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I was very surprised at how easily Monosolenium tenerum (previously Pellia) can be propagated emersed. I have some growing in a 5"-wide x 1"-deep bowl situated by a bright window (~6 hours of ambient lighting) that doesn't recieve any direct sunlight. The bowl only has enough water to barely cover the liverwort. When I am lazy, I fill the bowl to the brim with water and refill weekly. No fertilizers, just straight tap water. It just doesn't get any easier. Here's some interesting observations:
The liverwort appears to be anchorage dependent. Growth rate seems to accellerate when the liverwort is in contact with some kind of surface.
When I keep the container filled with water, only the M. tenerum on the perimeter of the bowl will put out new growth. However, when I forget about the bowl
and the water level barely covers the liverwort, there's an explosive mass of new growths all over the bowl, regardless of mass -- see density-dependence inhibition below.
The liverwort also appears to be exhibiting characteristics of density-dependence inhibition, where an over abundance of the liverwort in close proximity can actually inhibit new growths.
I am able to speed up growth by not allowing the M. tenerum to grow too thickly (i.e. not allowing the individual thalli to touch one another). Whenever I cannot see the bowl's bottom, I divide the clump of liverwort. Otherwise, only the perimeter of the clump will put out new growths. Density dependence inhibition is less important when the liverwort is touching some surface (see anchorage dependence point above).
What does this all means? I don't know, but I thought it was really interesting so I figure I'll share the information.
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When you first receive this liverwort, it will most likely be in tiny pieces of 1-2 cm long. Obviously, it would be a pita to attach them to anything. What you want to do is dump them in a wide shallow bowl with some water, and keep it in a brightly lit location until those tiny fragments put out new growths and interwine with one another. Then, you can tie it like moss to rocks/mesh/etc. and enjoy them in your aquarium.
Word of warning: Once M. tenerum gets going, it can be as invasive as riccia. Parts of it will get stuck all over the tank, growing where you don't want them. It took me over 2 months of judicious cleaning to rid my tank of this species. :evil: I am now in charge of keeping this species available for local folks just in case any of us decide to give it another try. So what I have now is contained in a bowl of water. Pretty neat.
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Some nice pictures of this species being aquascaped by Tropica during Aquarama 2003: http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4288730547
The liverwort appears to be anchorage dependent. Growth rate seems to accellerate when the liverwort is in contact with some kind of surface.
When I keep the container filled with water, only the M. tenerum on the perimeter of the bowl will put out new growth. However, when I forget about the bowl
and the water level barely covers the liverwort, there's an explosive mass of new growths all over the bowl, regardless of mass -- see density-dependence inhibition below.The liverwort also appears to be exhibiting characteristics of density-dependence inhibition, where an over abundance of the liverwort in close proximity can actually inhibit new growths.
I am able to speed up growth by not allowing the M. tenerum to grow too thickly (i.e. not allowing the individual thalli to touch one another). Whenever I cannot see the bowl's bottom, I divide the clump of liverwort. Otherwise, only the perimeter of the clump will put out new growths. Density dependence inhibition is less important when the liverwort is touching some surface (see anchorage dependence point above).
What does this all means? I don't know, but I thought it was really interesting so I figure I'll share the information.
---
When you first receive this liverwort, it will most likely be in tiny pieces of 1-2 cm long. Obviously, it would be a pita to attach them to anything. What you want to do is dump them in a wide shallow bowl with some water, and keep it in a brightly lit location until those tiny fragments put out new growths and interwine with one another. Then, you can tie it like moss to rocks/mesh/etc. and enjoy them in your aquarium.
Word of warning: Once M. tenerum gets going, it can be as invasive as riccia. Parts of it will get stuck all over the tank, growing where you don't want them. It took me over 2 months of judicious cleaning to rid my tank of this species. :evil: I am now in charge of keeping this species available for local folks just in case any of us decide to give it another try. So what I have now is contained in a bowl of water. Pretty neat.
---
Some nice pictures of this species being aquascaped by Tropica during Aquarama 2003: http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4288730547
