The so-called Christmas moss or Christmas moss, whose scientific name is Vesicularia montagnei, is ideal for tying it to roots or stones. Over time it grows solid and no longer needs to be fixed.
The moss has very small and tree-like shoots that can be used to cover the entire back wall of the aquarium with the plant. It originally comes from Asia, more precisely from Indonesia.
How did the name come about?
The Christmas moss got its special name because of the shoots, which are very reminiscent of fir branches. They grow quite evenly and densely and are usually occupied with side branches.
What conditions does the plant place on the water?
Christmas moss is becoming more and more popular in the aquarium scene. Because it makes no special demands on the water. It grows differently in each tank, so that no exact growth process can be described.
The plant grows up to ten centimeters high and over time forms shoots on which small leaves grow. CO2 fertilization is not absolutely necessary, but can accelerate growth considerably. The pool should be at least 20 centimeters high and the water should have a temperature between 22 °C and 28 °C and a water hardness between two and 15. The light requirement of the Christmas moss is not particularly high.
It is very suitable for aquascaping and is very popular with shrimp and various small fish. Like many other types of moss, Christmas moss grows very well on stones and roots. Therefore, it is ideal for the greening of hardscape. It can be propagated both by division and by separating off daughter plants. The cuttings are then simply tied to another rock or root until they grow.
Care of the Christmas moss
As already mentioned, the Christmas moss makes no special demands on the water and the pool. It is only important that the temperature range specified above is observed. In addition, the aquarist should be patient after inserting the plant.
Because the Christmas moss usually needs a few days to acclimatize. If all the conditions are right, it will then grow and thrive very well. To give it some support, it can be regularly supplied with a suitable fertilizer.
This ensures that it gets all the nutrients it needs for growth. On the other hand, if it spreads a little too much, the Christmas moss can be trimmed a little. The excess plant parts are best removed from the tank immediately.
Otherwise it may happen that the plant spreads to another place in the aquarium. Or the cut leaves float on the water surface and prevent the light from reaching down.