floating moss ball

[Noraelle]

I recently added a shrimp from my old ecosystem to test my new small tank. Tank had been left alone to cycle with a moss ball from Mustafa since late September. I moved a shrimp in last week when I observed brown algae and changed the lighting to LED (from sunlight) to prevent temperature fluctuation. Suddenly, the moss ball floats to the top, and won't stay down when I move it with a tweezer.
1. Is there a way to make it sink?
2. Does it indicate anything negative for the shrimp (i.e. too much oxygen?)

[silvercorona]

have a floating moss ball as well and would love and answer.

[mike.d]

I had a floating marimo in my tank. It would float up at the end of the day and fall back down by morning. It didn't hurt the shrimp.

There may be air trapped inside of it. Try giving it a firm squeeze. You can find videos of people that cut open their marimo. Sometimes they have dirt inside, sometimes nothing.

I don't think they can have too much oxygen. People have put bubblers in their tanks, before Mustafa taught them not to. The extra air didn't hurt the shrimp, but the turbulence in the water from the bubbles isn't supposed to be good for them.

[Noraelle]

Thanks Mike.D!

I've noticed that it floats up during the day when the light is on and comes down to "sleep" at night. I'll just let it be.

[Malikta]

Mine do the same thing, I wondered what the cause was as well. Hopefully Mustafa can reply and let us know.

It doesn't seem to bother my shrimp so I've left it as is.

Also, I don't notice my shrimp feeding on it, just the macroalgae/tangled hair. Should they be eating the mossball?

[jcfrank922]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaaBtJZjieo

[Malikta]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaaBtJZjieo

Excellent!

[Mustafa]

It has air trapped in it from photosynthesis. Just give it a squeeze (won't hurt it) and it'll settle down again.