Erect Moss Care Guide
Erect Moss (Vesicularia reticulata) grows in upright shoots when submersed, making it useful for moss walls and miniature forest looks.
Overview
Erect moss, Vesicularia reticulata, is an aquatic moss of the family Hypnaceae named for its tendency to form straight, upright shoots when grown submersed. This upright habit makes it useful for moss walls and miniature forest or tree compositions.
Taxonomy
- Family: Hypnaceae
- Genus: Vesicularia
- Scientific name: Vesicularia reticulata
- Common name: erect moss
Habitat
Vesicularia reticulata is widely distributed throughout Southeast Asia and the Asian tropics, growing on moist substrates along riverbanks, swamps and other water bodies, as well as submersed, anchoring onto woody or rocky surfaces. Its emersed form has a creeping habit.
Aquarium requirements
- Temperature: 18-28 °C (64-82 °F)
- pH: 5.5-7.5
- GH: 2-14 °dGH
- Lighting: low to moderate
- CO2: not required, but benefits from 20-40 mg/l
- Placement: epiphyte (on hardscape)
- Maximum height: about 10 cm
It grows from low to high light and benefits from added CO2, though it is not required. It is considered a medium-difficulty moss, well suited to nano tanks where it is used as an epiphyte on hardscape. Its delicate, net-like structure provides shelter and foraging surface for shrimp and small fish.
Care and growth
Growth rate is slow. The upright shoots are trimmed to maintain the desired shape, and regular pruning keeps the lower portions exposed to light.
Propagation
Erect moss is propagated by splitting or cutting off daughter portions, which are re-attached to hardscape to spread the colony.