Banishing the Brown: Tips to Keep Your Java Moss Green and Lush

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Hello! Did you know I recently released a 97-page book titled The Neocaridina Shrimp Handbook? It covers everything new and experienced hobbyists alike need to know about Neocaridina Shrimp, including Red Cherry Shrimp. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 Check it out here 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 fishkeepinganswers.com/neocaridina_shrimp_handbook/

[@abhijitghosh6658]

Hi I have Christmas moss with out CO2. Shrimps are breeding well. How much light watt is required for 2/2 feet tank. I m providing 10watt led 2 feet long. Water is half of tank. Moss is growing well. Can I feel water full tank

[@forg0tten]

I was one of the people who posted my woes about java moss. Since then I bought 2 large clumps already attached to rock and pregrown in someone elses tank to a large size. It's remained green and lush and is growing even in my fry tanks and shrimp breeding tanks where I don't use high lighting or ferts. I appreciate you thinking about us plebs that couldn't make it work. Very thoughtful. :)

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

😂 you’re welcome! Glad you got some to take off 👍🏻

[@medinaadrianisabelom.2129]

Hi! I'm from Philippines. I really hard time for my moss to grow green and lush because in our country we have hot weather. Thanks for tips in keeping shrimp and moss. 😊

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Hey, thanks for taking the time to comment. I often wonder how hard it must be trying to keep your tanks cooler rather than warmer 🙁

[@marjohnalan4968]

Bro you need a fun or cooler in youre tank .. nagsimula ako ng kulay brown na java moss nabuhay naman mahirap talaga magpabuhay pero pag nakapagpabuhay kana sa tank mo mahirap ng maalis sa tank mo yan

[@jamillefrancisco564]

I heard Christmas moss is native to the Philippines.

[@PhenPot09]

@@marjohnalan4968bakit mahirap alisin sa tank?

[@audio1484]

Wow a video that actually tells you about the plant care correctly. Thanks mate keep this sort of content coming pls!

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Hey, thanks for the feedback 🫶🏻

[@aljanmalit3415]

you are the only one that says what really is happening to our java moss, the rest of this sellers wong answer of you ask them why its turning brown, they just want people to throw it away for them tobuy again. thanks for this info

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

They want you to spend more money. Just wait it out and the moss will come round 👍🏻

[@Squirrely_Squirrel]

Ok I have a nice sad brown clump of Java moss that I put in about a week ago- I’m going to give it two weeks where I don’t touch it… I even put a sticky note with the date so I give it a full chance. I’m not good at waiting generally, but I think this will be the most satisfying thing to see some green growth! Thank you for sharing your knowledge!!

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Hey, would love to hear where your moss is at in 2 weeks 🤞🏻

[@all3n465]

hows the moss going now?

[@ev7568v]

How’s it going?

[@melaniecaron1650]

Great vid just got 2 bags of java moss and they are turning brown. Never thought it was melt , thought all moss grown submersed! guess not. Thanks I feel alot better now.

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

🤜🏻

[@Jose_Gonzalez408]

I bought some browning java moss 4 months ago from a big local owned aquarium and its still brown. I got some peacock moss, and flame moss and taiwan moss that were also brownish and their thriving like crazy, no melt and growth in the first 2 weeks. Haven't cared about java moss since. I stuck 1 inch clumps all over the tank top, middle and at the bottom, attached to lava rocks and wood. still brown. I tried to different light cycles and still brown. I love the way your java moss grows

[@Hgw98]

Thankyou so much! Ive been leaving my bright lights on longer because i read that moss go's brown when it doesn't have enough light 😂 great information, well done sir 👏

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Thank you. Hope the video helped 🫶🏻

[@ZoeBarber]

Love the video, very helpful thank you!

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ZoeBarber]

@@FishKeepingAnswers Yeah and it was short and sweet. You definitely deserve a sub! ⭐

[@BucketPonds]

Java moss is my "fire and forget" species. Just toss it in and on to something else. Love it. Nice video 👍

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

🫶🏻

[@jamesjamesnet]

Your video so true how to grow java moss. Thanks I subscribe

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Thanks for the sub!

[@jonathanc698]

I’ve had my Java moss for over 8 months, it’s dark green but it doesn’t got at all, I bought it because I heard a lot of people say they grow fast, but not for me, I do put fertilizer and nothing and I do have other plant that grow so fast but not the moss lol

[@A1A2A3L]

Put it in colder water.

