Phoenix Moss (Fissidens Fontanus)
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Plant information
Phoenix Moss
About this plant
Looking for a moss that stays neat instead of going stringy? Phoenix Moss is it. Deep dark green fronds grow in tight, feathery fans that hug whatever you attach them to — slow, compact, and far tidier than Java Moss, which is exactly why aquascapers pay more for it.
What you'll receive
- Dark Green Moss
- Sold as a small portion, loose moss
- Approx. 2" x 2" / 5cm x 5cm in size
- Perfect to attach to driftwood, rock, or stone
- Photos are for reference. Portion shape, density and color vary with growing conditions.
- Never release aquarium plants into natural waterways.
Plant details
- Common name
- Phoenix Moss, US Fissidens
- Scientific name
- Fissidens fontanus
- Color
- Dark green
- Placement
- Foreground to midground, on wood or stone
- Mature height
- 1–2 in
- Growth rate
- Slow
Care guide
- DifficultyBeginner to keep, though slow to establish
- LightLow to medium. Bright light invites algae it cannot outgrow
- CO₂Not required! But CO₂ with cooler water brings out a noticeably greener, denser growth
- Water68–82°F · pH 6.0–7.5; cooler is better for color
- FeedingWater column
- Growth habitbe grown emersed
- PropagationFragmentation; every piece grows into a new fan
At a glance
Grower's notes
- It must stay submerged. Unlike most mosses we sell, Fissidens fontanus has no emersed form — it is not suited to wabi-kusa, paludariums or dry start, and will not survive out of water.
- CO₂ and cooler water are what make it green. Without them it still grows perfectly well, just darker and slower — the vivid green in aquascaping photos comes from injected tanks running on the cool side.
- Tie it on in a thin, even layer. Phoenix Moss grows slowly, so a thick pad shades and rots underneath long before the top fills in.
- Flow matters more than light. The fine fronds trap detritus in still water — gentle current keeps them clean.
- Be patient. It attaches and spreads far slower than Java Moss, taking a couple of months to knit onto hardscape. That slowness is why it holds its shape.
How it arrives
A sealed Vitro Culture® bag
Lab-grown plantlets in nutrient gel, free of snails, algae and pests.
- Keep it sealed at room temperature, out of direct sun, until you're ready to plant.
- Rinse off all the gel under lukewarm water. Left in the tank, it clouds the water and feeds algae.
- Split into small portions and plant with tweezers. Small portions spread faster than one big clump.
Normal: a little melt in the first weeks as underwater leaves replace the leaves grown in the lab.
Rooted plants in a net pot with rockwool
The most stable option, with roots already established.
- Rinse the plant under clean water.
- Plant the pot as is, or ease the plant out and gently tease away the rockwool. Either way works.
- For epiphytes like Anubias and Bucephalandra, keep the rhizome above the substrate or tie it to wood or rock.
Fresh-cut stems in a net pot with rockwool
Freshly cut stems without roots, held upright in a net pot for a quick setup.
- Rinse the stems under clean water.
- Plant the pot as is, or remove the stems and plant them one by one, an inch or two deep.
- New roots usually form within a couple of weeks.
Rooted plants bundled with foam and a plant weight
Easy placement plus the stability of roots.
- Rinse the bunch under clean water.
- Place the bunch as is, or remove the foam and weight and plant each one separately.
- Give each plant room so light reaches the lower leaves.
Fresh-cut stems bundled with foam and a plant weight
Freshly cut stems without roots, ready to drop in.
- Rinse the stems under clean water.
- Remove the foam and weight and plant stems one by one, an inch or two deep, for the fullest look. You can also place the bunch as is.
- New roots usually form within a couple of weeks.
Loose, rooted plants
No pot or foam, so you can place them exactly where you want.
- Rinse the plants under clean water.
- Plant the roots into the substrate, or tie or glue the rhizome to wood or rock. Don't bury the rhizome.
