hi, sorry to start another moss ball thread but i didnt want to take over iain's.

i'm expecting my moss ball to arrive any day now, and i was just wondering if i should disinfect/sterilise it like i would with normal plants (i usually use approx one part bleach and 10 parts water and shake in a bag for 2 mins max, then rinse with tap water with dechlorinater)

but since it's just algae, not actually a plant, will this kill it? if so what should i do to clean it? just rinse it in some water?

lol you didnt need to worry i dont mind ya taking over my post well im actually not any help to you sorry but im sure that someone will come along soon and help ya! i have had a look for you though on the internet but havent found anything yet to do with preperations before adding them to your tank sorry!

update! it arrived today!! i just rinsed it thoroughly and dechlorinated the water it was rinsing in and then plopped it in! it's really weird!! and it's quite big so i' wondering if i could maybe half it to make to smaller ones without killing it?
any ideas???

Congrats on getting a big one! The biggest I have seen is about 1" for sale. I don't know about pulling it apart, it might not get round again or it might hurt the plant. Got any pics?

I would not split it. You will have difficulties getting it to be round again - it will want to flatten out.

I ordered moss balls and got some that were dried out and full of ants. All but one was dead. I plopped it in my tank and let it go.

I had great luck and it grew HUGE. As mine grew, it "spawned". I found tiny little balls - about the size of a pea - rolling around in the tank. After about a year, each of those little balls - the ones that did not get lost or syphoned or whatever, grew to be about 2-3 inches big, too. I sent the three to Andrea a bit back.

They thrive in higher nitrates, low water circulation, and with little distrubance. I did not mess with them much and they really grew!

Good luck.

Maybe I need a few, I have high nitrates.

I had considered it, but I dunno if my goldies would think salad time or not

MOss balls are goldfish candy. They do not mix with goldies - they would be eaten in a matter of minutes....

Mine snarfed down a 3 inch ball in about 5 minutes flat.

Goldfish candy! Thanks for the advice! I will have to wait then and see how the betta tank cycles and runs. If it goes with high nitrates too I might try one with Horatio.

mine is about 1 and 3/4 inch across. it had a little mishaped bit on the side that didnt seem to be part of the spherical shape so i pulled off and put that bit in with my goldies. they had a nibble but left it alone in the end. they r only small and so i guess it was too much for them to chew on. they'll only eat teeny little pieces of food usually.
i bet if it had gone in with my common it'd be demolished by now!!

the main ball is on with my minnows, who were a bit daunted by it at first, stayed up the other end of the tank for a bit, but now they just ignore it.

i hope mine 'spawns' little baby moss balls, that sounds so cute!!

i'll post pics in a bit x

Hey CArol,next time your Mossballs decide to sprout new babies,put me on your list.I know from experience that Goldies do think of them as candy.The three beautiful ones I received a while back were pretty much gone overnite.When I got up in the morning,my tank looked as if there was a Salad Bar explosion in the middle of the night!
Next time,I know to put them in the Trop tanks.

here is a picture of the moss ball in my tank

clicky for piccy!

(and some sneaky minnows trying to get in on the photoshoot!)

What a cute little thing!!!
And I love the minnows peeping in the pic!