Duckweed

[stanleyc]

I am thinking about growing thus plant in my adult c. orientalis tank, also if I get them eventually, california or rough skinned newt tank as well. Does anyone have experience with this plant? What are the positives and negatives? Will it be too much of a hassle?

Thanks

 

[thewesterngate]

Duckweed is, rather literally, a weed in aquariums! Some people would pay not to have it, but I think it adds something to a set-up for salamanders/newts. It gives it a swampy feel. It will grow just about anywhere, but isn't too fond of a strong surface current. It grows fast because it's right under the light most of the time, so you don't have to do a lot. The only problems are that it can get sucked into filters, and that it sticks to anything that goes in or out of the tank (arms included!) But it's a pretty nice little addition.

 

[stanleyc]

Thanks, would it block the light then for plants living under the water?

Also, would it also stick to the newts when they leave the water?

 

[thewesterngate]

It can become a problem with blocking light if it grows too freely, and it might stick to them..I haven't actually thought about that.

 

[stanleyc]

Haven't thought about the duckweed blocking the light? or sticking to the newts?

I also like the feel it gives to a tank, more of a natural pond feel for me.

 

[otolith]

I've had it in a few tanks and never had issues with it choking out the light for other plants. If it gets out of hand you can just skim it off the top and put it in a different tank or throw it in your compost.

 

[SludgeMunkey]

Fun with duck weed

It grows like the dickens! This is a very low maintenance, bright light plant.

It looks great in a naturalistic pond type tank. It is an easy solution to the bright lighting required for planted tanks AND the dim light aquatic caudates prefer.

Personally, I utilize it in my larvae rearing tubs, my live food cultures and in all of my aquatic set ups. (I do not use it in my axolotl tanks though.) If it starts to take over too much surface area, I scoop some out and feed it to my goldfish.


PROS: - Easy to grow
- looks "cool"
- harbors all sorts of copepods and the like for growing larvae to eat
- blocks some light from stressing out aquatic caudates
- helps a small bit in maintaining water chemistry, like most live plants
- cheap, easy to get
- grows fast
- gammarus and aselleus love to breed/feed in it

CONS: -grows FAST, quickly covers entire surface of tank
- can interfere with oxygen exchange at the surface of the tank if not kept in check
- clogs up many filters
- makes water changes a real pain
- can harbor undesirable tank critters like hydra and snails
- may pose an ingestion hazard with small caudates (juvenile morphs)
- easily fouls nets and siphons
- sticks to aquarium sides as water level drops making cleaning a pain
- once you have it, you will always have it. Easy to spread to all of your tanks
- dead duckweed has an "interesting" odor

 

[stanleyc]

Thanks, alot, are there other floating plants similar to duckweed that may be less of a pain?

 

[Ltdanicecream]

Yeah I just googled duckweed, and I saw a picture of 3 turtles sitting on a log, covered in duckweed. So yes, it will stick to newts.

 

[SludgeMunkey]

Thanks, alot, are there other floating plants similar to duckweed that may be less of a pain?

Spongia species, often called pennywort or frog wort is very similar, just much larger. Each "leaf" is roughly 3/4 of an inch. Other options that work really well are Riccia sp. and Hornwort.