TankBud

Peacock moss

Taxiphyllum sp. 'Peacock'

Also known as Taxiphyllum sp. Peacock

FreshwaterMossCuttingsRhizome division

Peacock moss (Taxiphyllum sp. 'Peacock')
Yercaud-elango · CC BY 4.0

Care at a glance

Light
Low light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
64–82°F
18–28°C
Max height
2 in
5 cm
Growth rate
Medium
Placement
Epiphyte
Type
Moss
pH
5.0–7.5
Hardness
3–20 dGH
Spread
5.9 in (15 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Water column
Growth region
Submersed
Difficulty
Easy
Family
Hypnaceae
Origin
Southeast Asia

Overview

Tie or glue small portions to wood or rock and it will attach on its own within a few weeks. It stays compact and forms defined triangular fronds under low to medium light, and higher light plus CO2 pushes denser, tidier growth. Trim it back periodically to keep the shape and to stop old inner growth from trapping detritus. It is undemanding, takes a wide temperature range, and works well in shrimp tanks.

In the wild

Peacock moss comes from Southeast Asia, where it encrusts rocks, driftwood, and other submerged surfaces in slow-moving or still streams and shaded pools. It clings to hardscape with rhizoids rather than rooting into substrate. In the wild it forms low, creeping mats in soft to moderately hard, slightly acidic to neutral water.

Good to know

It is an undescribed Taxiphyllum species sold under the cultivar name 'Peacock', so there is no formally accepted binomial. The genus Taxiphyllum sits in the family Hypnaceae, the same group that includes true Java moss (Taxiphyllum barbieri). The 'Peacock' name refers to the tight, overlapping, fan or triangle shaped fronds that give it a feathered, peacock-tail look under good light.

Did you know

Peacock moss and 'spiky moss' are so often mixed up in the trade that many bags sold as one are actually the other, since both are undescribed Taxiphyllum forms with similar tight, layered fronds.

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