# help on keeping this moss alive



## lessthantito (Nov 6, 2006)

I have been working out in the middle of the woods and found some moss







does anyone know what type of moss this is and some hints on keeping it alive in a viv


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## dustin_grey (Mar 8, 2006)

For the most part, moss is hit or miss when collecting it from the woods. Some work, and some don't. Ive got 2 or 3 types of moss in my 40L, and only 1 is really growing well. 

Just give it a lot of light, and keep it moist enough, and see if it works. Is it clean moss? I cant give any good advice on cleaning it, but Im sure there are topics about it somewhere on the board.

http://www.dendroboard.com/phpBB2/search.php


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

The biggest problem with getting moss from outside is acclimating it to your take... the biggest reason I've come across for the varied results in success of native mosses isn't just the specific mosses used, but also in how well those mosses got a chance to acclimate, both temperature and humidity wise. Taking them from cooler, drier conditions into warmer, wetter conditions tend to rot them out before they even get a chance. I sit my moss from outside in a plastic bag and sit it on the frog shelf for a week, then add sphagnum moss in it to up the humidity. in another week or two it tends to have taken well to the more humid environment using the more gradual method, and can be added to a tank.

Another way is sticking it in a 10 gallon or other container. Sit the moss on top of sphagnum moss that you have soaked and squeezed out as much water as possible. over the next week, mist the moss to moisten it up, but DO NOT COVER the container. Over the next week or two, slowly start covering the container, maybe a quarter of the lid area ever couple of days. I've got a 29 I do this with on a regular basis with plants that have been grown as houseplants, to get them set up to being in the much more humid terrariums. This gives them time to adapt to the shift in conditions and grow new growth as needed to cope with them.


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## lessthantito (Nov 6, 2006)

sounds like a better idea than any I have heard I will try it thanks !!


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