Does your marimo sometimes float to the surface, and you’re not sure why?
There are usually two simple reasons why this happens.
1) You have just changed the water. Small air bubbles may form on the surface of the marimo, causing them to float. In this case, simply wait a few hours (sometimes even a few days), and the marimo will naturally sink back to the bottom.
2) Gases can build up inside the marimo. These gases can make the marimo float. If you want your marimo to sink back to the bottom, simply gently squeeze and roll it underwater. This will release the gases as well as wash away any dirt, allowing the marimo to sink back down.
However, if you like your marimo floating, simply leave them as they are. Floating does not harm them.
The ability to float to the surface can save a marimo’s life
The ability of marimo to float is actually far more sophisticated than it may seem. In the wild, marimo naturally grow in shallow waters. If they are carried by currents into deeper water, where there is almost no light and conditions are unsuitable for life, the gases that build up inside the marimo allow them to rise back to the surface. Waves and currents can then carry them back toward the shore and into shallower waters, where they belong and can thrive.
Marimo is not a silly plant! 💚
