Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ive heard of the fake sphagnum moss you buy at pet shops, eventually sprouting real moss. Is this true? If so, how is it accomplished? Thanks.

I don't understand what you mean by Fake.
But if you get Dried Sphagnum moss from a orchid center it will come back with watering and light. The moss on the left is sphagnum that has greened back up. Get the highest quality you can get. I use New Zealand Sphagnum.

Ben Green
www.thechocohut.com

Yes, the New Zealand Kind is a great moss to do that with. I discovered this accidentally when I place the long, strong, hardy strands to fill in places, cracks, and as a wrap around epiphytic roots. The moss I placed closes to the CF lights and had constant high humidity turned a lime green at first on the fringes within 2 weeks. After 3-4 weeks, the lime green turned to a dark forest green and the rest of the strand is catching up in color. I was delighted to see this happen. Strands in lower humidity didn't turn at all. It didn't "sprout" new moss, it just came back to life-that doesn't mean it won't, but it turns green first. Black Jungle, LLL both carry this moss and LLL tells me that you can even take the moss rinse it out, Ring it out without damaging it. Its pretty sturdy stuff.

Not contradicting you since it is impossible to know without looking at your moss, but typically new zealand dried moss is near impossible to get sprouts from. However, it does tend to be the quickest to turn dark green from mold/slime. Typically when LFS comes to life it is from spores and creates new growth rather than coming back to life. If your moss is dark green and slimmy then it is slimed, if it is a lighter green, fluffy and soft then it is alive.

Like I said I could be wrong since I'm not looking at your moss, but I use about 10 or 15 pounds of dried moss a year in my greenhouse and have a ton of living LFS but the new zealand LFS has never sprouted for me. (wish it would, I would love some live NZ LFS)

joe
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3.0.1 Tinc Patricias
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I agree with Joseph. It's probably an algae or slime mold-- perfectly all right, by the way. Any growth will come from spores, and years ago, this used to happen all the time when I used it. However, I think they must heat-sterilize it now, because I don't get any actual live sphagnum in my terrariums any more.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
3 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
5 D. imitator
4 D. leukomelas
4 D. pumilio Bastimentos
4 D. fantasticus pending

Yes, no sprouts that I see from the New Zealand. Thanks for clarifying what I was seeing. It did only, as I said, turn green, but no New sprouts. It would be nice to have the moss sprout again. But you say, Patty, that the algae is Ok? Wouldn't want something to go wrong. Maggie

My tank is covered with that horrid green color due to a lack of ventilation. Doesn't bother the frogs any.

joe
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3.0.1 Tinc Patricias
0.0.2836 Pea Aphids
0.0.4392 Springtails
0.0.1842 FruitFlies
0.1.30 Dampwood Termites

Hey you know, maybe you can tell me what I'm seeing. I have the New Zealand stuff, and some other dried sphagnum moss and ONLY the New Zealand turned green-though side by side. But, it doesn't look like horrid slime, which is why I thought it was becoming alive. It has turned a dark forest green in places and lighter in other areas but the moss is not in a soppy area, and it is quite ventilated where it is. In fact, it ONLY turned green in the well lit, very high humidity, and well ventilated area. I'll try and get a picture up for you guys to see, but it sure looks as if it starting to live. Thanks-Maggie

Sorry, I still think it is most likely an algea. The dried moss you get in a cube is as dead as can be. The only hope for life comes from the spores. Unfortunately NZ LFS is very well steralized before leaving the country and the spores are somewhat more delicate than your average North American LFS. As far as I know no one on my Carnivorous Plant forum has ever got NZ LFS to sprout. If it were to sprout it would grow very fluffy and soft and be a lighter green unless you happen to find some red LFS, but the dead stuff would still be underneath, dead,. If you truly desire some live moss I could send you some live North American LFS when the temperatures reach a more appropriate range. It requires HIGH humidity and good light. I have a ton of it in the greenhouse but my frogs have always managed to kill it off rather quick. I'll try again when I build a larger enclosure.

But if you do get some to sprout I'll send you SASE.

joe
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3.0.1 Tinc Patricias
0.0.5 Aurotaenia
0.0.2836 Pea Aphids
0.0.4392 Springtails
0.0.1842 FruitFlies