Java Moss

Java moss

Today we are going to talk about a plant widely used in aquariums. It is the Java moss. His scientific name is Vesicularia Dubya and its difficulty in caring for it is low. It belongs to the Hypnaceae family and is native to Southeast Asia.

If you want to know all the characteristics and needs of this aquarium plant, this is your post 🙂

Key features

Java moss characteristics

This plant grows in the slower tropical watercourses of Java Sumatra, Borneo and the surrounding archipelagos. It prefers the shadiest areas and can survive at different depths. It is usually seen on the shores of lakes and streams.

If its growth is optimal and it is in good condition, this plant is capable of reaching sizes such that they cover the entire aquarium. At first it is difficult for him to grow a little more due to the acclimatization process. However, once they are used to the aquarium environment, their growth rate is quite accelerated.

It is a covering plant with a fairly dense bearing and grows in the form of filaments. They are quite elongated and covered by very small opposite pointed leaves. The leaves are interwoven like scales and intertwine with other stems. This increases the density of the plant and forms a spongy mass.

Esta estructura tan peculiar hace que sea un lugar adecuado para la puesta y desarrollo de pequeñas larvas de muchas especies de peces. Las hojas tienen a size about 1,5mm in width and 5mm in length, irregularly shaped. As for its coloration, the most common to see is light or intense green. Somewhat darker tones can also be observed, but this is not the usual thing.

Requirements of your plantation

Fish around Java Moss

For this plant to grow in optimal conditions, some requirements need to be met during its planting stage. It does not need to be planted on a substrate. They prefer to develop on the decorative objects that are placed in the aquariums. Thanks to this, it offers us an advantage when choosing a suitable substrate. Rooting of the plant is easily achieved with a sewing thread. The plant can be "sewn" onto the aquarium accessories.

Once the Java moss has been planted, as the days go by it will spread through the object in which it has been fixed. We will be able to see the evolution of the plant by observing that the object is completely covered. If we want, we can prune the plant so that it acquires the same shape as the object in question. For this we use scissors or directly with our hands. If we do it correctly, an impressive decoration can be obtained.

On the other hand, if we want to place the plant directly at the bottom of the aquarium we can use small stones and hold them to the substrate. This time we will have to "tie" it to the stones so that it covers them completely.

Java moss needs

Detail of the filamentous leaves

This plant needs some factors for its growth to be correct. The first is lighting. Since it prefers shady in its natural habitat, it will not be any different here. Prefers shady places or with artificial lighting based on tubes that benefit photosynthesis. If the lighting is excessive it can harm its health and cause green algae to grow on it and suffocate it.

Its special morphology lends itself to invasion by carpet or filamentous algae that are difficult to control and eradicate. In case we have an invasion of algae we have to remove them before they drown our moss. For this you should not use algaecide products, as they can affect the development of the moss itself. The ideal is to remove the most affected parts so that the rest are not infected.

When fish defecate, they accumulate dirt in the aquarium. This spoils the decoration produced by the algae and plants in the background. Furthermore, this plant it is difficult to rectify by siphoning. This is due to the fact that the depression produced by the extraction of the dirty layer drags the filaments of the plant.

If it is not pruned when it is large, its threadlike texture can cause clogging of the filters. To do this, the most advisable thing is to prune it so that they acquire the shape of the object to which it was sewn.

Regarding the water conditions, You need temperatures that are between 18 and 26 degrees. In this way it resembles the temperatures in which it lives in its natural habitat. To introduce this plant with fish, you have to take into account that the temperature range is compatible. The pH of the water should be between 6,5 and 8 and the hardness between 10 and 12.

Reproduction of Vesicularia Dubya

Reproduction by cuttings

To reproduce this plant the technique of cutting or vegetative reproduction is used. To do this, a few filaments are separated from the main mass of the moss. It must be large and mature enough that it can be replanted and grown.

It can be replanted in the same or another aquarium, depending on the need. The cutting can be placed around an object such as the mother plant or in the sand near some rock that you will use for curling. It is important that the water where it is replanted is not new. It needs a somewhat lower chlorine concentration. Otherwise it could die within the first days after being replanted.

Java moss grows very well on coconut shells, fossil woods and volcanic rocks. This can give our aquarium a more tropical touch. In addition, it is an amphibian plant that can continue its growth by taking root on emerged objects.

Finally, a tip for those who want to have this plant in their aquariums is that, although it is easy to care for, it can make general aquarium care difficult. If you are new to the world of aquariums, it is better to use plastic plants and choose fish with simple care. Once you manage the care, you can now venture to introduce Java moss 🙂


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  1.   Laura DeSales said

    Very good information.