Solenostoma tetragonum

Also known as Solenostoma tetragonum 'Pearl Moss', Pearl liverwort, Jungermannia tetragona, Plectocolea tetragona

FreshwaterMossCuttings

Care at a glance

Light: Medium light
CO2: CO₂ beneficial
Temperature: 64–82°F; 18–28°C
Max height: 2 in; 5 cm

Growth rate: Slow
Placement: Epiphyte
Type: Moss
pH: 4.5–7.0
Hardness: 0–30 dGH
Nutrient uptake: Water column
Growth region: Submersed or emersed
Difficulty: Medium
Family: Solenostomataceae
Origin: Tropical Asia; aquarium stock originates from Borneo

Overview

Solenostoma tetragonum is a liverwort that grows into dense cushions on rock and wood. It is more demanding than common mosses and rates medium difficulty.

Did you know

Solenostoma tetragonum shares the trade name Pearl moss with other, unrelated plants, so buy it by its scientific name. The name fits, though, since a healthy cushion traps oxygen bubbles like strings of pearls.

Caring for Solenostoma tetragonum

Attach small portions of Solenostoma tetragonum to rock or wood with glue or thread, and let the cushion build slowly. It suits nano tanks next to shade plants such as Bucephalandra.

Soft, acidic water with a pH of 4.5 to 7 keeps the cushions dense, along with steady CO2 and a regular liquid fertilizer. It grows without injected CO2, but more slowly. Neglect shows up as thin, straggly growth.

Growth is very slow, so keep the light moderate and the tank clean. Algae that settles in the cushion is nearly impossible to remove. Propagate it by cutting off small portions of a cushion and attaching them elsewhere.

Good to know

Solenostoma tetragonum is a liverwort in the order Jungermanniales, family Solenostomataceae, long known under the older name Jungermannia tetragona. Its ascending shoots carry small, round, overlapping leaflets that build deep green cushions, quite unlike the feathery look of true aquarium mosses. For years the trade circulated it under wrong names, including the unrelated liverwort Blepharostoma trichophyllum.

In the wild

Solenostoma tetragonum is a leafy liverwort of South, Southeast and East Asia. It grows in permanently moist places such as wet rock, banks and soil in humid forest. It is not a true aquatic, but like many liverworts it adapts to submersed life. The material in the hobby traces back to Borneo.

Common questions

Does Solenostoma tetragonum need to be planted in the substrate?

No. Solenostoma tetragonum grows on rock or wood rather than in the substrate. Tie it on with cotton thread or fishing line, or use gel superglue, until it anchors itself.