Fissidens nobilis

Also known as Giant Fissidens, Fissidens japonicus, Fissidens sp. Japan

FreshwaterMossRhizome division

Fissidens nobilis (Fissidens nobilis) — no rights reserved · cc0

Care at a glance

Light: Low light
CO2: CO₂ beneficial
Growth rate: Slow
Placement: Epiphyte
Type: Moss
Temperature: 64–79°F (18–26°C)
pH: 5.0–7.0
Hardness: 0–10 dGH
Max height: 1.6 in (4 cm)
Spread: 3.9 in (10 cm)
Nutrient uptake: Water column
Growth region: Submersed or emersed
Difficulty: Difficult
Origin: Subtropical and tropical Asia and Oceania (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands)
Family: Fissidentaceae

Overview

Attach it in a thin layer to rock or wood with thread or a dab of superglue, never plant it in substrate. It is genuinely demanding: it wants soft acidic water, cooler stable temperatures (it sulks above about 27C), and although it is a shade-dwelling moss that only needs low to moderate light, it does much better with added CO2. Growth is very slow, and because the dense fronds trap detritus you need to baste them clean during water changes to keep hair algae from smothering it. Propagate by splitting a patch and reattaching the pieces.

In the wild

Fissidens nobilis is a moss from the subtropical and tropical parts of Asia and Oceania, ranging across China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and out to the Pacific islands. In the wild it grows on wet rock and wood beside streams and waterfalls, either partly submerged or in constantly damp emersed conditions. It is one of the larger, more robust Fissidens species, which is why the trade often calls it giant Fissidens.

Good to know

It is a true moss (division Bryophyta) in the family Fissidentaceae, a genus known for its distinctive two-ranked leaves that give the fronds a flat, fern-like appearance rather than the tangled look of Java or Christmas moss. It has been sold under the names Fissidens japonicus and Fissidens sp. Japan, which are considered the same plant in the hobby. Being a moss it has no true roots and clings by rhizoids, absorbing water and nutrients directly through its surface.

Did you know

Under good conditions Fissidens nobilis can flower, in a manner of speaking, by pushing up tiny reddish spore capsules on stalks, something most aquarists never see because the moss so rarely reaches that stage underwater.