[@Butterflies-are-free]

💕 Really LOVE your videos! 💕

[@dawnt6791]

I had a bear of a time growing java moss originally. I ended up getting some and spreading it throughout the house in different tanks. Finally had 2 take hold (rest died), and they're doing great. Both of those get fairly bright light and are groomed constantly by shrimp. My tanks are low-maintenance, no CO2, barely filtered, no water change, and ferts every week or two (depending on the tank's individual needs).

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Glad to hear you got some to take 🫶🏻

[@jefferywang2314]

Thanks for the video! I made a beautiful bonsai tree with Java moss and Christmas moss two weeks ago. I felt upset to see some of the moss are turning brown and that’s what brought me to this video😂 It seems like there’s nothing to worry about and I’ll wait for them to bounce back!

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Hopefully it’ll come round for you. Would love to hear how it goes. 🤞🏻

[@jeffinjoseph8916]

any updates?

[@jefferywang2314]

@@jeffinjoseph8916 They did bounce back!!!!!

[@Dr_MDX]

Any updates

[@MattKeepsFish]

I would love a video like this for crypts. Mine have done super well, but when I added too much fertilizer, they were overcome by algae quite quickly

[@knabdank]

awesome vid! had one tank with some java moss turning brown for some reason all other tanks have been fine, thanks to your vid i think its probably lack of light, the moss had moved under a plant, i hoped it would be fine went and checked a week later and it was brown, moved it to a tank with some more light and it perked right up!

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Glad it came back round 😎

[@stealth5508]

Once I went to an aquarium to get some moss (marimo) and the shopkeeper said it requires cold waters to grow. So got something else. Had java moss earlier and like some of the comments here mine had turned brown in no time. Culprit is probably the hot weather here in India (I live in the south which is closer to the equator). Same for java fern (which is often referred to as indestructible). My java fern rotted within 2 months. Unfortunately, it is much easier and way cheaper to keep a tank warm than cool.

[@SydneyLakes-qm7gg]

Do you mean its easier to keep a cooler aquarium

[@stealth5508]

@@SydneyLakes-qm7gg I meant it's easier to keep a tank warmer (if outside temperatures are cool/cold) rather than cooling it (cooling fans are not very effective) when ambient temperatures are hot.

[@WhatIsMisophonia]

I have roughly 80 degree Fahrenheit tanks and the marimo grows fine in them.

[@wheatfieldproductions1564]

That is true, it grows under any circumstance.

[@brianbrigg57]

My only issue with Java moss, and most other mosses I have had in my aquariums, is that they are algae magnets. Having shrimp to keep them reasonably clean helps but any algae in my tanks seems to start on the moss first.

[@_alex_angulo_2698]

I just subscribed, thanks for making this lesson fun to watch!

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Welcome to the team 🫶🏻

[@dean6880]

Does water temperature effect it.?

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

I have kept it in a wide range of temperatures, so I would say no (expect extremes of course)

[@medleyhonki]

Hi, This is a amazing video, I have java moss on two big tanks, one the other tank, the moss stem has been reduced to the string, not sure if tiny leaves have shed or shrimp have snacked them. Will there be any growth? it now reduced so thin that it looks like fishing string. Appreciate your reply!

[@sydni9121]

Hello i bought a Java moss ball that’s been attached to the bottom I just have it in a tank with no fish. Would I be able to grow it happy and healthy alone with no fish? If I put some plant food or worm castings would it be alright? I have fish but I can’t put it in the tank I can even put fish water in there but I want to be able to grow it alone.

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Hi. It will need some form of nutrients to grow so maybe add a LITTLE aquatic plant fertiliser 👍🏻

[@neurosp]

I just glued the Java moss to a drift wood and forget about it, didn’t event touch the other plants because my shrimp breed and I didn’t want to kill then accidentally, the moss went from clumps to cover all the wood in like one month or one and half month. Now I have some kind of filaments over the moss, not sure if fungus or algae, gonna try a blackout first and see what happens. People also say you can’t have Monte Carlo without CO2, and I have a nice carpet of Monte Carlo, I don’t even have a filter.

