tomrare@ka.net
On Sat, 19 Oct 1996, Chris Marsden wrote:
> Ken et al,
>
>
> > 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.
>
>