- Trim any broken leaves; new growth follows once settled.
Loose, fresh-cut stems
Freshly cut stems without roots, for full flexibility.
- Rinse the stems under clean water.
- Plant stems one by one, an inch or two deep, with a little space between them.
- New roots usually form within a couple of weeks.
A bulb, ready to sprout
Bulbs ship either dormant or already sprouted with leaves, depending on the option you choose.
- Rinse the bulb under clean water.
- Rest it on the substrate or press the base in slightly. Don't bury the top.
- A dormant bulb can take a few weeks to send up its first leaves.
A young sprouted tuber
Ready to pot up and grow into a full plant.
- Pot it in a wide container of heavy garden soil, crown just above the soil.
- Start shallow and lower it deeper as the leaves grow.
- Give it full sun once the leaves reach the surface.
Attached to hardscape
Already growing on rock or wood, so it's ready to place.
- Rinse the piece under clean water.
- Place it anywhere in your layout. No planting needed.
- Keep the rhizome out of the substrate.
Packed fresh to travel well
- Open the box as soon as it arrives.
- Rinse the plants under clean water.
- Plant or place them the same day if you can.
Check your plants within 24 hours of delivery. That's your Live Arrival Guarantee window.
Shipping & Live Arrival Guarantee
Live Arrival Guarantee
Every live order is backed by our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee. If a plant arrives dead, we'll make it right.
How it works
- Tell us within 24 hours of the delivery time on your tracking.
- Send photos of the affected items in their original, unopened packaging, plus a photo of the shipping label, to hello@aquariumplantsfactory.com with your order number.
- We'll make it right with a replacement, store credit or refund for the affected item.
Good to know
- Some melting or yellowing as plants adjust from greenhouse to aquarium life is normal. They regrow from healthy roots and rhizomes.
- Please bring your package indoors and unpack it the day it arrives.
- Free promotional items and shipping charges are not covered.
The complete rules, including what's covered and what voids the guarantee, are in our Returns, Refunds & Live Arrival Guarantee. If anything conflicts, that policy applies.
Shipping Information
At a glance
- Free shipping on orders of $150 or more (after discounts) within the contiguous United States, by USPS.
- Free thermal protection is included with every shipment, all year round.
- Processing: most orders leave us within 1 to 2 business days. Tracking is emailed when your order ships.
- USPS (2 to 5 business days) ships Monday through Saturday.
- UPS 2nd Day Air® ships Monday through Wednesday. Order by Tuesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time for same-week delivery.
- UPS Next Day Air® ships Monday through Thursday. Order by Wednesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time for same-week delivery.
- Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and military addresses ship by USPS at a flat rate shown at checkout.
- Weather holds: during extreme heat or cold we may hold live orders until it's safe to ship.
- We ship within the United States only.
Please bring live plants indoors and unpack them the day they arrive. Every live order is covered by our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee.
The complete rules, including lost packages and address issues, are in our Shipping Policy. If anything conflicts, that policy applies.
FAQs
What is your return policy?
All sales are final, so we don’t accept returns or exchanges once your order ships.
The one exception: if your plants arrive dead or damaged, our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee covers a replacement, store credit or refund. Just email clear photos of the plants in their original, unopened packaging, plus a photo of the shipping label, within 24 hours of delivery.
Can you cancel my order?
We can only cancel your order if it hasn’t been fulfilled yet, and we can’t guarantee the cancellation will be possible. Please reach out to us as soon as possible and we’ll do our best to help.
What is your shipping policy?
We ship your order as soon as possible. Most orders ship within 1–2 business days, except live animals and backordered items.
Shipping speed depends on the carrier; you can choose the shipping service at checkout.
View more at Shipping Information.
Can I change my shipping address?
We can only update your shipping address if the order hasn’t been fulfilled yet, and we can’t guarantee the change will be possible. Please contact us with the updated address as soon as possible and we’ll do our best to help.
