Sphagnum moss red form - any idea?

[Cindy]

The moss from the N. adnata terrarium (spelled breadbox) is turning red.

However, when I removed two growing tips (one turning red and one green) from the breadbox and placed them under T5 HO lights...

..the green remained green while the red turned darker.

Photo taken on 10 March.

Photo taken on 16 March.

 

[swords]

My take on the red moss syndrome is that moss is similar to other plants which can change color in bright light, some changes color and some doesn't. Someone sent me some red moss last year wrapped around some plants and I put it in a shady spot in a tall tank and after a couple weeks it was pure green, no hint that it was ever red. Maturity of the moss "head" may also have something to do with it.

 

[GrowinOld]

Indeed strong light does help plants to show off their true colors,
as my Neps & Sarrs don't look their best unless they are given adequate lighting...
however I was under the understanding that there are different varities of Sphagnum
(including some that can turn red, some remaining more green) and not just one type of Sphagnum moss variety.

 

[SDCPs]

Indeed strong light does help plants to show off their true colors,
as my Neps & Sarrs don't look their best unless they are given adequate lighting...
however I was under the understanding that there are different varities of Sphagnum
(including some that can turn red, some remaining more green) and not just one type of Sphagnum moss variety.

Yeah, I was reading that there are like 60 species of the moss in a book by Donald Schnell.

There are probably different races in each species too

 

[mass]

red sphagnum is just like red albomarginata's leaves.. without adequate light, they loose their red coloration.

 

[Not a Number]

A green species will stay green no matter what. A red species will in general turn red at some optimal light level. Higher or lower than optimal and the red species turn blond or green. If there are enough nutrients some of the reds will turn blond/green no matter the light levels.

 

[Cindy]

Thanks everyone for the the input.

The two heads are of the same species...the whole mass of moss - some parts are red, some parts are green. The light is reaching the breadbox only on one side. Although there is a higher percentage of red heads on that side, there are also red heads scattered throughout the whole breadbox. Really interesting!