[@henryjia4725]

I bought Java moss on coconut shell from Petsmart -- it was dry and brown, and I trusted the store and thought it was alive and put it in the aquarium, yet it has been over 4 months and nothing happened. I wonder if the Java moss will ever turn green and grow, and if it was already dead when I bought it.

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Usually, it’s a case of someone buys it green, and it turns brown when added to the tank (because it is converting to life underwater) before once again turning green. If it were brown on purchase, it was probably dead before you even started. I suspect this one is a loss for you 😕

[@henryjia4725]

@@FishKeepingAnswers I can’t believe the store is so irresponsible, and it keeps adding more to the shelves and it was all the same dry and brown. The moss was produced in lab, and it must know it will be dead after a while and put an expiration date ( which could be short),and the store should check it before putting on shelves.

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

I could not agree more.

[@tropicalhydra]

Richard you covered just about everything about java moss, but what about the temperature?? in my country the temperature is 30 ℃ for 10 months, will java moss grow in well in this temperature??

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

30 deg is pretty warm. Truth be told, I have never kept Java Moss that warm so I can’t really share my experiences of how it will grow. Sorry.

[@tropicalhydra]

@@FishKeepingAnswers just looked up Google java moss needs 27 ℃ to grow properly.

[@rasta77-x7o]

Thanks mate, waiting for the stuff they sold me in the shop to lose the brown (Was tied in a tight bundle). The stuff i grew is very lush and green.

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

👍🏻

[@soggyfries4347]

I never bought any Java moss in my tank. I did get a batch of nocardina from a local breeder. In the bad there were a couple strains of moss, nothing significant. When I added all the shrimp to my tank I had a few that were wrapped up in the moss during the transition. Not wanting them to suffocate I just threw them in wrapped in the moss. Fast forward five months later I have a wall of java moss in the tank.

[@trailerb]

Thanks for the video! I thought my problem was what you mentioned, but I have one tank where it is thriving, and one where it turns brown consistently. Even leaving it in there for months brown. I'm not sure what else to do because they are both pretty similar parameters.

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Hey. This is weird. Out of interest, have you tried taking a bit of green from one tank and seeing if it turns brown in the other tank? 🤔

[@BrandMartStore]

Javamoss need low light or high lighting ?

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

It isn’t too fussy, but I wouldn’t go for high light. It will end up being covered in algae.

[@NickiQuaglia]

I have had some yellow cherry shrimp for 2 weeks now. I ended up with 4 females and one male. One female is now buried. Surprised as they look really small and young. Thanks for your advice to ‘just go for it’.

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Hey, glad to hear it is going well. Please let me know when you start to see your first baby yellow shrimp 🙏🏻

[@NickiQuaglia]

@@FishKeepingAnswers I think I saw one a couple of days ago but didn’t know what the tiny dot that was speeding across the tank was. The light caught it. Today I saw one on the sponge filter. Tiny tiny tiny…but unmistakable.

[@henry-tiopsans]

I have java moss when i first set up my tank with less lighting and it turned black but i can't take it out cause i've glued it on rocks/wood/stone statues. . .then i use brighter led lights and for some reasons it's turning green again,still black in the middle where the glue is but it's definitely came back to life!

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

That’s great news 👍🏻

[@henry-tiopsans]

@@FishKeepingAnswers tks man,i've put some java moss in the back of my tank and let them grow so that shrimps can hide and breed in it,they look as green as when i just got them even at low light and being shaded by all big plants,it's out of your sights,you can't see it but you know that it's doing it's job well

[@hollymiddleton5740]

How long does it take? I got some 2 weeks ago and tied it onto a moss ledge and rocks. It's all brown.

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

It’s a slow grower. I would allow a minimum of 2 months 👍🏻

[@luisajfraz0788]

So i bought some java moss after watching this video (i really enjoy watching your videos about shrimp keeping, i recently saw one of my shrimp was carrying eggs, im so excited to grow my colony!!l I do have small fish in the tank and worry about the shrimplets being eaten 😭. I was hoping by now my java moss would be full and green enough to help protect the shrimplets but it seems to be dying back, could you give me a rough guide on how long i should wait until i start to see new growth and that the plant has adapted to being under water, i have had the clump in there for over a month now. I also know that this was grown out of water as it states that on the ebay description. Im worried its not going to do well, it just looks so brown and lifeless without any sign of new life. P.S its brillant that you reply to comments and questions!!! Love your channel, keep up the good work!

