Duckweed question

[sumthin fishy]

So I just started truing my handat a planted tank. Im @ about 5wpg wih a few small types of fern in a 10 gallon. I saw some duckweed while getting some dry goods at the lfs and asked the guy how much. Since I go in there about every other day(its a block from home, sometimes I just go in to chat/look) he just gave me some. I understand it grows fast, needs little light and gets mixed reviews from those who have it.

My question is about my fish eating it. I did see in a search some fish do eat it, but those tiny guppers seem like they are going to choke on the stuff. Am I worried for nothing?

 

[phanmc]

I've never heard of a fish choking on duckweed so I don't think you need to worry about it. I've also seen guppies swallow pellets the size of their head so a little duckweed isn't going to harm them.

 

[Mooch28]

So I just started truing my handat a planted tank. Im @ about 5wpg wih a few small types of fern in a 10 gallon. I saw some duckweed while getting some dry goods at the lfs and asked the guy how much. Since I go in there about every other day(its a block from home, sometimes I just go in to chat/look) he just gave me some. I understand it grows fast, needs little light and gets mixed reviews from those who have it.

My question is about my fish eating it. I did see in a search some fish do eat it, but those tiny guppers seem like they are going to choke on the stuff. Am I worried for nothing?

fish won't won't choke on it, but it will grow like mad and invade the tank once set in. I would avoid it if you plan on growing plants, unless you have plans on removing a ton of it weekly, if not every other day. At 5 WPG, it will multiply very, very quickly!!

If you want want floating plants, look elsewhere like ricia, which is much easier to control and much nicer imo.

Duckweed, is just that, a weed. I have some in my 10 gallon hospital tank, but i only 1.5 watts per gallon, and it provides excellent shelter for stressed fish. Even at 1.5, it grows like mad. I can't even imagine how much it would grow at 5..........

It's your choice though.

 

[TKOS]

Any small floating plant could be considered a weed. I hate the way riccia gets everywhere in one of my tanks. I tried to keep it tied down but now it gets all in my filter intake and mixed in with my java moss. Anyway back to the duck weed.

It is perfectly safe for fish to eat and if your fish liek it then that is great. They will help to control its spread. In fact that may be a good way for you to avoid overfeeding the tank. With the duckweed present try only feeding your fish every other day. It should help keep your tank much cleaner.

 

[sumthin fishy]

Thanks all. I doubt its going to be much of a problem. I had id estimate 200 of the little things in there, now i'm down to about 20 in just a few hours. I have no problems removing it, even if that means daily, just wanted something different than what Id been doing.

 

[Ems]

my female endler's ate it when i had it...
however, I absolutely DESPISE duckweed... lol grew too fast and had to dry out the tank to get rid of the stuff... It does look cool, which is why I got it in the first place, but I will NEVER get it again

 

[daveedka]

my female endler's ate it when i had it...
however, I absolutely DESPISE duckweed... lol grew too fast and had to dry out the tank to get rid of the stuff... It does look cool, which is why I got it in the first place, but I will NEVER get it again

I have mixed emotions on duckweed. It is a great plant in a lot of ways, but to call it invasive is a gross understatement. It is much easier to manage IMO and IME than Java moss. I skim off a couple of pounds every week, but the snails love it for cover and breeding, the srimp use it when the want to skim the surface for food, and someday I'll own a fish that eats the stuff so I can put it to good use. The only real downside is that I have to pick through it and rescue snails when I skim it off the tanks. If my guppies eat it at all they don't eat a lot of it.
Dave