Nakitaninja Posted July 8, 2011 I figure this is a good place to post my recent discovery of Marimo! I was at our local pet store shopping for my dogs & cats- lo and behold, there was Marimo. What is Marimo? Well, I wasn't sure either but I read up on it at home, became charmed and adopted some of my very own. Here's a little excerpt from the wiki that sums things up better than I can: Marimo (毬藻?, literally "ball seaweed"), also known as Cladophora ball, Lake ball, or Moss Balls in English, is a species of filamentous green algae (Chlorophyta) found in a number of lakes in the northern hemisphere. A marimo is a rare growth form of the species where the algae grow into large green balls with a velvety appearance. Colonies of such balls are only known to form in Iceland, Scotland, Japan and Estonia. wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marimo What's the point of keeping Marimo? Well, it's very tranquil and easy to care for- think of it like keeping a houseplant but doing it underwater.... or aquascaping! They need water changing every two weeks and when you change the water you gently squish the water out of them and then tap them gently back into a round shape. In the lakes that are their natural home they don't need so much reshaping as the water moves them about. ^^ They're super cool! Madoka and Marimo! by dollflip, on Flickr I'm posting this in the OT section because it is a national treasure in Japan and has a fascinating history. If you'd like to adopt Marimo you can get it at your local pet store or even buy a lot of it off of Ebay! I'd like to have a huge tank someday with a pump to keep them all tumbling about. Think about it like a living lava lamp. More information on Marimo! How to care for Marimo http://www.bleakhillycoalcountry.com/blog/?page_id=10 Japanese Marimo goods I can't buy because I don't live in Japan!T-T http://english.marimo.com.hk/10year_marimo.htm I hope you enjoyed this post and if you adopt a Marimo, take a picture and post it please! Madoka and Marimo! by dollflip, on Flickr Since this is OT anyhow, I figured it was fine if Madoka showed up too. *^^* Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pupi Posted July 8, 2011 They look... So... Squishy... And so... Round... They don't have a face or something alse but I already love them I have found a pet to keep in my flat! Thank you Nakitaninja** enthusiast pasta girl - she/her - power bi Mini Mode Lab Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PrettyCranium Posted July 8, 2011 Cool! Do they move about? You mentioned it was like a lava lamp . . . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nakitaninja Posted July 9, 2011 They look... So... Squishy... And so... Round... They don't have a face or something alse but I already love them I have found a pet to keep in my flat! Thank you Nakitaninja** I am so glad you like them! They remind me of the Ghibli coal dust sprites Kurosuke minus the eyes. ^^ Please take pictures??? Cool! Do they move about? You mentioned it was like a lava lamp . . . I meant having a water pump in there to help push them about but they do move- [b]very[/b] slowly. They rise and fall in the water due to their process of photosynthesis. They get little bubbles all over them (oxygen from the plant "exhaling", yeah?^^) and sometimes they oxygen carries the plant to the surface. It appears as though they are living creatures and not plants. I like to rotate mine every other day- this frequency isn't required but you do have to help them move every once in a while or they will get brown patches. T-T They'll heal from it but it's a good idea to move them about when you change their water and give them some TLC! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mitsuki Posted July 9, 2011 Wow! That looks so cool. If I kill regular household plants, what are my chances of killing a poor Marimo too? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maksst Posted July 9, 2011 Aw! That balls look like they want to have a neverending hug! Looks that it is not so easy to take care of it... *squeeze* *squeeze * I wanna touch it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nakitaninja Posted July 10, 2011 Aw! That balls look like they want to have a neverending hug! Looks that it is not so easy to take care of it... *squeeze* *squeeze * I wanna touch it Mitsuki, I don't think you'd kill it. I think it would do really well! At least you never have to water it and it love indirect light. It's SUPER easy to take care of Marimo! ( Then again I also keep orchids ^^; Marimo just needs a water change, a rotation every two weeks and a cool place with indirect light to sit the rest of the time. Many times people keep a beta fish with them since it is about the same level of care minus the feeding for the fish but I just like Marimo on it's own. For the AGA competitions and some AMAZING feats of aquascaping please check out this compeition! http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2011.cgi It takes some navigating to see last year's entries but it is totally worth it. ^^ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mitsuki Posted July 10, 2011 Those are so beautiful! Thank you for sharing! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PlasticFantastic Posted July 11, 2011 I kill every plant I get my hands on. And when I don't - MoMo does! ;_; Please visit my YouTube channel for helpful DD tips, tutorials, and reviews! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