[@Seanyboii91]

What if I've had my moss for ages, and it's now turned brown ? I have a mossy coconut hut that seems to he dieing and I can't work out why?

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Do you ever add fertiliser? Although Java Moss doesn’t need much nutrition, it does need some. You can have a situation where the moss is dying due to lack of nutrients in the water (although this would be rare) 👍🏻

[@Seanyboii91]

@FishKeepingAnswers I don't really, a couple of squirts every now and then maybe if i think of it. I just presumed I didn't need to because my anubias bonsai seems to be doing fine. The tank is stocked with a colony of blue neo caradina, a breeding pair of BN plecos and a new spawn of babies plus a few swordtails and an Amano shrimp. Should be enough waste for Java moss, no? Didn't know if there could be another reason it was dieing off. I'll try fertilize some more. Thanks for your reply. Love your content

[@Carl_Carabao]

This true. I had christmas moss and for first few months theyre yellowish after that phase. It turned green. Patience is the key and let nature do its job

[@samhennies6493]

I did the DSM method with this on a lava rock about a year ago. It’s exploded. Can’t even see the rock. It dominates half the tank. It’s not bright green like yours. It’s a dark green. Might need to thin it a bit. Might not be Java moss the more I think of it. Any tips on getting it to brighten up? 10g tank, no co2, shrimp and white cloud mountain minnows and rams horn snails. Thanks.

[@kimberleyettwell6477]

I was given some wood with some well-established java moss attached from a friend's tank. Majority after a week or so is looking amazing but some has gone brown- Any ideas? Thanks

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Honestly, just leave it be. It will come round 👍🏻

[@warcraftmafia]

So i bought some plants online.. big mistake, i even bought the no exeptions ice pack due to the heat in my area, when arrived ice pack is all melted the heat got to it. alot of my plants were not looking good, java moss came 70% brown 30% green. ive had it in tank for about 3-4 weeks. other plants sort of look like they comming back, (anubias has new growth) but java moss hasnt really changed at all. Doesn't look worse or better. you think it can come back? or should i just buy new from local? i do 6-8 hrs of light, fert 1-2x a week its all exposed to the light also

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

I would leave it be. If there is some green then it will come back. Keep the faith 👍🏻

[@NickiQuaglia]

I have been cycling a brand new 20 litre tank for about 6 weeks. Have pulled it down twice in that time. Have had issue with ph stability. Now stable. Hoping to add shrimp and Java moss to tank. Worried they will be stressed from 2 hour drive back from fish store. Worry they will die from temperature change while I acclimate them for 2 hours when I get back. If road trip doesn’t stress them too much. We are in a cold climate. Any tricks? Any suggestions appreciated.

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Hi. When it comes to shrimp keeping, aim for stable parameters rather than perfect parameters. If you are getting Neocaridina Shrimp, such as Red Cherry’s, they are hardier than people give them credit for. Of course you have to do what feels right for you, but if it were me, I’d just go for it. We’ve shipped thousands of shrimp around the UK, and whilst it isn’t the coldest place on Earth, during November and December it can get pretty cold, and we rarely lost any shrimp due to cold temperatures. As for the Java Moss, it won’t care about temp or pH (assuming we are not talking extremes like under 6.0 or over 8.6) Would love to hear how you get on. 🤞🏻

[@NickiQuaglia]

@@FishKeepingAnswers Thanks for your reply. I am mixing bore water (1/5) with heavily filtered rain water. I am in regional NSW Au. I had rocks from my creek and clay soil from my dam, and cheap, supposedly natural, gravel. Couldn’t get anything else in my small town. PH wasn’t stable. Removed rocks. PH still increasing. Removed cheap gravel when I found one I thought would be better. PH still increasing. Sacrificed my soil too. The time I spent baking it and smashing it so I could seive it before using. PH stable at 8. Ammonia 0, nitrate and nitrite 0. KH and GH 6. Did a water change yesterday. 20%. API NH3/NH4 gave reading of 1.0 nearly 24 hours later. Nitrite and Nitrate showing nil still (poet). Have 2 Small nubias and one small Pongo as can’t get anything else locally. Fish shop 2 hours away told me to sort out my PH issue even before putting Java moss in. Oddly, when I mix my rainwater ph 5.5 with 1/5 bore water Ph 6.6 I get Ph close to 8. Could it be to do with my bore water having GH of 483 ppm? There is clearly chemistry happening that I would need a masters degree to understand. The snail that came in with the plants has a few offspring. This was supposed to be way easier than my 300 litre reef tank that I had to ditch when I moved to tank water property in a ‘frequently in drought’ rural area! Is there any benefit in my ditching my new cheap gravel, also supposedly natural, and buying fluval stratum? Will have to drive 2 hours but will grab Java moss at same time. Hopefully I can get shrimp a couple of weeks after that.🤞

