The Japanese Marimo, translated to balls of seaweed, are a wonderful and interesting addition to an aquarium. These plants are native to Lake Akan in Japan and have been protected since the early 1900’s. One of the most fascinating and attractive aspects to Marimo is that you can keep them in tap water at room temperature and they will thrive with minimal light. These fuzzy little plants have adapted to low light conditions in a very interesting manner. They will float to the top during the day in order to receive more light and then sink again after the sun sets.
Tank Requirements
A Marimo will thrive in any container of water half a gallon or larger with or without filtration or fertilizer. However when keeping this plant without a filter it is best to change the water every week or two. A bare bottom will help keep a cleaner appearance but large easy to clean stones will work as well. Your Marimo will also thrive in a large aquarium as well as long as they are not exposed to excessive lighting.
Compatibility
Marimo can be kept in any aquarium with any fish that are not known for eating plants. Marimo do very well with any shrimp who will go over and clean all of the detritus and left over food out of the hairy exterior. Your Marimo should be rolled regularly to prevent irregular growth.
Benefits in an Aquarium or Pond
When keeping Marimo in an aquarium or pond this will help to reduce the amount of algae growth you get around the tank or on the walls of your pond. The Marimo will help keep your nitrates and detritus levels lower reducing the amount of algae by cutting off it’s food supply. Marimo have also been shown to remove the green water from ponds when a few are rolling around on the bottom.
Growth Rate
Marimo grow very slowly, making them very prized by their keepers. Marimo have been recorded to average growing 5 mm a year in optimum conditions. When purchasing your Marimo you may have the option to buy smaller Marimo, medium sized Marimo or Large or Giant Marimo. Whichever size you prefer for your decorative fish bowl or for your larger aquarium they will grow over time. The Marimo grow from the center outward in a very tangled chaotic manner.
Propagation
Propagating your Marimo is very easy. The easiest way to make more Marimo is to break apart your medium or large Marimo into smaller pieces. These pieces will need to be grown in a low light environment where they should be rotated to ensure roundness. The second form of propagation is by allowing your Marimo to grow it’s own smaller daughter Marimo which will eventually fall free and leave a hole in your mother Marimo. This hole will fill in eventually and the daughter Marimo will grow at the same rate as the mother.
Evan Eloe - When learning about what he loves Evan leaves no rock unturned giving his readers a clear and well rounded source of knowledge.
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