How does “Buy 2 Get 1 Free” work?
Add 3 or more eligible plants from our Buy 2 Get 1 Free Collection to your cart to activate the automatic discount. Mix and match freely. For every 3 eligible plants, your lowest-priced eligible plants are free at checkout.
View the Buy 2 Get 1 Free Terms.
Would it be possible to hold my order?
Unfortunately, we’re unable to hold orders for live plants because of high demand and quick sell-outs. Please place your order when you’re ready for us to ship it promptly.
What is your Live Arrival Guarantee policy?
We offer a 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee. If your order arrives dead, email at least two clear photos of the plants in their original, unopened packaging and a photo of the shipping label within 24 hours of delivery. After 24 hours, conditions are out of our control.
View more at 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee Policy.
Are your plants free from pests, algae, and pesticides?
Our plants are very clean, but we can’t guarantee they will be 100% free of hitchhikers (snails, algae, pests), because we can’t be responsible for your aquarium. We recommend rinsing all plants with clean water and quarantining them before use.
Plants in our Tissue Culture collection are 100% free of pests and algae and have never been in contact with any aquarium.
We don’t guarantee our plants are free of pesticides. We use homemade, organic pesticides in our greenhouse to control pests, and never pesticides containing copper, which is toxic to invertebrates such as snails, crabs, and shrimp.
We don’t guarantee your aquarium’s success and aren’t responsible for its inhabitants, including but not limited to fish, shrimp, snails, and turtles. Please quarantine all plants before use!
Are your plants grown emersed or submerged?
It depends on the species. Most of our plants are grown hydroponically in a controlled-environment greenhouse.
Common stem plants such as Ludwigia, Bacopa, and Myriophyllum, and rheophyte/epiphyte plants (Anubias, Bucephalandra, Microsorum, Bolbitis, etc.) are grown emersed, hydroponically, in a controlled high-humidity environment.
True aquatic plants that can’t grow emersed — such as Vallisneria, Elodea, Najas, Cabomba, Potamogeton gayi, and Ceratophyllum demersum — are always cultivated submerged, underwater.
Should I remove the foam, weight, or pot before planting?
It’s totally up to you — we usually keep them as they are!
What’s the difference between fresh-cut, bare-root, and potted plants?
All options offer the same high quality; they differ in how they are prepared and packaged:
- Fresh-cut Plants: loose, freshly cut plants without roots. Great flexibility if you prefer to plant them your own way.
- Fresh-cut Bunched: freshly cut plants without roots, bundled with foam and a plant weight, ready to place in your aquarium.
- Fresh-cut Potted: freshly cut plants without roots, potted in a net pot with rockwool for stability and a quick setup.
- Bare-root Plants: loose, rooted plants you can position exactly where you want.
- Rooted Bunched: rooted plants bundled with foam and a plant weight — easy placement plus the stability of roots.
- Rooted Potted: rooted plants potted in a net pot with rockwool — maximum stability and a low-maintenance setup.
Choose based on your planting preference and your aquarium setup.
Noxious weed info
Please review your state's regulations on restricted plants, as we are committed to not shipping plants that are restricted in your area. Do not release any plants into the wild or waterways, as this can harm local ecosystems by introducing invasive species.
Your cooperation in protecting the environment is appreciated. For continuously updated information, refer to the USDA State Noxious Weed list here.
Thank you for your responsible commitment to environmental preservation.
Why Aquarium Plants Factory?
How we grow, clean and pack your Phoenix Moss.
Aquarium Plants Factory
Typical online shops
Customers praised the moss as "healthy" with "generous amounts" and excellent packaging. Many noted it "feathers out" beautifully in tanks. However, some received loose leaves instead of intact plants, unwanted hitchhiker species like bladderwort, or moss that arrived mostly dead. Customer service responsiveness was also criticized.
- They have the best quality, most information and best shipping methods out there.
- It feathers out and almost turns into a puff ball.
