The Best Aquarium MOSS to Grow for Beginners (without CO2)

Any fish or shrimp keeper will not settle down with just plants to add to their aquascape. We always want to add in some ‘Moss’ to upgrade the overall aquascape of our Nano Tanks or aquariums. MOss are also of great benefit when it comes to breeding tanks for shrimps and fish. Choosing the right type of moss for your aquarium is essential when you decide to grow them without ‘CO2’. So here are the ‘TOP 3 BEGINNER AQUARIUM MOSS’ that are best for any aquascape as per my previous experience of fish keeping and aquascaping; Java Moss, Flame Moss, and Pelia Moss.

PELIA (Monosolenium Tenerum)

This moss has a very distinct pattern of growth that spreads out like a ‘Coral Reef’ and shows a similar kind of pattern to that of ‘Seaweed’ in the sea. Pelia is a ‘Hard to Kill’ moss, but at the same time it can be grown the best when you ‘Tie it to a coconut shell or any rock’. It does not require any kind of ‘CO2’ for rapid growth but however, efficient lighting for growth. 

I have simply tied them to coconut shells and rocks and seen some amazing results. The shrimps love the moss and they find ‘Hiding Space’ within the gaps of the moss. I feel every aquascape needs to try this moss as it is very distinct and gives out an amazing structure to your aquascape. 

FLAME MOSS (Taxiphyllum)

Flame moss is a hardy moss that can be grown in your tanks without any CO2. They grow in an upward direction and show a grass-like pattern of aquascape.

Flame moss can be ‘Tied to the Driftwood’ or ‘Tied to a Flat Base made of Net’. This is the best way of growing Flame moss in your Nano Tanks or Aquarium. It grows well even without ‘CO2’ and shows rapid growth under strong sunlight or dedicated aquarium light. I have grown it at the base of my aquarium so it gives a grass-like structure to the tank. The fishes love it and the shrimps love to crawl over them. 

JAVA MOSS (Taxiphyllum Barbieri)

We all have made use of java moss at some point in our aquarium and realized the hardiness of this moss and how sustainable they are to our tanks. Java moss can be added to the aquarium by ‘Tying them to a Rock/Driftwood, Hardscape, or simply letting them float in the water. This moss is very hard to kill and can survive under the worst aquarium scenario as long as there is proper light falling into them. I always tie Java Moss to some rock or ‘Coconut Shell’ to create a beautiful cave-like structure and a ‘Hideout’ for the fishes and shrimps in the tank. One of the best reasons to keep Java Moss in your aquarium is because of its ‘growing pattern’ that goes well with almost any hardscape and aquascaping structures. Unlike other Flame moss and Pelia, Java moss has a faster growth rate ‘without CO2’. Java moss simply serves the purpose of all the other 3 moss that are mentioned above in terms of ‘Pattern and methods to Plant’ them in the aquarium.

This article was written with the knowledge I gained from my experience in Fish Keeping. However, I have listed below the literature which I have gained my knowledge from as well as referred to support my ideas.

Resources – AQUARIA Plants Rescue