Plant Profile
If you want to add some serious heat to your aquascape without actually burning anything down, we have the moss for you. Flame Moss is known for its upward-pointing attitude, growing in spiraling, vertical shoots that mimic flickering flames. Because of this unique growth habit, it is the ultimate design tool for adding eye-catching vertical texture along your foreground, around the base of driftwood, or as a highly organized carpeting plant.
Key Features & Benefits
- Vertically twisting growth habit resembles flickering flames, adding dramatic architectural height to horizontal surfaces.
- Dense vertical columns provide a safe foraging forest and shelter for shrimp and fry.
- Versatile loose portions can be tied, glued, or tucked into any hardscape crevice.
Care & Planting Instructions
- Press the portion gently into your substrate, or secure it to your hardscape using dark thread or dabs of aquarium-safe superglue gel.
- Maintain a stable aquarium environment and avoid sudden, drastic changes to your water parameters to keep your moss looking vibrant and healthy.
- Give the moss an occasional light haircut with sharp aquascaping shears to keep its shape neat, compact, and perfectly balanced.
- Propagate your patch in seconds by cutting or pulling a small clump apart and anchoring it to a new surface in your tank.
- Add CO2 injection if you want to accelerate growth and unlock the most intense, eye-popping green coloration possible.
Quick Facts
Listed information should be treated as general guidelines only. Team Buce Plant encourages you to do thorough research to ensure healthy growth!
| Attribute |
Specification |
| Scientific Name |
Taxiphyllum 'Flame' |
| Common Name(s) |
Flame Moss |
| Family |
Hypnaceae |
| Plant Type |
Moss |
| Care Difficulty |
Easy |
| Light Requirement |
Low to Medium |
| CO2 Requirement |
Optional (Accelerates growth & density) |
| Placement / Usage |
Hardscape Attachment (Wood & Stone), Foreground Carpet, Bonsai Canopies |
| Growth Rate |
Slow to Moderate |
| Water Parameters |
pH 6.0–7.5 | Temperature 65°F–78°F (18°C–25°C) |
| Propagation Method |
Division (Cut, separate, or pull clumps apart) |
| Origin |
East & South Asia (Cultivated Combo) |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I keep my Flame Moss from turning brown or yellow?
Flame Moss prefers clean, moving water and cooler temperatures (under 78°F). Browning usually occurs when organic debris gets trapped inside the dense, vertical shoots or when water temperatures run too high. Gently siphoning debris out during water changes will keep the inner growth green and healthy.
2. What is the best way to attach loose Flame Moss to driftwood or rocks?
Dabbing small dots of gel-based cyanoacrylate superglue (aquarium-safe superglue) directly onto dry hardscape points is the quickest method. Alternatively, wrapping the moss tightly with dark cotton thread allows it to anchor naturally over a few weeks while the thread dissolves.
3. How do I stop moss trimmings from spreading everywhere during maintenance?
Always turn off your filter pumps and powerheads before trimming moss. Use sharp curved shears to make clean cuts, and immediately scoop or siphon out floating cuttings so they don't take root in unwanted areas of your aquarium.