[@laurabustos6560]

All my tanks have natural light, with one having a full spectrum led to help w stem plants I'm trying to get to grow better because my moss and subwassertang are growing so quick they are shading everything out! Mine doubles in size every couple months and grows almost too much! I'm thinking of starting to sell it. Natural light is the way to go if possible to get it huge!

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Selling excess Java moss can be very profitable 👍🏻

[@mrs.marydonahue5236]

I actually think the java moss i bought was brown with a tad bit of green when I bought it in a baggy from Petco. I'm trying to decide to wait or just pitch it.

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Definitely wait. Give at least a couple of weeks!

[@istoppedlaughing5225]

I was getting sad for my 5 types of moss getting brown now I know what is happening 😊

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Yep, just give them time 🤞🏻

[@gerarldlee]

Hey man, on the contrary i have co2, fertilizer and lots of light. My moss is turning brown. Other plants are okay. I wonder why tho? Thanks

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Hi. That is odd that you are running high tech and the moss is turning brown. Not 100% sure why that would be. Unless there is too much light 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@sparkyjoes]

I got a clump of Java moss when I ordered some snails. It doesn’t look all pretty and sculpted like some people have, but it’s green and growing!

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Green and growing is definitely the way forward 👍🏻

[@batsoupp]

Hi i live in the Philippines and it's very hot. The tank temperature is between 26-29 celsius. Will a moss survive?

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

I reckon it will be fine 👍🏻

[@demiegamboa8185]

Make sense,, Love your videos ❤🥰

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

You are too kind 🫶🏻

[@thomashenrymyers1876]

I can not agree more, I love Java moss you need to give it time to settle in.

[@asifali007]

i got green hair and white hair algae on my 2 weeks old java moss.. should i treat it with hydrogen peroxide or it will heal on its own?

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

It probably won’t go away on its own. If you are familiar with using hydrogen peroxide then I would go for it. Otherwise you could trying adding some Amano Shrimp. They will eat it. 👍🏻

[@BigFadZ]

First off your the best, love your topics and your expertise opinions. I got a new nano shrimp tank I'm growing dry start method. Put java moss on lava rock. It's been 4 weeks now and ready to submerge. I should be expecting melting for adjustment period. How long will this period take typically, until I see new green growth?

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Hi. Thanks for the feedback. Glad you are finding value in my videos. If you do see die back, I would imagine you’ll have green growth within a couple of weeks. Would love to hear how you get on 🤞🏻

[@flowjo4038]

My java moss in my tanks thrive just with fish waste and low LED lights 😀When I first started growing java I put co2 and carbon in and they went brown🙈So yeah I totally agree with you 😀👍

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Thanks. Normally people go out of their way to DISAGREE with me 😂

[@dundumibnu]

Can java moss live in ph 8.4 and temperatur 28-30c ?

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Hi. I’ve never tried it under those conditions, but I’d bet money it would be fine 👍🏻

[@dundumibnu]

@@FishKeepingAnswers thank u, i try then

[@jessicawilliams932]

I ordered mine on Amazon it come green but turned brown! Have had it for a few months

[@OLRACMOTOVLOG]

Hi sir Im new to fish keeping and also Im a big fan of your channel. I just want to ask would my brown java moss will go back as green? I setup my tank 2 weeks ago.

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Hi. Thanks for the kind feedback. I would just leave it for at least another 2 or 3 weeks and see if it comes back to life 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 Would love to hear what happens 👍🏻

[@WhatIsMisophonia]

hmmm... 😒 I mean, it's possible I tossed mine out because I thought it was dead, but this was years ago, and I believe it mostly disintegrated. Meanwhile, I put a couple species of terrestrial mosses from my back yard into my tanks, and almost all of them grew like crazy. Idk, I might try it again some time, but I'm wondering if there's some sort of microbiome advantage to java moss as opposed to other mosses for things like shrimp or fish fry.

