FishProfiles.com Message Forums

i have so canadian duck weed in my pond i have been trying to clean it up and get rid of it but it will not go away. Any suggestions Would help so much

Most people just keep raking it out, but there are certain species of fish that will eat it, but youd need a lot of them!

You can buy remedies that kill it, but I would take a lot of the quotes about such things as being completely safe for use with fish with a pinch of salt.Eg

http://www.interstateproducts.com/duckweed_control.htm

thanks for the help keep your comments comming

I'm pretty sure duckweed only grows in very calm water so some more surface agitation such as one of those large spraying fountains you put in the center of the pond would probably prevent it from growing.

I'm sorry, but I couldn't help laughing. I intentionally grow duck weed to feed to my tilapia and provide breeding cover for my mosquito fish. I can't grow it fast enough. Seriously, there are several things to help reduce it, but once you've got it you are pretty much stuck with it unless your pond freezes in winter.
Surface aggitation, that's good. Shading the pond can help as duck weed loves the sun. Adding other desireable plants and frequent water changes will help to reduce the weed's food source, but since it is such a simple plant, it is almost impossible to choke out. Hardy water lilies compete well with duck weed for surface area if the lilies get started while the surface is clear. If you can't get (or don't want) tilapia, Florida Flagfish will eat the duck weed (and hair algea as well). I just got a bunch of mollies in with my mosquito fish and they seem to like the weed as well.
Good luck and keep up the good fight!

What size pond are we talking about, and what fish are in it? Duckweed can be eaten by a number of herbivores, from turtles to goldfish. If you can scoop/net out the bulk of it, and introduce the right herbivore(s), that might handle it.

Richard.