Marimo Moss Ball
Aegagropila linnaei
Also known as Marimo, Moss Ball, Lake Ball, Cladophora Ball
Plantae›Chlorophyta›Ulvophyceae›Cladophorales›Cladophoraceae
📍 Lake Akan (Japan), Lake Mývatn (Iceland)
Beloved velvety-green spheres of filamentous green algae — not a moss at all. Forms naturally in cold lakes where wave action rolls colonies into balls over decades. A low-maintenance aquarium icon that grows extremely slowly. Rotate occasionally for even light exposure.
Community Photos
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by @kimwhitley
by @Haven
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Tanks keeping this 🐟
Kept by 5 hobbyists4 public tanks keeping Marimo Moss Ball, shown below. 2 more are kept privately and not listed.
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Quick Facts
- role
- beneficial / decorative
- growth
- very slow
- maxSize
- 5 inches diameter
- lightLevel
- low to medium
- temperature
- 59–77°F (15–25°C)
Water it likes
- ph
- 6.0–8.0
- hardness
- 3–20 dGH
- temperature
- 59–77°F (15–25°C)
Legality
No state or federal restrictions on record for this species.
Not legal advice, and possibly incomplete or out of date. Rules vary by state and locality and change over time — always confirm the current regulations with your state wildlife or agriculture agency before buying, keeping, or shipping this species.
Temperature
59–77°F
15–25°C