Fresh Spanish Moss

[Sedrec]

I have live oak and pecan trees that grow naturally on our 88 acres of land in Louisiana. There is an over abundance of Spanish moss that grow naturally on these trees and I would like to add to my crabitats. What is the process of treating this moss prior to adding to my tanks? Can I boil in ocean water then bake? What temperature would I bake at and how long? Should I freeze afterwards? I read somewhere that there are eggs that can hatch after preparing so how would I kill the eggs? I currently have spaghnum moss that I purchased that has already been prepared and I keep in their moss pits. I also have the live oak leaves and acorns. How would I prepare these to add to my tank for the crabs to forage? Like I mentioned, we live on 88 acres of land, much of it being swamp land with so many trees that I could collect the leaves, sticks and moss from, I just need to know how to prepare prior to adding to my tanks so as to not invite intruders to my tanks.

Thanks for your help!

Melissa

[curlysister]

I collect leaves and flowers from around my acreage in the summer, and dry some of them for use in winter. Acorns I usually just crack open and give the 'nut' part from the center. I have seen my big guy sitting and picking pieces off for an extended amount of time!
For leaves and flowers, I usually pick the newer growth. And then I put them in a single layer in a shallow cardboard box on the dash board of my car for a couple of days to dry them. That's it, no washing or boiling or baking. To store them, I put them in a zip loc baggie in the freezer.
As for moss, I am not an expert, and don't know the different kinds. We have some moss that grows in a shady area, and I have just picked a bit and put it straight into the tank.

[Sedrec]

I worry about bugs being in the moss and bringing them into my tank. Do you think freezing them would kill any living organisms or bugs that are on the moss? Is there a way to bake it without harming or destroying the moss?

[HermitGuy3]

I think you can microwave the moss? I'm not sure but you can look around on the forums or other places.

[wodesorel]

Spanish moss is actually a bromeliad (air plant) and not a true moss. Anything that would completely kill off hitchhikers will end up killing off the plant as well, if the goal was to have it alive and growing in the tank. Otherwise dry heat or boiling are surefire ways to kill off insect eggs - get it at least to 200 degrees long enough to get it hot all the way through. Freezing isn't always effective as bugs can survive winters, and it can take weeks before home freezer temps can start to kill. Freezing would also kill the plant.

There wouldn't be anything on the moss that can hurt the crabs even untreated as you're not in an area where there are native hermits that could be spreading parasites and diseases. I've read that the chigger and tick risk on Spanish moss has been overexaggerated, but the thought still makes my skin crawl and that's something humans do have to watch out for. Rinsing really well to physically remove hitchhikers, or maybe soaking to drown, or doing a bleach dip would probably clear anything nasty but you'd have to see what is safe for the plant as some species are more tolerant of abuse than others.

[Sedrec]

Thank you!! I think soaking in primed water and then baking at 200 should do it. I have so much on these trees around here! They love the acorns.