Stringy moss

Leptodictyum riparium

Also known as Amblystegium riparium, Hypnum riparium, Streamside leptodictyum moss

FreshwaterMossCuttings

Stringy moss (Leptodictyum riparium) — HermannSchachner · CC0

Care at a glance

Light: Low light
CO2: No CO₂ needed
Temperature: 39–79°F; 4–26°C
Max height: 3.9 in; 10 cm

Growth rate: Medium
Placement: Epiphyte
Type: Moss
pH: 5.0–8.0
Hardness: 2–21 dGH
Spread: 5.9 in (15 cm)
Nutrient uptake: Water column
Growth region: Submersed or emersed
Difficulty: Beginner
Family: Amblystegiaceae
Origin: Nearly worldwide; common across Europe and North America

Overview

Stringy moss is a loose, upright moss for wood or rock, and it is about as undemanding as aquarium plants get. It is a favorite for fry cover, shrimp tanks and breeding setups. It also takes emersed culture in a paludarium.

Did you know

Stringy moss can overwinter in an outdoor pond and then grow on in a tropical tank. Its usable range of 39 to 79°F (4 to 26°C) is among the widest of any plant in the catalog.

Caring for stringy moss

Tie or clip stringy moss loosely onto wood or rock, and it attaches by itself over time. Cotton thread, fishing line or gel superglue all hold it until then.

Low light is enough and CO2 is unnecessary. It takes its food from the water column, so feed it with a liquid fertilizer. It handles anything from a coldwater setup to a warm community tank.

The strands grow upward rather than hugging the hardscape, which gives a wilder, reedy look. Growth is brisk for a moss, so trim regularly before it gets stringy and shades itself. Replant the trimmings to start new clumps.

Good to know

Stringy moss is a true moss in the family Amblystegiaceae. Shop labels still use its older names, Amblystegium riparium and Hypnum riparium. Tropica trades it as Stringy moss for its loose, upright, slightly transparent green strands. That habit is very different from the flat pads of the common carpeting mosses. Flowgrow notes that some material sold as stringy moss may actually be Drepanocladus aduncus, a lookalike from the same wet habitats.

In the wild

Stringy moss grows nearly worldwide along waterway edges, ditches and lake margins. It lives submersed in shallow water or on permanently wet ground just above the waterline. It favors nutrient-rich water and shrugs off pollution, turning up anywhere from streams to water troughs. It is fully winter-hardy in temperate climates.

Common questions

Does stringy moss need to be planted in the substrate?

No. Stringy moss 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.