Nano moss

Amblystegium serpens

Also known as Creeping feather-moss, Creeping feathermoss, Mini moss, Stringy moss

FreshwaterMossdivisionfragmentation

Nano moss (Amblystegium serpens) — Algirdas, Lietuva · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Light: Low light
CO2: No CO₂ needed
Growth rate: Slow
Placement: Epiphyte
Type: Moss
Temperature: 59–82°F (15–28°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Hardness: 2–15 dGH
Max height: 1.2 in (3 cm)
Spread: 3.9 in (10 cm)
Nutrient uptake: Water column
Growth region: Submersed or emersed
Difficulty: Easy
Origin: A cosmopolitan feather moss of damp ground, bark, and stone across the Northern Hemisphere, adapted by hobbyists to grow submerged.
Family: Amblystegiaceae

Overview

Tie or glue it thinly onto small stones or wood and let it knit into a low cushion. It handles cool water and low light with no CO2, though growth is slow either way, and it prefers bright but diffuse light over harsh direct light. Trim it now and then to keep it neat and to encourage denser shoots.

In the wild

Amblystegium serpens is a fine, feathery moss that grows underwater as short, upright shoots, giving a delicate texture that suits nano tanks. It is naturally a land moss but adapts readily to submerged life in an aquarium. Its small scale earned it the hobby name nano moss.

Good to know

Mosses are non vascular plants with no true roots, taking in water and nutrients across their whole surface. Amblystegium serpens is naturally terrestrial but tolerates being cultivated underwater like several other hardy mosses.