> Did anyone ever figure out what those little black critters were? I found
> this in my archives and realized I never responded to this. Any ideas? I am
> still having some algae problems and these e little critters would be a
> dream come true if they are for real.
>
> Ken Cusson
>
> ----------
> > From: Chris Marsden <100620.2156@CompuServe.COM>
> > To: Multiple recipients of list <cp@opus.hpl.hp.com>
>...
> to make
> > any difference. Too keep them alive, I either need to put algae into the
> tank
> > (not my favourite idea) or put a little horse manure into the tank for
> them to
> > feed on. Will the essence of this manure kill the Utrics?
> >
> > Kind Regards,
> >
> > Toby
Right, well I still don't know what they are but they are still alive and seem
to be almost covering the inside of the glass. My U. gibba has grown recently
from one tiny strand to a mass about 25 cubic inches large. I think that was
helped by the fact that every bladder ALWAYS has a little bug in.
Anyway, I didn't want to kill the Utric so I put some pieces of lettuce
in the tank - the critters appear to be eating it, and breeding on it so
that the young can also eat it. Before most of the creatures used to
die when they had eaten all the algae, and then the algae would get a
foothold again and they would come back in large numbers, and then they
would eat all of it and most of them would die etc. etc. etc.
Now when they eat all the algae they start on the lettuce and as soon as
there is any algae to eat again they finish it off, but stay alive and
go back to the lettuce. This is better for the tank as there is never
much algae. The water is pale straw yellow colour. I used to use
Blackwater extract (acidifying solution) for my tank (advised by Peter
Cole) - I don't bother now unless I remember (it costs about 4 pounds
for one tiny bottle) and the water is always very acidic.
Hope this helps.
Kind Regards,
Toby
PS they were found in a sample of pond water - funny really as I always
use pond water for filling tanks up and I have never seen them before.