Any moss experts?

[Odd Duck]

Anybody have any ideas for a moss from South America besides Christmas moss?  I’m trying to sort of do a biotope-ish tank in my 46 gallon bow front that will be an angelfish tank, but I’d like a slower growing moss that’s more substantial looking than Christmas moss.  I’m trying to a biotope-ish tank, but I ran into a brick wall when I went down that rabbit hole when I was trying to find mosses from South America.  Christmas moss was it and I have plenty of that to use.  It just grows faster and a bit messier looking than I really want.  I’m hoping for more like giant willow moss or hookeracea moss, something more substantial looking like those, but from SA.

Any moss experts that have any ideas on that?  All my other mosses are more or less from the Asian region.  I am stupidly fond of unusual mosses, so any excuse to buy a new, cool moss is OK with me.  😆  I do tend to like plant like mosses best.

I need something that I can cut up and tie or better, that will survive blender method and do well with a “dry” start.

[Torrey]

On 11/13/2021 at 7:58 AM, Odd Duck said:

Anybody have any ideas for a moss from South America besides Christmas moss?  I’m trying to sort of do a biotope-ish tank in my 46 gallon bow front that will be an angelfish tank, but I’d like a slower growing moss that’s more substantial looking than Christmas moss.  I’m trying to a biotope-ish tank, but I ran into a brick wall when I went down that rabbit hole when I was trying to find mosses from South America.  Christmas moss was it and I have plenty of that to use.  It just grows faster and a bit messier looking than I really want.  I’m hoping for more like giant willow moss or hookeracea moss, something more substantial looking like those, but from SA.

Any moss experts that have any ideas on that?  All my other mosses are more or less from the Asian region.  I am stupidly fond of unusual mosses, so any excuse to buy a new, cool moss is OK with me.  😆  I do tend to like plant like mosses best.

I need something that I can cut up and tie or better, that will survive blender method and do well with a “dry” start.

There are a huge variety of mosses down there....

I just don't know how many have made it into the aquarium trade, especially after so many fires in the basin. I'll reach out to my Brazilian buddy, see if I can at least get you some scientific names to look for. I didn't get the license to bring plants and animals back when we came state-side, and I honestly don't remember the names.

[Odd Duck]

On 11/13/2021 at 6:10 PM, Torrey said:

There are a huge variety of mosses down there....

I know there’s got to be, just like any other area, but I’ve struggled to find any kind of list I can reference.

I’d really appreciate any help, for sure!  I’d love to find something with a growth rate somewhere between Christmas moss and Fissidens.  Plus something that gets taller than most Fissidens.  I’m not picky, or anything.  😝 🤷🏻‍♀️ 

I’m happy to do my own reading and searching if I could just find a list to start from.

[Torrey]

@Odd Duck, look for The Brazilian Moss Guide, should be published (or published soon) by the New York Botanical Press. It is supposed to include 90% of the known and identified bryophytes in Brazil.

"The mosses, we have: Sphagnaceae (83 species), Fissidentaceae (65) Pottiaceae (63), Dicranaceae (54), Bryaceae and Sematophyllaceae (53 each), Orthotrichaceae and Pilotrichaceae (51 each), Calymperaceae (48), and Hypnaceae (28). These large groups account for 71% of the Brazilian bryophyte species. Lejeuneaceae and Sphagnaceae are the families with highest number of endemic taxa (54 and 60 species). The Atlantic Rainforest presents the greatest number of species (1,337), followed by the Amazon Rainforest (570) and Cerrado (478). The highest number of endemic species (242) is associated with the Atlantic Rainforest, where the Dense Ombrophilous Forest concentrates 73% of the species with 62% endemism."

(C&P from Thiago, hope that helps)

[Odd Duck]

On 11/13/2021 at 6:19 PM, Torrey said:

@Odd Duck, look for The Brazilian Moss Guide, should be published (or published soon) by the New York Botanical Press. It is supposed to include 90% of the known and identified bryophytes in Brazil.

"The mosses, we have: Sphagnaceae (83 species), Fissidentaceae (65) Pottiaceae (63), Dicranaceae (54), Bryaceae and Sematophyllaceae (53 each), Orthotrichaceae and Pilotrichaceae (51 each), Calymperaceae (48), and Hypnaceae (28). These large groups account for 71% of the Brazilian bryophyte species. Lejeuneaceae and Sphagnaceae are the families with highest number of endemic taxa (54 and 60 species). The Atlantic Rainforest presents the greatest number of species (1,337), followed by the Amazon Rainforest (570) and Cerrado (478). The highest number of endemic species (242) is associated with the Atlantic Rainforest, where the Dense Ombrophilous Forest concentrates 73% of the species with 62% endemism."

(C&P from Thiago, hope that helps)

Wow!!!  That’s going to take me a while to sort through!  Thanks for the info and I’ll be searching soon!

[Torrey]

On 11/13/2021 at 6:05 PM, Odd Duck said:

Wow!!!  That’s going to take me a while to sort through!  Thanks for the info and I’ll be searching soon!

It was a great chance to work on translation for both of us😅

I'm slowly, SLOWLY regaining some of my language skills. 

Portuguese is hard, though. 

[Brandon p]

I know it not South America but the is a lot of ground moss thin south Florida but with all the building. It is disappearing I can take pics tomorrow