[@KennieK15]

I just started my aquascape with java moss on 31st december, at first it look fine, its's green and beautifull but day after day it's getting worse, some are turning completely brown/yellow and some are not(yet). One of my java moss that look completely green and it started getting brown just 1/4 of it but still. Any suggestions? (I'm getting worried at my java moss on my bonsai._.)

[@Tambo81]

Arrived in the post all brown .is it dead

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Probably not. Add it to the tank and leave it for 4 to 6 weeks. Please let me know if it comes back 🤞🏻

[@Tambo81]

@FishKeepingAnswers cheers mate..

[@kathleenmonsegue9700]

Will goldfish eat this type of moss?

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

In my experience, no 👍🏻

[@robertfay1150]

Thanks,!!!

[@nyack666]

moss are tipically easy to grow when they're ADAPTED, sometimes even the submerged form will still melt if the water parameter is different from it's original home. But, it will always be growing back

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

👍🏻

[@paradoxicalocus3761]

I set up 2 6-gal shrimp tanks; the one with fluval-only substrate got a lot of hair algae, which the Java moss is still “battling”. They dirted 6gal never got much if any hair algae and the Java moss in there is much happier. But both tanks are happy and breeding! ~69-70 degrees F° un-heated (per your method) Just set up my first plastic tote inspired by you! I’m trying a bare bottom, with numerous large stones, and floating plants like anacharis and Java moss. The snails are the shock-troopers and they are fine so far! Almost ready for more shrimp

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Sounds great! Would love to hear how the tote gets on 🤞🏻🤞🏻🦐

[@SameerShaikh-lw9xh]

Hi there Loved your video amazing explanation ❤ btw can u please make a video on Hemianthus callitrichoides cuba carpet plant , like how to grow and care guide i’ll much appreciate your content and also make a video on background plants, midground plants, foreground plant which plants we have to choose etc and all

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Hey, thanks for taking the time to comment. I’ll add this to my list of videos to make. 👍🏻

[@richardwalker6530]

Hi Richard. You mentioned you sell Java moss. How does one go about purchasing? Keep up the good work. Regards. Richard 😂

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Hi, We no longer grow Java Moss to sell. Sorry

[@richardwalker6530]

No worries. Thanks for your reply

[@kitcraft9516]

I got java moss from two sources. The first must have had it adapting in their tank for a while because I only got a few strands of brown and it quickly, in under a week went green. I got some other stuff that is super brown and has been that way for about a week straight. No signs of going back to green. We shall see how it goes over the next week.

[@sreyas_sj]

Hey, has the moss grown green now? it has been a month now

[@kitcraft9516]

@@sreyas_sj Indeed, it has.

[@Linda-ro3yp]

My moss is already established submerged..It was growing fine until I changed my aquarium setup. It's still growing, starting to take over the wood it's on. But it's not as lush green as it used to be. It's brown in some places and it has some hair algae growing in it. That's why I'm thinking of an imbalance in my tank. But maybe I just need to be a bit patient, trim off the brown bits and see what it does?

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

I think I would do the same. Give it time, remove hair algae where you see it and trim brown bits. Do you currently fertilise your tank?

[@Linda-ro3yp]

@@FishKeepingAnswers thanks for the quick reply. I have used a liquid fertilizer as of a couple of weeks. Not as much as it says on the package. I haven't yet after the last waterchange though because I thought that maybe the algae is because of the fertilizer.. There's also roottabs in the sand.

[@vueher4965]

Java moss and java fern and anubias need at least 8 hours of darkness to grow. I reduced my light to 12 hours instead of keeping them on 24/7 and my java moss is growing amazing and not dying. Plants grow best during darkness, because during the day they are too busy photostnthesizing.

[@silviorbl]

I believe that I am that 1 person of a hundred. My java moss wall (60cm x 40cm) has turned brown in most of the area and in some parts it even literally died, I can even see the glass behind it. I hope it gets back into its great form again soon

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

The problem with Java Moss walls is they are typically grown flat on the bottom of the tank, exposed to lots of light, then stood up against the back wall of the aquarium where the light is far more limited and the moss at the top ends up shading out the moss lower down.

