I have a Duck Weed problem in one of my tanks. It is very heavily planted, and netting all of it has been next to impossible, without netting baby killies. I'd rather not throw the babies out with the Duck Weed water. I try to remove it manually, but there are always a bunch that gets by and repopulates. Does anyone know of a way to remove it?
-Thom
Duck Weed
Started by
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, Feb 03 2008 10:52 PM
27 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_choupique_*
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Posted 04 February 2008 - 01:35 AM
Golden shiners or goldfish will take care of it, but they will also take care of your baby killis. That is ones big enough to control the duckweed. Constant netting and spraying it off the sides and from under the lid can eventually be a battle won. It just takes a lot of work. I have had limited success with full grown flagfish, but not as potent as the golden shiners, which are nice fish to keep. I know most are adverse to goldfish, but they do serve a purpose here and for food for larger fish. 
#3
Guest_Casper Cox_*
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Posted 04 February 2008 - 10:12 AM
Goldfish will eat up all the duckweed. quickly.
then you can eat the goldfish.
works every time.
i kinda like a bit of duckweed... as long as it does not cover the surface.
get you a goldfish if you wanna get rid of it.
casper
then you can eat the goldfish.
works every time.
i kinda like a bit of duckweed... as long as it does not cover the surface.
get you a goldfish if you wanna get rid of it.
casper
#4
Guest_Newt_*
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Posted 04 February 2008 - 11:41 AM
You can try just keeping the tank lights off for a while; Lemna likes a good bit of light, and it will probably die before your bigger plants suffer much. This won't kill the little propagules, so you might have to repeat this a few times until it quits coming back.
#5
Guest_schambers_*
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Posted 04 February 2008 - 01:05 PM
I feel your pain, Truf. I've been fighting duckweed for what seems like forever in my many planted tanks. I usually pick it out, and curse while I throw out all the floating plants that are contaminated with it. Goldfish do work really well.
#6
Guest_Bob_*
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Posted 04 February 2008 - 04:27 PM
Hey, Casper, How ya been?
Goldfish are great for disposing of unwanted duckweed. I've stopped keeping them and I'm up to my ears in the stuff again. The folks in my local aquarium clubs tell me that a malawi cichlid, Melanochromis johanni, will eat it, and members of the Tanganyikan genus Tropheus will also eat it.
I find that the easiest way to remove it is with a flat straight edge. I use one of those hang over the side metal aquarium thermometer to kind of comb it off the surface and then dip it into a bucket of water to remove the duckweed.
Goldfish are great for disposing of unwanted duckweed. I've stopped keeping them and I'm up to my ears in the stuff again. The folks in my local aquarium clubs tell me that a malawi cichlid, Melanochromis johanni, will eat it, and members of the Tanganyikan genus Tropheus will also eat it.
I find that the easiest way to remove it is with a flat straight edge. I use one of those hang over the side metal aquarium thermometer to kind of comb it off the surface and then dip it into a bucket of water to remove the duckweed.
Golden shiners or goldfish will take care of it, but they will also take care of your baby killis. That is ones big enough to control the duckweed. Constant netting and spraying it off the sides and from under the lid can eventually be a battle won. It just takes a lot of work. I have had limited success with full grown flagfish, but not as potent as the golden shiners, which are nice fish to keep. I know most are adverse to goldfish, but they do serve a purpose here and for food for larger fish.
#7
Guest_truf_*
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Posted 04 February 2008 - 04:52 PM
I know where I can get some wild fantail goldfish, I'll try to net some next time I'm up that way. Barring that, I wonder if a hair pick would keep the small fishies from being grabbed, but grab the duckweed.... Things that make you go hmmmm.
-Thom
-Thom
#8
Guest_jimjim_*
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Posted 04 February 2008 - 05:08 PM
Austrailian Rainbows eat duckweed like its candy. Just get some that are rather small. Jim
#10
Guest_tglassburner_*
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Posted 04 February 2008 - 09:26 PM
Brass.Copper.
#11
Guest_truf_*
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Posted 04 February 2008 - 09:41 PM
Arnoldi & Tom,Brass.
What does copper/brass do?
-Thom
#12
Guest_drewish_*
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Posted 04 February 2008 - 10:33 PM
Arnoldi & Tom,
What does copper/brass do?
-Thom
I have no idea what brass will do...
