New Viv Questions with Pics

[froggsong]

I don't sterilize my mosses. I put them in as is. Most of the tanks I'm keeping mosses in are native tanks.

CO2 is the best way, IMO to sterilize mosses and other plants. It can't kill eggs though, so sometimes you have to do it a couple of times to be sure you get everything. I personally will not dip plants in bleach, especially not moss.

I don't have a "tell all" book about mosses, lol. Just a couple of books with some really good information.

Ok, so what moss do I suggest? Do you want something living, or something dead? For something living, you could try java moss if you are going to keep it really wet until it gets established, or you could see if there are native mosses in your area and harvest some. If you want dead moss, I recommend going to the craft store or a nursery or even order some sphagnum online. I don't recommend any of the overpriced mosses they sell at the pet store, unless you have a fine local shop that you'd like to support with your business.

Alternatively, if you want some live moss but have none locally, I can send you a package (we can haggle on pricing ). If you'd like to go that route, I can also get you a starter culture of isopods that will do well in a temperate vive (the ones native to your area might do fine as well, but I've noticed the isopods most prevalent up here are a little different than those I'm used to from a warmer climate). You can also use the babies as feeders, and they are easy to breed. Just let me know if you're interested.

[dart345]

I just bought some mosses, and there a variety not sure exactly, but I have the moss soaking now, the one that I need to use for background, I heard the dry ice works great, but from the dendroboard, like you just said, the eggs are normally left behind with the co2.

This go around, I am not choosing to make a native tank, I special ordered all my stuff so I just wanted to make sure.

Quit lying about the tell all book.... I know you got in that book collection, don't hide it.. rofl....

Dipping moss in bleach is a no-no but a 10% solution has been done with a sprayer with no signs of death with the moss, from what I was reading in the dendroboard from a respectable user.

[Andry]

Everywhere I go I ask for Java moss and they look at me like they've never heard of it. Where do you buy that kind of moss locally?

I would be interested in buying live moss, but I bought a whole bunch already. I have live moss from a local exotic pet shop. I have the bagged live moss you buy at a regular pet shop. and I have moss that I bought at a craft store that I am not sure if it is alive or dead or whether or not I can use it in my viv. It is the kind you can glue on fixtures and pots for plants. I also have the dead kind of stringy stuff you put on the bottom of fake plants that I didn't know if I could use in a viv. It's seems a bit too dusty to use, but not sure if that stuff can get wet and all that since it is for fake plants.

Here's the Michael's craft store moss I bought.

[dart345]

umm thats a good question, locally depends on where you live, but I purchased my plants online, granted I paid more unlike some people I know who live on acres of land where plants are abundant and ideal in terrariums.

I would look into a forum user who has some for trade or sale. Better deals, and I personally like the java moss, from the pictures I have seen. I believe I might have some of that on order, expecting it today.

[Andry]

Thanks. I will look into it. I live in Texas and I have all the local shops such as Home Depot and Lowes, plant shops and craft stores, etc.

[dart345]

Houston, i believe is what you said, you can google it, I found a local breeder for dart frogs in dfw area, but I didnt find a place I was happy with getting plants, I will say there are some sites that offer nice plants at reasonable price, and they have good genetics.

black jungle, although I never ordered from them, seem to carry the plants that work well in the terrariums, as some plants will not work. They also use a safe media so that there is not a issue with the animals. ALthough, I always recommend to wash the plants and the media that came with it, just to be safe.

[froggsong]

I have plenty of java if you'd like some.... When beck sent me some last time I didn't know he was going to cram as much as he could fit into the bags, lol... I've got a 2 quart pitcher full almost to the top and a bunch in my tanks...

[Andry]

I'd love some froggsong! How much? I did find it locally by calling around at an aquarium shop for 7.99 for a clump. If you think that's a good price for it then I'll just go by and pick it up. I can grow this outside of water though, right? Just stick it to my background or driftwood or something?

[froggsong]

How much do you want, and how big of a clump are they selling? Is it golf ball sized? That seems to be the usual amount.

You'd have to pay for shipping as well if I send you some, so it might be more worth it to get it locally. It just depends. Is it a tightly balled clump that's been sitting somewhere for a while? If so, it might be dead on the inside.

[Andry]

I will have to go and take a look at it and see what I can tell from looking at it. It's not far from my house. I might go tonight.