# possible to resurrect dry moss?



## mauve

Hi,
I found a piece of dry moss in some old aquarium supplies. Do you think that after spending some time in water it'll come back to life?/ After all it is moss


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## RoryM

I forgot a huge piece of driftwood covered in javamoss for three days on the floor before noticing it. Two months later and it never effected it what so ever. Dont know how much you could push your luck, but it was completely dry when I put mine back in the tank.


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## mauve

I've read somewhere that mosses have the ability to regenerate after dry spells. The ones I found had been dry for a number of years. 
I only assumed they are aquatic because they were in a bag with aquarium supplies at a garage sale. 
Here it is:


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## bae

mauve said:


> I've read somewhere that mosses have the ability to regenerate after dry spells. The ones I found were dry for a number of years.


An aquatic moss after several years isn't real likely to revive, but who knows? What do you have to lose -- stick it in some water and see what happens. And let us know!


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## Joeee

Let me try and help (but unintentionally make things worse). Because there is a slight tint of green in those leaves, we know that there is chlorophyll still in it. Warmer water might be able to help. 

I've had java moss that was out and dry for a few months that I didn't know about, I threw it into a container and forgot about it again for a few weeks and it began to grow. The difference though, is that my java moss did not lose as much green.


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## Darkblade48

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it looks like that Moss is dead.


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## igor.kanshyn

I really doubt that it will grow again.

I had some pieces of moss that look green and then after a week they died. This is what they can do for sure


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## bumbleboo

Well, I don't know about aquatic mosses, but I know that land mosses can "resurrect" after a couple of months. Maybe it's not the same with aquatic ones, but I hope it'll come back for you! You might as well try it.


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## igor.kanshyn

bumbleboo said:


> Well, I don't know about aquatic mosses, but I know that land mosses can "resurrect" after a couple of months. Maybe it's not the same with aquatic ones, but I hope it'll come back for you! You might as well try it.


It might can start growing new plants from spores.


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## bumbleboo

igor.kanshyn said:


> It might can start growing new plants from spores.


That could be! From my experience they grow right off the previously dried out parent plant though.


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## bae

My browser didn't show me the pics the first time.

I think what you've got there is sphagnum, in a less decomposed state than usually seen as peat moss. It grows emersed, on top of layers of dead sphagnum that wick moisture to it, your classic peat bog. I've heard of packaged sphagnum reviving a little, but it's never happened for me. If you want to try to revive it, once it's thoroughly wet, drain it and put it in a covered jar. Sometimes sphagnum gets a film of terrestrial algae on it which makes it look green. If it does come to life, it needs rainwater or other soft water.


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## bumbleboo

bae said:


> My browser didn't show me the pics the first time.
> 
> I think what you've got there is sphagnum, in a less decomposed state than usually seen as peat moss. It grows emersed, on top of layers of dead sphagnum that wick moisture to it, your classic peat bog. I've heard of packaged sphagnum reviving a little, but it's never happened for me. If you want to try to revive it, once it's thoroughly wet, drain it and put it in a covered jar. Sometimes sphagnum gets a film of terrestrial algae on it which makes it look green. If it does come to life, it needs rainwater or other soft water.


You got it! I grow carnivorous plants, so all the moss is getting is distilled water. 

EDIT: Err, actually wait! Maybe you weren't talking to me.


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