape which has been out of the tank a couple of years, put it back in a tank and it will regrow! It's hardy stuff :yikes:

Only other idea would be to remove the object and trim it in e.g. a bucket. That's hugely dependant on where the moss is, what its attached to etc.

The problem is it sinking. We're it to float you could just net it off the surface but I get that java moss tends to sink instead.. having thought about it now... I'm not sure why it sinks because it surely contains oxygen like the plants... weird... :o
Title: Re: Trimming java moss
Post by: Rustle on August 22, 2018, 07:07:34 AM
Thank's Matt that's some plant if it can survive out of water like that then.

I think i am going to trim it bit by bit each water change until it's trimmed right down so i can see all the shrimp and then dispose of it, in the meantime i will replace it with java fern for the shrimp so they have somewhere to go.
Title: Re: Trimming java moss
Post by: Littlefish on August 22, 2018, 07:58:42 AM
That cable tie the syphon to the scissors thing is a genius idea.  :cheers:

I had java moss in the dwarf puffer tank and it got so unruly I eventually got rid of it. That's probably more to do with my lack of plant trimming skills though.
Title: Re: Trimming java moss
Post by: Helen on September 14, 2018, 09:08:36 AM
Whereas I don't seem to be able to keep java moss alive!
Title: Re: Trimming java moss
Post by: Sue on September 14, 2018, 10:01:17 AM
I'm the same. I have just a few strands left from the clump I bought. But then I also killed a tank full of duckweed a few years ago, which is quite an achievement  ;D
Title: Re: Trimming java moss
Post by: TopCookie on September 15, 2018, 09:30:03 AM
I'm the same. I have just a few strands left from the clump I bought. But then I also killed a tank full of duckweed a few years ago, which is quite an achievement  ;D

  :yikes:  :rotfl:  :D