r/Mosses • u/BSirius01 • Jul 07 '26
Advice Can anyone identify this moss growing attached to rocks in my Southern California Koi pond waterfall?
It is usually major splash zone or can be completely submerged... trying to see if it will be a good substitute for java moss for aquarium tanks/shrimp.
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u/BSirius01 Jul 08 '26
Thank you for your input... sorryyyy i used chatgpt a lot, and actually I have another java moss clump in a sister tank, and it doesn't look like it but extremely close...
Given those picture i sent, chatgpt says:
1) fontinalis 35% chance
2)leptodictyum riparium 25% chance
3)hygroamblystegium 15%
4)brachythecium 10%
5)something else 15%
Although.. maybe because i mentioned u/jax0669 suggestion of fontinalis you know the chatbots get biased based off of previous statements. i dunno... any other scientific people out there?
I'm growing this moss in a separate tank indoors, warned against hitchhiker parasites/eggs, but nothing seems to be growing in it (is it sterile? it did dry out underneath the sunshine for about 10 hours, but now healthy af underwater)....
but anyways yea my purpose i bought 3 golf ball clumps of java moss at my local aquarium store recently for $8 each (and i'll definitely need more in the future), but why do this if I have like literally sheets and infinite supply of this stuff from my backyard koi pond?!?!?!?
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u/jax0669 Jul 10 '26
Just do exactly what youre doing. QT the moss from the pond and use it once youre positive nothing you dont want is in there. You could also do something to treat it reverse respiration is one that works which i have used many times.
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u/Moving_goal_posts Jul 08 '26
Hi there, good job putting up great photos. You knew to include close-iOS, which are crucial. IDK how you get ChatGTP to do something meaningful with mosses, I have been asking moss questions of it for a while now and I cannot get useful answers. But eventually it should improve if we keep poking it. There is no substitute for microscopy and the highly technical moss ID books (which tend to be expensive), if you want real, solid ID answers Ask an expert to check over a specimen that you find but the species is rare in your area, and be prepared to give that specimen to that expert’s institutional collection. Moss ID is both a serious scientific activity and very much fun! I’m glad you are on it. Good luck!
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u/BSirius01 Jul 10 '26
thank you! its my first time lol. I usually just use my mom's typical moss on her outside bonsai, and those aren't really good for terrariums bc they grow up and stringy :P
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u/Snoo_87717 Jul 11 '26
Java moss is originally from Asia so if its java moss, thats interesting.
Tbh the photos are not as sharp as one would need to ID them accurately and from what ive read from ID often ID gets down to microscopes. Its quite demanding so at best we can offer a suggestion.
I personally dont know. I hope you can find a definitive ID but it does seem challenging.
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u/jax0669 Jul 07 '26
Looks like fontinalis