FishProfiles.com Message Forums

I'm putting together a 5-gal Hex Eclipse filtered tank heated to 77 degrees that is going to house 1 male Betta Imbellis and 2 Otocinclus.

I'm going to use: Java Fern tied to Mopani Wood for the background; Java Moss tied to a 1/2 coconut shell cave (5-inch diameter)for the midground; and the forground is going to be Anubia nana petite tied to either mopani wood or smaller coconut shell caves that I would construct out of pieces of the other half of the above mentioned coconut shell.

I'd like to add some floating plants for the Betta Imbellis. I need something that will grow in low light that I can trim back when needed without killing it.

I found enough info on Duckweed (Lemna minor) that I'm interested in it. But cannot find much info on housing the plant in an aquarium. How big it gets, ideal water parameters, temperature range, how to prune it, light requirements...? And I did find a couple sites that claim it's seed and pollen are poisonous, so would that affect my aquarium in anyway.

Thanks ~ Sherri

Hi there,
Duckweed is perfectly safe to use, and provides excellent absorption of nitrAtes and ammonia from the water.
However, once you put duckweed in the tank, it will never, ever, ever go away. It forms a thick blanket that will need to be scooped out regularly (i scoop about 8 cupfuls every 2 weeks out of my 10g tank).
My 10g tank was empty, stored for a year, and cleaned with bleach, and I though oh no way the couple little peices of dried duckweed stuck in the corner would be a problem. Well for sure, within 2 weeks it was back and flourishing.

You cant Prune duckweed - its a tiny little plant that floats, and the only way to remove it is to net it right out of the tank in clumps.
In 2 weeks it grows a blanket on my 10g tank surface, and gets about 2-3 inches thick, it grows so fast.
Its a great plant, but keep in mind once you have it, it will never go away.


Come Play Yahtzee With Me!
http://games.atari.com
Http://www.myleague.com/yahtgames

it doesn;'t get big but spreads quickly. It will over take the tank quickly no matter what the water conditions. You prune it by taking a handful out and tossing them out every once in a while and like sneaky said its safe

-Vincent

Well I am a beginner at this, so it sounds like the Duckweed would be perfect.

It can't be any worse than the snail explosion I had (in the same tank) 7 months ago. I was picking about 20 of those little buggers out everyweek, until I tore the tank down last month. It has since been sterilized, ran with a heavy dose of aquarium salt, emptied, and sterilzed again. I now know that I hate snails.

Thanks for the info you 2. I can now purchase everything I need to get the tank back up

Take care ~ Sherri

Be VERY CAREFUL when you get the duckweed that you inspect it THOROUGHLY for snails.

I got a small sprinkling of duckweed in with some fish years ago, and a tiny snail hitchhiker that I did not discover until a couple days later.

Then two weeks later I couldn't see the inside of my tank. The 10 or so little leaves of duckweed had grown to fill the top 3 inches of my 2 gallon mini-tank, and the snails and eggs covered the entire interior of the tank.

Listen! Do you smell that?