Willow Moss

Fontinalis antipyretica

epiphyte on stone and wood spawning plant nano tank

Other scientific names:Fontinalis alleni, Fontinalis allenii, Fontinalis androgyna, Fontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis antipyretica alpestris, Fontinalis antipyretica arvernica

A large dark moss from cold streams and lakes, with shoots that look like tiny willow branches. One of the few plants that thrives in an unheated tank.

Light: low–high
Difficulty: medium
Temperature: 4 – 26 °C

Leaf colourgreen

Plant typeepiphyte

Growth ratemedium

Tolerates lightlow – high

pH5 – 7

Carbonate hardness0 – 15 °dKH

General hardness0 – 30 °dGH

Placementon stone and wood +2

Propagationdivision, daughter plants

Grows emersedunknown

Appearance

Long trailing shoots covered in small keeled leaves, dark green and slightly translucent. Left to grow, it forms loose curtains rather than a tight cushion.

Keeping

Moderate demands, with one that is unusual: it wants cool water. In a warm tropical tank it thins out and slowly dies back, while in a cold-water aquarium it grows steadily. Light can be dim or bright, and carbon dioxide is not needed. Water movement suits it — in still water it collects debris.

Placement

Tied to wood or stone anywhere in the tank; it is also a classic spawning moss, because eggs fall between the shoots out of reach of the parents. Its size suits nano tanks only if trimmed.

Propagation

By division: pull a clump apart and tie the pieces down separately.

Water conditions match

The water suits 816 of 1249 species in the catalogue — these are the ones people look up most often.

Butterflyfish Julii Corydoras Featherfin Synodontis Red-finned Parotocinclus Gastromyzon monticola Egg-shaped Goldfish Flame Tetra Gardner's Killifish African Tetra Hypsolebias picturatus Common Zacco Labeo Bicolor Gambusia Flying barb Gastromyzon scitulus Albino Zebra Danio Homaloptera bilineata Red-tailed Rasbora Boraras naevus Lampeye Killifish Spotted Raphael Catfish Corydoras melanotaenia Festivum cichlid Pseudomugil paskai

Will eat this plant

These species damage plants, especially when their diet is short of vegetable food.

Bengal Loach Zebra Loach Burmese Border Loach Emperor Botia Marbled Headstander Pellegrin's Leporinus Leporinus striatus False Black Tetra Common Metynnis Mylossoma duriventre Red Whiptail Catfish

The same plant with a different look: light, water and care are shared with the species.

Other varieties: Fontinalis antipyretica var. gigantea, Fontinalis antipyretica var gigantea, Fontinalis antipyretica var gigantea Portion