# Sphagnum Moss question



## k8tbaby (Feb 25, 2006)

I have read some posts about sphagnum moss, one said that dry sphagnum will come back to life. I bought some sphagnum moss and sphagnum peat moss from lowes. What is the best way to do this? How long will it take to come back to life? Thanks!


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## bogart6868 (Oct 5, 2005)

While it is possible.. it is unlikely. There is no exact method to it, usually it involves lots of moisture and very good lighting.. and a whole lot of luck. If you want some moss, you will be better of getting some tropical moss that is alive and using it. 

Also, be careful, some of the sphagnum peat moss contains fertilizers and styrofoam balls that can be harmful to frogs..


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## elmoisfive (Dec 31, 2004)

bogart6868 said:


> While it is possible.. it is unlikely. There is no exact method to it, usually it involves lots of moisture and very good lighting.. and a whole lot of luck. If you want some moss, you will be better of getting some tropical moss that is alive and using it.
> 
> Also, be careful, some of the sphagnum peat moss contains fertilizers and styrofoam balls that can be harmful to frogs..


Tim,

Actually I find that it happens more often than not must likely depends on the source of the sphagnum. I use New Zealand long fiber sphagnum in my vivs and find that with good light, adequate moisture and time (frog poop doesn't seem to hurt either :wink: ) that it starts firing back to life.

I even have two vivs where I would swear that liverworts or a closely related plant have popped up. All shots are from vivs where dry 'dead' sphagnum moss was used. 

New growth coming from sphagnum










My 'liverworts' popping out of the sphagnum in my tricolor froglet vivs. Since I don't have any liverworts in other vivs I'm assuming it came from the moss.










More advanced moss growth with time.










I would personally recommend against using a lot of the sphagnum moss found in stores due to issues with fertilizers, fumigants used to sterilize the moss, etc.....none of which are good for your frogs.

Bill


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## rleyh (Jun 21, 2005)

I use Chilean Sphagnum from the local plant store. I do not have great lighting because I'm cheap. I mist daily. The Shagnum has come back from it's dried state in four tanks. It takes a couple of months to color up to green and then it will start growing.

Put it in and see how it does.

Rob


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## Dunner97074 (Sep 19, 2004)

I've kept moss (from frogs I've purchase) in the plastic containers in my window and it sprouted back to life. So if you have a sunny window to jump start it, it may be an option for you.
Mike


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## Guest (Feb 27, 2006)

I would say its more likely than not aswell. For me, i have gotten spaghum moss 3 times, 2 of which it had come back to life, but not as green as the pictures above.


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## Guest (Feb 28, 2006)

Elmoisfive,

Those liverworts could possibly, maybe, perhaps be ferns in the making.
I had something similar growing in my moss in my ten gallon viv, and about a year later I had ferns.


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## slaytonp (Nov 14, 2004)

I agree with Khamul-- The liverworts are most likely fern prothalium. It's impossible to say where the original fern spores have come from, perhaps lodged in the sphagnum, but I've had this happen several times and now have about three species of small ferns I never purchased growing on various backgrounds, including cork bark. It's a bonus.


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