New York Moss?

[fknighton]

I have tons of moss growing in my woods in Central New York. I am assuming that it wouldn't survive in the viv. But let me know if I"m wasting my money buying moss when I could have plenty for free! Thanks!
Fran

[MattySF]

Do you live in a tropical area?

I assume your assumption is correct.

[fknighton]

Yeah, that is what I figured, but I thought I'd make sure! Thanks for answering.

[Sitting_duck]

You should take some and put it in vivarium conditions. Just put it in a glass tank on top of some soil or wood. Then provide whatever lighting you were planning on, and mist it everyday.See what happens, couldn't hurt.

[rjmarchisi]

Like all temperate plants they need periods of dormancy ( near freezing temps ) to survive continuously. The moss might do well for a short period then die.

rob

[DCreptiles]

i think ur moss would do just fine to be honest. i purchased moss about 6 months ago from the white plains show and it was harvested in ny and its actually gripped the soil great and its growing very well. when i started i didnt have enough to cover the entire viv so i was stretching and pulling it apart to make it cover as much as possible and now it blankets the viv. i wish i baught alot more of it because i purchased moss from the same guy again and everything in the viv died including the frogs plants and all. not sure what really happend but the moss molded turned color and then the plants started turning then the frogs were next. so now i stick to packaged moss.

[mushmush]

not all temperate mosses need cold dormancy
I don't know where this idea keeps comong from
Ive got alll kinds of mosses that are lush and green when its in the high 20's, as long as its moist
Some temperate mosses dont last, but others do great. Just try em out. If they're free, you're not out anything

[afterdark]

To the OP: I second what mushmush has posted above. I've had decent luck with at least 4 different local mosses from the Pacific NW. That said, make sure you take steps to properly treat any moss you collect from the wild before placing it in your tank. You never know what nasties could be living in it - anything from chytrid to snails.

What I did was collect the moss and place it in a small deli container. I put in a layer of LECA, followed by the substrate mix I'm using in my tank. I put the moss on top and watered heavily. I kept these containers for 3+ months to observe which mosses seemed to be holding up the best and also to allow any critters to hatch out in the deli containers rather than my tank.

So far, I've got three kinds of local moss doing well in my galactonotus tank.

[mushmush]

thats what I do. I like to let em dry out completely 1st to dessicate any potential slugs b4 planting. Ive even got kindebergia(beaked moss) that looks like little ferns mounted on cork with some spagnum

[brooklyndartfrogs]

thats what I do. I like to let em dry out completely 1st to dessicate any potential slugs b4 planting. Ive even got kindebergia(beaked moss) that looks like little ferns mounted on cork with some spagnum

What you guys have failed to realize is that you collect moss from a temperate rain forest and NY state doesn't have the same environment.
Yes if you collect moss that needs a dormant period like here in the North East it won't last very long. I've had moss that was collected from the Pacific North West and it thrived in a my vivs and I've used mosses from my region and it did not. So although the regions seem to be similar they are very far apart in commonality.