Aegagropila linnaei
Aegagropila linnaei is actually a well-behaved form of algae!!! It is slowly formed into a ball over a long period of time, by water movement. Originating in very cold rivers and lakes throughout Northern Europe and Japan these Marimo Balls or Moss Balls as they are more commonly, if erroneously, called take long periods of time to form. Aegagropila linnaei will not cause unwanted algae to form in your tank. In fact, Marimo Balls will help prevent nuisance algae by taking nutrients out of the water. "Moss Balls" are a different type of algae than the problem algae that normally forms in aquariums and they are very slow growing. Aegagropila linnaei comes in a range of sizes with the small size in the 3-4 cm range and the XL size in the 10 cm range. Marimo Balls are very easy to decorate with and use for aquascaping. They can be used whole or cut into pieces for creative use in your aquascape. For quite some time, "Marimo Balls" were sold under the name, Cladophora aegagropila.
Common Name: Marimo Balls, Moss Balls
Family Name: Cladophoracea
Native To: Europe and Japan
Lighting: Low
Requirements: Easy beginner plant
Growth Form: Ball
Growth Rate: Slow
True Aquatic: Yes
Placement in Tank: Foreground or accents
Available As: Individual balls