#37 - Marimo

One day while visiting the pet store, I notice moving moss balls! I'm not kidding! It caught me so off guard I had to go find out what they were. The moss balls were marimo moss balls. 

Today I saw this adorable little marimo ball aquarium on Etsy and decided it was time to learn more about these mysterious moving moss balls.

Zen Orb Marimo Ball by MyZen on Etsy, $28.50

• Marimo literally translates as "ball seaweed" in Japanese. 
• Marimo balls are a rare species of algae that grows round with a velvety texture. 
• Though called moss balls, they are unrelated to moss. 
• They've only been found growing in Japan, Iceland, Scotland and Estonia.
• Aquarium marimo balls grow at room temperature in tap water that's changed every 1-2 weeks.
• Marimo balls grow and grow and then split off into pieces to form new plants.
• Indoor lighting is enough for photosynthesis to occur in marimo plants. There's no need for plant lights.
• During photosynthesis, oxygen bubbles form around the marimo plant. These oxygen bubbles are what cause the plant to lift and move on its own.

Here you can watch some Marimo plants moving around. This aquarium has an aerator running, but they'd move even if the water wasn't moving.