Fairy Moss

I just stopped in to Wight's Home and Garden in Lynnwood, and found something I had never seen there before: Fairy Moss

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I haven't looked it up yet, and the people there didn't know much about it, but they said they were throwing it in for free with water plants, so I bought a little hyacinth (which I really don't need, I have plenty) and got a handful of this stuff.

Its structure from above looks like a moss, but as you can see, it's a floating plant. From the little research I have done, it seems to be mainly a pond plant, but I'm wondering if it can make the transition inside to one of my tanks. I haven't had much luck with water lettuce recently, they just won't grow any larger than about a quarter (probably because I tried to use bleach to get the algae off their roots, oops) and this stuff would serve the same purpose, but maybe not be as annoying as duckweed since it's not as small

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Anyone ever tried this indoors? I am looking for something to suck up extra nutrients and maybe block some of the light, as I continue to have minor algae problems in my 20 gallon

Very difficult to keep it in doors. It's formal name is Azolla. Probably have some in my ponds somewhere.

Is it a temp issue? The lady at the store did have that to say, that it might not be good indoors because it can overwinter outside...

It's not a bad find though for free, I will keep it in this "pond" which I may use for something one of these days. I might do some research into goldfish or other coldwater critters. Is it possible to raise crawdads outside for eating later? I'm thinking about floating lettuce plants on here, and something to grow below and make waste to grow the lettuce. I think that's called aquaponics, but it would be on a very small scale.

I could never find the name for that stuff. My mom has this stuff everywhere since it multiplies rapidly. Her goldfish in her outdoor pond love to eat the roots offa these things.

Whoa those look awesome, if you manage to get them to multiply, I'd love to have a little start of my own, and see if I can try my luck on it!

PokeSephiroth- My mom throws this stuff out of her pond by the handful cause it grows so rapidly but I think that is usually in summer time. I have no idea how it does in winter. She just leaves it out there and let it do it's thing. I can probably get some for you if you wanted to try it out.

Oh that would be great! Thanks!

Azolla caroliniana

PM me when you are in the area and I can get some to ya

Awesome, thanks!

Sorry, I didn't see that you had posted on here Poke.... I will bring some in next time I come down to the shop. Like I told you last time I was there, it started out slowly (probably because I use HOB filter with lots of surface agitation) but now is stating to take off since they have all tangled up with each other. They have weird curly roots that tend to catch on things... I'm not sure I like it the best, but I think it would do better in calmer waters.

Thanks! And no worries about bringing it in sooner lol.  No rush