Plant

[IovaykInD]

I was cleaning my filter today and I found small plant inside the filer. This plant was not introduced, I guess from bacteria or what not, it developed inside the filter. Has this happened to anybody else? The plant is green with leaves(1/8" leaves) and the entire plant is probably around 1/2". It doesn't look harmful, but I wanted to know if this happened to anybody else before.

Isaac

 

[Nospherith]

Did you recently add new substrate? Sometimes terrestrial seeds end up in the substrate and they sprout in the aquarium. Or, it could be some duckweed or something that tagged along with one of your orders. Who knows?

Anyway, I'd plant it in the substrate and see what happens.

 

[guppygirl]

Do you have a pic of it?

 

[IovaykInD]

No I don't have a picture, but it looks exactly like duckweed. I just got 5 danios but they didn't seem to be carrying a piece of duckweed.

Should I let it grow in the substrate, or leave it inside the filter?

Isaac

 

[kenneth_kpe]

if its duckweed and you want more of it just let it float around

 

[IovaykInD]

If it gets hit by the output of my power filter, will it die?

Isaac

*EDIT*
Does duckweed need sunlight? I took it out and put it into a cup full of aquarium water. I want to watch it grow. Should I put the cup near the window for the duckweed to get sunlight?

 

[Torrean]

I got a plant with one of my fish. Don't let it float because it'll get sucked into the filter again. in my opinion you should plant it and wait for it to get bigger then maybe you could let it float if you wanted a floater.

 

[IovaykInD]

I took it out to let it grow to make sure that it is a good plant to keep in my tank. I did some research on duckweed, and I will give it some sunlight to help it multiply faster. I really don't know how it got into my filter, maybe from the 5 danios that I bought. When it starts to multiply and there are enough, I will let it float around in my community tank. Also, if I added an extension tube on the filter, so the inlet tube is lower down into the water, will it still suck up the duckweed?

Isaac

 

[Torrean]

I would think so. The flow from the filter will push the plant down into the water.. Then the intake will suck it up just like it probably did the first time. You could maybe tie some stockings around your intake or something. Did you add the lfs water with the danios?

 

[IovaykInD]

I floated it, yea. Then it probably came out of the bag with the danios and I didn't even realize it. Actually, this is a good thing because I wanted some live plants anyway but didn't want to pay for it Now I got what I want

I will put some stocking over the intake of the filter, but not right now. I will let the plant grow to and multiply first inside the cup.

Isaac

 

[IovaykInD]

One more question.
Does duckweed grow really really quickly?
I could see a size difference when it only grew for one day in the sun
At least 2 mm difference I would say.

Hopefully, it is duckweed, because RES like to eat duckweed.

Isaac

 

[guppygirl]

PM Annastasia, she's the only person I know that has it.
She's very nice trust me!

 

[Katchan]

In some areas duckweed is classed as a noxious weed because it can grow so quickly it just over grows the area and stops light getting through to plants and fishies below.

Katchan

Edit It- sorry wasnt supposed to come off as a lecture, just letting you know that it can grow very quick, I have a tiny bit in my 10gallon desktop tank and its having trouble getting a hold, I wish it would though as i want some free floating plants for our betta's and gouami. A word of warning If it does get growing well in your tank and you get too much either give it to a friend or toss in the bin when you thin it out DONT flush or let it get access to your local water way, as it maybe illeagal to do this if the plant isnt native to your area/country(again sorry if the last bit sounded lectureish).

 

[IovaykInD]

I will let it grow out. I have a pond outside dying for more plants and this could be great for the koi that need some hiding places.

It's still the size of a dime right now, since it was so small when it came with the fish from the pet store. I can see it grow everyday, it grows so quickly. I can see why people say it gets annoying because if I had 100 of these growing this quickly, I'd get annoyed too.

Isaac

 

[cla55y19]

how big is a dime? i have duck weed on my plants and my pond and it never gets bigger than 5mm could it be natans witch is in the same family of plants that duck weed is?