Mayaca Fluviatilis

Quick facts

Identity

Also known as

Stream bogmoss; Bogmoss

Synonyms

Mayaca vandellii

Environment

Freshwater

Native to

Southeastern United States, Central America, South America (including Argentina)

Habitat

Shallow, slow-moving streams, swamps, and blackwater rivulet margins in subtropical and tropical wetlands

Sourcing

Aquacultured

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Moderate

Growth form

Stem

Max height

4 – 16 in (10 – 41 cm)

Spread

1 in (2.5 cm)

Growth rate

Fast

Placement

Midground, Background

Water

Temperature

72 – 82 °F (22 – 28 °C)

pH

5.5 – 7.0

GH

2 – 14 dGH

dKH

0 – 6 dKH

PAR

35 – 50 PAR

Flow

Low-Moderate

Light

Medium

CO₂

Beneficial

Planting

Substrate

Nutrient-rich preferred

Feeds from

Both

Fertilizer needs

High

Colors

Green

Feeding & breeding

Propagation

Cuttings

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Care guide

Overview

Fine, needle-like leaves branch densely along thin stems, forming feathery plumes that fill the background of a planted tank. Growth is fast under medium-to-bright light and CO2 injection, though lower stems thin and yellow if nutrients or light drop off. Regular trimming and replanting of tops keeps clumps full rather than leggy.

Care

Stream bogmoss is a fine-leaved stem plant that does best with moderate to bright lighting and a steady supply of CO2, though it can survive without added gas at a slower pace. It is more demanding than many common stem plants and tends to decline in low-tech setups, with lower leaves yellowing and dropping when light or nutrients fall short. Regular trimming and replanting of the tops keeps the clumps dense and prevents the base of the stems from becoming bare and leggy.

Planting & trimming

Plant thin stem cuttings individually into a fine, nutrient-rich substrate using aquascaping tweezers, spacing them enough to allow water circulation around the bases and reduce the risk of rot. It can also be grown emersed in paludariums or along the damp margins of a tank. Trim the tops periodically and replant them to refresh the display as lower stems thin out over time.

Fertilizing

Growth responds strongly to a nutrient-rich substrate combined with liquid fertilization, since the fine roots and stems both draw in nutrients from the water column and substrate. Iron is particularly important, and a shortage shows up quickly as pale, almost white new growth at the shoot tips. Dosing a comprehensive liquid fertilizer along with root tabs in the planting area helps maintain steady, even coloration.

Propagation

The simplest method is taking stem cuttings from healthy tops and replanting them directly into the substrate. The plant also produces side shoots along the main stem that root on their own and can be separated from the parent once established. Handle cuttings gently, as the fine stems and leaves break easily.

Problems

Melting or thinning at the base is common when light or CO2 is insufficient, and old growth rarely recovers once it yellows, so trimming and replanting fresh tops is the usual remedy. Because the stems and leaves are delicate, rough handling during planting or maintenance can snap them, so cuttings should be planted gently with tweezers. Dense, poorly spaced plantings in compact substrate are prone to rot at the base from restricted water flow.

Sources

1. Mayaca fluviatilis - Flowgrow Aquatic Plant Database
2. Stream bogmoss care: light, CO2 and placement · TankBud
3. Mayaca Fluviatilis | Barr Report Forum - Aquarium Plants
4. Mayaca fluviatilis

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