- I received a very generous amount of moss and each portion was healthy.
At first the plants looked good. They were packaged well. But now I notice some bladderwort growing in the moss. Was planning on keeping shrimp in this tank so kind of annoyed it came with it. Also there was some suwassertangs with the fissiden moss that I also was not expecting nor really wanted. Might have to reconsider buying from here again.
not sure it came from the fontanus, but some of the moss I got here came infested with a very difficult-to-remove carnivorous specimen, which I unfortunately took too long to identify as its not for sale on the site, and it spread through my shrimp species tank. This stuff is very tricky to remove once it gets a foothold, so look over your moss purchase carefully - its a very bright green filamentous vining habit with small fruiting cups that have tentacles to capture small invertibrates etc
Arrived good and healthy
They have the best quality, most information and best shipping methods out there.
I ordered 2 phoenix ferns. The photo on the website shows a plant that you could glue to an aquarium decoration. What i received was loose fern leaves. It is a good thing i opened the packets up in a bucket because they would have been floating everywhere and made a mess of my filter. I tried calling the number on the order and no one answered. I left 2 voice messages and none have been returned. I would never do business with them again
It’s green, healthy moss. One pack is a lot - more than enough to moss up all my rocks for the new tank I was building.
Good quantity, healthy moss. Currently thriving in my new tank
moss
When my product arrived I thought it was melted because the appearance in the bag is a super dark green blob. However once in the tank the transformation is awesome. It feathers out and almost turns into a puff ball. This moss is nothing like Java Moss and would I think it looks more like Marimo moss ball. Keep in mind because it is so feathery it will make a mess if disturbed frequently. Mixing this moss with Christmas moss creates a really cool textured effect.
Phoenix Moss (Fissidens Fontanus)
Arrived as promised, good quality and doing well. Would order again!
Arrived looking healthy and green. Fills in the spaces between the rocks in my tank very well. Very happy with how it looks.
The moss looked a bit dark on arrival but perked up within a day or two. Good sized amount for the price. Great purchase!
Got sent ample amounts of a healthy, gorgeous moss. Get some phoenix moss!
The blob I received was a reasonably large portion, but it arrived almost entirely dead. It meant I glued a bunch of dead (or nearly dead) moss to my aquarium wood.
After a few weeks it's started to put out a few tiny bits of new live tissue -- out on the edges of the dead stuff. So I'm unsure what to do. It's been a bit of a mess.
Arrived alive and healthy with a good amount of the moss in a nice little baggie. My shrimp love it
Came in great and growing
They arrived earlier than expected and were in great condition. Extremely pleased with my purchase.
Phoenix Moss (Fissidens Fontanus)
Fronds way smaller than expected. Clumped and tangled together, hard to work with. A generous portion, more than expected.They are healthy looking and hoping they will grow and spread.
I received a very generous amount of moss and each portion was healthy. It also arrived fairly quickly in good packaging. Always love getting plants from here!
I like ordering plants during spring and fall when temperatures are less likely to be extreme. My portions of moss arrived wrapped in foil without any brown die-off. I thought the portions were generous. (I actually bought way more than I needed.) The strands of moss were adequately long, and not finely chopped trimmings.
Super healthy plants.
Good plants, healthy, packaged well. Decent price for this style of moss and pest free
Amazing. They give generous amounts and nicely packaged. These guys started to take to their new water conditions within the week and grew beautiful new bright green leaves right after.
I hope mine is ok. Got 3 bunches, but they seem to be taking longer then everything else I got to acclimate. Only time will tell.
Great size portion, healthy green leaves, adjusted well
Shrimp heaven
The moss I got was pretty much brown and falling apart. Tried to keep clumps together while attaching to wood but lots of dead strands breaking off. It’s been about a week and some new growth but most is still brown.
Does it really need/require CO2?
CO2 is recommended for this species. They will still live without it, but the color will be even darker green.
