Aldrovanda, algae and fish!

Paul Temple (temple_p@gmt.dec.com)
Tue, 02 Jan 96 16:16:49 +0000

+---------------------------+ TM From: Paul Temple
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Internet: temple_p@bst.dec.com
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A short note hoping I've not repeated too much of earlier correspondance on the
subject.

Despite some limited expertise with Pings, I've not grown all the
available CP's and I've certainly killed my fair share whilst
experimenting. Aldrovanda always was one of those plants I killed!

A recent field trip (i.e. 1995) led to a new friend giving me a new
piece to try. (I won't name him in case it exposes him to thousands of
unwanted requests - but he knows who he is and I'm really grateful).
I've tried all sorts of treatment before but nothing worked. This time
I used rainwater that had been boiled with sphagnum-moss peat (as
opposed to sedge peat). The rainwater was maintained at 80 degrees F..
At the base of the tank I had a one inch (2.5 cm in fact) of the
thoroughly boiled peat, all covered by about 0.5 inch (1.5 cm actually)
of aquarium gravel to keep the peat fixed (it does love to float). Oh
yes, I used a standard aquarium pump and aerator stone to ensure an
oxygen supply. Then I left the lights on (a 20 watt, 18 inch long
Fluorescent Tube) for 24 hours a day for five weeks! I started with two
small pieces of Aldrovanda, each piece unbranched. I now have about 15
or more healthy branches each ending in a luscious looking bud, assuring
me of more plants.

So much for how to grow Aldrovanda. One problem though. After two
weeks I couldn't see anything. The aquarium glass was thick with algae,
ruining the view and potentially threatening the Aldrovanda. Now I've
seen all the notes I ever wanted to see on experimenting with algicides
or snails (snails?!!!). So what else might work? I used to keep fish
as pets (well why not. A fish can get to know you, it never yaps, very
few bite and the vet fees are non-existent). So I thought I'd try. In
one week, the fish returned the glass to being completely algae clear
with no sign of any fish attacking the Aldrovanda.

So which fish? Well Pleco's are the answer. To the scientists out
there, this mainly includes the Plecostomus family (such as the
unforgettable and very very large Plecostomus plecostomus). However, in
the same family there are several related genera, all with mouths
adapted for rasping off algae from falt surfaces, and of them all there
are several species far smaller than the relatively enormous Plecostomus
plecostomus. So if you fancy experimenting, trot down to your friendly
fish hobbyist shop and research availability of any of the PYGMY species
in the Pleco group (remember, it's not limited to just the Plecostomus
genus). The smallest don't grow beyond about 2 inches (nearly 5 cm) in
legth. One small (1.5 cm long) fish will be sufficient to keep a 12" x
12" x 24" (30cm x 30 cm x 36cm) tank completely clear. However, do be
kind to the fish. Pleco's are friendly and like each other's company so
never keep less than three in a tank. If they run out of algae, feed
them a leaf of raw lettuce weighted down with stones (or traditionalists
can use lead). Also plant a few dwarf aquatic flat leafed plants as
Pleco's like to rest on the leaves.

Regards

Paul (who's mail now seems to be working again)