Tabby ♥ Love: My Marimos! ♥

Hey guys! I've had these little guys for ages but I never did a blog spot about them! So let me introduce these little guys, my marimos! Kuppuru (on right) and Pixis (on the left). These little, green moss balls make simple, easy, and cute pets/plants!

Marimo, also known as moss balls or lake balls in English, is a rare form of green algae that is found in some lakes in the northern hemisphere. They are simple round balls of moss that grow on lake floors. They are mostly found in Lake Akan in Japan and Lake Myvantain Iceland! Marimos grow super slow; only 5mm per year but the can live to be 100 years old!

Marimo Aquarium in Japan!

Marimos are not very expensive (price can vary from size and if container is provided). I ordered two small marimos from etsy.com and it was only $14 plus shipping! (one for me and one for Anna~) My larger marimo was a gift from Anna! She purchased it for me at an fish emporium for only $5! You can also buy them from a pet store because they make nice decorations for aquariums. I'm not sure if there is a difference between marimos from America and marimos from Japan so I purchased one online just to make sure I had both!

One of the best things about marimos is that they are VERY, VERY, VERY easy to take care of! All you need is: a bowl, water and light. You can keep them in a jar or in a tank of water indoors and they can't be put in direct sunlight or heat so next to a lamp or in a bright room is good enough for them! Also, you only need to change the water every 2 weeks! I use bottled water every week or two. You can also use tap water, but leave the water uncovered overnight to get rid of the chlorine. When I change their water I give the marimos a quick bath by squeezing them gently to get the dirty water out and rinsing them off. And lastly, whenever you're bored, just push the marimo around gently in the bowl so that they keep their round shape! That's it! Super easy to take care of and super cute!