# scotch moss/irish moss



## tbird20x (Jan 19, 2007)

hi guys i was at my local home depot and saw something called scotch moss and another moss called irish moss i was wondering if i could use these for my poison dart frog set up? has anyone used these in there tanks before?

Sam


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## Rambo67 (Jun 12, 2006)

Mine hasnt really flourished, but it can SURVIVE in a dart tank, it just needs to be and a very well lit part of the tank. In my experience, it doesn't stay in the nice carpet mat it comes potted in, expect it to grow up to like 3 inches tall.


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## slaytonp (Nov 14, 2004)

The Scotch moss may be Selaginella brownii, and the Irish moss may be either Selaginella brownii or S. denticulata. (Club moss.) There is another Irish moss I'm familiar with: Helxine soleirolii, which is related to Pellionia and Pilea. All of these will do well in a vivarium. The trouble with common names like this is you can't be sure of the plant referred to, and common names may vary in different localities. None of these plants is a true moss, and the Helxine is not even closely related to the true mosses.


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## Rambo67 (Jun 12, 2006)

I dont know the exact name is, it came in a pot and was like a low growing mat with little white flowers.


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## tbird20x (Jan 19, 2007)

i saw the onw with the white flowers and also another one that they had that looked pretty good i gonna try some in a small tank and see what yeilds in it. Thanks for the info guys

Sam


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## Mark Forman (Jul 19, 2005)

it will not grow in a viv. You would need to have high amounts of light to keep it growing flat. Stay away from it.


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## slaytonp (Nov 14, 2004)

If it is flowering, it isn't any of the things I mentioned, but some sort of garden plant for outdoors, maybe meant as a ground cover. or for a rock garden, and will not do well in a humid, wet situation without full sunlight and ventilation. I agree with Mark; it will probably just rot in your vivarium. But there's no law against experimenting, so go ahead and do it, and when we're wrong, you can gloat, and if we're right, you can ignore us. But above all, have some fun with it, because that's how we all learn. (I love to be in that situation.) 

This is exactly why I loathe the use of "common" names for plants. They sometimes aren't even old fashioned or actually "commonly known," names, just something Wall Mart or Home Depot made up for a sales pitch on the spur of the moment. 

I'm not dissing you, Sam. I've tried stuff against the rules and advice many times, and the one time out of 1000 it did work, was worth it.


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## Rambo67 (Jun 12, 2006)

I agree with you on the confusion involved with common names, this is what I purchased labeled as "irish moss"

http://www.peoriagardens.com/images/per ... shMoss.jpg

I like the "grassy" look it gives me now, its not what i bought it as, but it IS surviving. Its green, it grows, Im happy.


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## slaytonp (Nov 14, 2004)

Kyle: Off hand that looks like some kind of Phlox species--But whatever works!


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## Delawarejim (Jan 3, 2007)

Scotch/Irish moss, Sagina subulata, is also know as sandwort. It prefers full sun and sandy, well drained soil. 

It's often planted between the cracks in brick walks which are almost perfect conditions for it. 

Cheers. 
Jim


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## housevibe7 (Sep 24, 2006)

^^Beat me to it, probably not really well suited because it will rot with too much water.


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