[@pixazelz]

did you get it back ? I have the same problem

[@silviorbl]

@@pixazelz After 3 weeks it started to get back. Actually a new moss started to grow from the original one.

[@selashv1]

Nope. My Java moss was dying after being in the tank awhile and I bought it from a submerged source. It rejuvenated a bit after doing water changes more often and topping off with distilled water when too much water evaporated. But not much.

[@forg0tten]

I already left a lengthy comment but you left one thing out that I think I was guilty of - Being an amateur. I didn't own a master test kit until long after I had gotten rid of all my melting java moss. When I finally did get a test kit I realized all my tanks had issues - either ammonia or nitrite or nitrate through the roof. I think back then I had watched alot of videos - and I thought I knew what I was doing and using test strips wasn't working. If you're like I was and some plants and fish do great but some things just melt and perish for no reason - get a test kit and test your water.

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Great point. I have a video lined up on testing water 👍🏻

[@BIGDADDYTRICKZ]

I always buy my Java moss that’s growing already usually on mesh or something already in a tank from my store it grows so fast now if you get the Java moss from bags at Petco or wherever I usually get my old little fish tubs my fish came in I clean them out and use them as little growing tubs so I’ll out a little drop of fertilizer not much but enough to get some nutrients going and I’ll separate the pieces to allow more light in and they will actually revive on those brown pieces and grow trust me it’s been working for me but I’d you’re trying not to put to much effort find a local store that sells them submerged in water alrwady

[@pixazelz]

mine suddently turned brown and it's been established for 4 years

[@PotooBurd]

Bought a clump- put it in a tub with an air pump in front of a window- gave it a small shot of F2. Fingers crossed it perks up

[@Imratm]

💯% correct

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

🫶🏻

[@Norhorusshow]

Thanks thanks

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

🫶🏻

[@xmanu100]

actually my java moss looked amazing before adding it to my planted tank and then suddenly it's becoming thin and stringy without even the tiny leaves on the sides and started looking thin like hair algae.. not the lush green massive java moss I know..

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

That’s a shame 😕

[@CatFish107]

I swear I've had moss die off from being overshadowed by the wombs combo of insane growth rate frogbit and jungle Val. Maybe not die, but lose greenery, leaving a black string where the "stem" was previously.

[@CatFish107]

I'm not 100%, but I strongly suspect flourish excel (gluteraldehyde)will kill moss as well as algae.

[@Giblet16]

My java is struggling from black beard I've stopped the fertilizer 3 weeks ago and it's still growing :(

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

😩

[@SuperNova496]

High Lighting creates Algae and clings easily in Java moss.. Eventually dies.. Lighting needs to be balanced..

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Your suggestion is half correct. To be ‘balanced’ requires something to balance it against. Advising people to balance their light is no help unless you tell them to balance it against something, eg fertiliser. High light doesn’t automatically equal algae otherwise all high light set ups would be algae farms.

[@farabi0013]

Am from Bangladesh, here high temperature is the main culprit for java moss (or most of the plants) to melt down... 😖

[@farabi0013]

For example, right now, our temperature is 32°C. And yet our summer season has not started.

[@omarbenouameur9780]

So different than my tanks having heaters trying to get the temps up as most plants don't grow well in cold water either. Hard to find that sweet spot of 75 -78 😂

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Here in the UK we moan it’s hot when the temp reaches 25degC 😂

[@jennytherose]

Thank that help me no to just do nothing let it do its own thing thanks

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

👍🏻

[@Smalltimetanks]

Mine is brown at the bottom he he but I use pilo moss 👍🏻

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

👍🏻

[@Smalltimetanks]

I just rotated mine it was super green I didn't know bottom was turning brown till I gave some away lol but I rotated it hopefully it will green back up !

[@0xTas]

Süßwassertang > Java moss :p

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

😎

[@scotmcpherson]

java moss does NOT need fertilizer...I have java moss coming out of my ears.

[@FishKeepingAnswers]

Agreed 😎

[@Joey-Jdi]

Don’t need it but if you slightly trim occasionally and add fertilizer it flourishes

[@scotmcpherson]

@@Steves_fish please help, I have moss coming out of my ears !!! 🤣 🤮 aaaa, it’s coming out of my mouth too !!!