Copper is found in a lot of aquarium medications such as coppersafe. In a high enough dosage it will kill plants. It is also toxic to fish in higher dosages. Since your tank is planted, copper would be bad. Your best bet would be to find something that eats the duckweed.
#13
Guest_Newt_*
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Posted 04 February 2008 - 10:49 PM
I have no idea what brass will do...
Copper is found in a lot of aquarium medications such as coppersafe. In a high enough dosage it will kill plants. It is also toxic to fish in higher dosages. Since your tank is planted, copper would be bad. Your best bet would be to find something that eats the duckweed.
Brass is a copper-zinc alloy and has similar toxic properties to copper; hospitals often use brass doorknobs for their anti-bacterial properties.
#14
Guest_schambers_*
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Posted 04 February 2008 - 11:26 PM
Austrailian Rainbows eat duckweed like its candy. Just get some that are rather small. Jim
Don't Rainbows also gobble up fry?
#15
Guest_choupique_*
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Posted 05 February 2008 - 01:38 AM
Bob- cool, I was wondering what the heck to use that old metal thermometer for. I am going to give that a try.
A hair pick might be a good Idea. It reminds me of using a rake to clear algae, leaves, and overgrown plants from the pond, while usually not getting any fish out, unlike using a net. Just in an aquarium size.
Nickel. Oops, sorry, I thought we naming metals.
A hair pick might be a good Idea. It reminds me of using a rake to clear algae, leaves, and overgrown plants from the pond, while usually not getting any fish out, unlike using a net. Just in an aquarium size.
Nickel. Oops, sorry, I thought we naming metals.
#16
Guest_tglassburner_*
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Posted 05 February 2008 - 07:26 AM
That's what I thought.Nickel. Oops, sorry, I thought we naming metals.
#17
Guest_mikez_*
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Posted 05 February 2008 - 03:45 PM
Interesting.
I've got two goldfish and there's duckweed starting to multiply in their tank from contamination from other tanks [on my hands and arms most likely]. They don't seem the least bit interested. Of course I also throw in all the hair algae I harvest from my mollie tank so maybe they're not hungry.
My swamp tank is fully engulfed in duckweed and if the five golden shiners are eating it, they're not doing a good job.
I can vouch for the rift lake cichlids. I used to feed them duckweed from my tanks as a treat. No leftover duckweed ever took hold in those tanks.
I actually love duckweed. The faster it grows, the more I like it. In tanks without fry I use a plain old small dipnet to harvest it. In tanks with fry I use my hands, fingers spread like teeth to a comb.
It makes great cover for fry, a thick coating overhead calms the jumpiest fish and loads of little fish food fauna live in the roots. It also sucks nutrients from the water while gettings it CO2 from the air. Everytime I harvest and discard a big handfull, I figure that's another couple of weeks I can put off my water changing chores.
I've got two goldfish and there's duckweed starting to multiply in their tank from contamination from other tanks [on my hands and arms most likely]. They don't seem the least bit interested. Of course I also throw in all the hair algae I harvest from my mollie tank so maybe they're not hungry.
My swamp tank is fully engulfed in duckweed and if the five golden shiners are eating it, they're not doing a good job.
I can vouch for the rift lake cichlids. I used to feed them duckweed from my tanks as a treat. No leftover duckweed ever took hold in those tanks.
I actually love duckweed. The faster it grows, the more I like it. In tanks without fry I use a plain old small dipnet to harvest it. In tanks with fry I use my hands, fingers spread like teeth to a comb.
It makes great cover for fry, a thick coating overhead calms the jumpiest fish and loads of little fish food fauna live in the roots. It also sucks nutrients from the water while gettings it CO2 from the air. Everytime I harvest and discard a big handfull, I figure that's another couple of weeks I can put off my water changing chores.
#18
Guest_Newt_*
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Posted 05 February 2008 - 03:53 PM
Of course, ducks and geese will eat it too. Maybe you could rent a mallard...
#19
Guest_dafrimpster_*
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Posted 05 February 2008 - 05:34 PM
What's the minimum tank size for a mallard? Could you go with one of the smaller ducks if your tank is small? What fish would then eat the duck poo?Of course, ducks and geese will eat it too. Maybe you could rent a mallard...
#20
Guest_nativeplanter_*
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Posted 05 February 2008 - 05:39 PM
I have heard that ducks will only grow to the size of the tank.
What's the minimum tank size for a mallard? Could you go with one of the smaller ducks if your tank is small? What fish would then eat the duck poo?
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