Drepanocladus aduncus

The Common or Kneiff’s hook moss is already used in the aquarium hobby for a very long time, however it was mostly mistaken for Leptodictyum riparium (a.k.a. Amblystegium riparium). It is also popular as “Stringy moss” and “Vase moss”. Drepanocladus aduncus is a widespread amphibious moss, also frequent in Europe, occurring in ponds, bogs, reed beds and on riverbanks. It develops lush cushions of upright, delicate shoots under water that are only little ramified with little lighting. At the water surface and on wet bottom it forms a matted layer. The shoot tips and leaves are often curved, claw-like.

Drepanocladus aduncus is a markedly undemanding, fast-growing moss that can be kept in cold as well as tropical tanks. It should also be interesting for emersed setups such as paludaria and Wabi-Kusa. The upright submerged stems don’t attach themselves to surfaces. With good lighting and CO₂ supply, the shoots are adorned with many oxygen bubbles.