Duckweed, Where to buy? Options

[goldrush]

Now this is the tricky part of ecology.On one hand we are afraid of water being a breeding ground for mosquitoes while on the other we may introduce unwanted parasites if any aquatic life form is use to keep the insects at bay.I think a handful of guppies from a relative clean environment should do the trick to maintain larvae free water and provide nutrients in the form of nitrates for your duckweed.
Now I must stress that only a few fish are required and you might have to time and time cull off excess to maintain population so as not to degrade water condition .A period of stabilisation or quarantine should be factored to ensure the guppy initial die off before they settle in their environment.So it is not advisable to feed the duckweed at this stage for fear of contamination from source.However this is never full proof and an element of risk of infection cannot be entirely ruled out in all enclosed water system

[The Matrix]

aiyo ... I recalled someone got a good method to grow the duckweed. erh ... is it CHLeong ? Put duckweed in tank but the fish can see cannot eat.

each tank put a bit and let them grow. so if got parasites, also the same fish in the same tank.

[vlye]

ok the initial source of duckweed can be disinfected with pp(up to 16ppm no problem)Subsequently leave some excess to seed further production within the same water source.Parasites need hosts to survive also ,so if there is no fish host wtihin a water source for a period,parasites would not survive as well except through encysting themselves.
Without Sun no duckweed can flourish,needless to add  that water is essential.Need I go to spell out the requirements of germination of seed and plant ie water,warmth and air to complete the list of requirements Matrix!

That's what I am afraid of , dormant parasites stuck to the roots or leaves. There is an element of risk here, up to the individual to decide whether it's worthwhile. Same as for frozen live food.

[CHLeong]

aiyo ... I recalled someone got a good method to grow the duckweed. erh ... is it CHLeong ? Put duckweed in tank but the fish can see cannot eat.

each tank put a bit and let them grow. so if got parasites, also the same fish in the same tank.

Thanks Matrix for remembering me! Sometimes must "tekan" the fish mah.
And now then you warn me about parasites! No wonder my fish start to look green and has roots growing out of the anus!
Damn!

Rgds
CHLeong

[iso7012003]

is it the same thing that you all mentioned here?

here's the picture

[ranchu8]

is it the same thing that you all mentioned here?

here's the picture

sorry, i don't understand your question ... what's the picture of?

[desireless]

That's algae.

I believe many jap breeders are using that to feed their ranchu kept in clear water.

Duckweed is in the picture Doc posted sometime back:

Grow yourself in some unused tub.Very economical,everlasting production,no fuss except you need SUN.SUN SUN..............

[iso7012003]

Here's another picture

[The Matrix]

hahahaha getting more and more confusing liao.

[goldrush]

here's the picture

Looks like WASABI or GREEN TEA POWDER MIX leh

[iso7012003]

this wasabi / green tea power is the thing that Mr. Kashino used to feed his bbr
take a look at this

http://www.ranchushop.com/Scope/Shop_Scope...hino_47_27.html

my question is whether this so-called wasabi / green tea power is duckweed or not.

[desireless]

Hi Iso,

As I have mentioned, they are 2 different things.

Duckweeds looks like little floating leaves. This are duckweed pictures:



In the picture which you have posted, that's algae:


Notice you need those fine nets to collect algae.
If you look further to the link you have shown, algae when consolidated in lumps, looks like wasabi indeed.
http://www.ranchushop.com/Scope/Shop_Scope...hino_47_28.html

[ranchu8]

i may be wrong, but the photos with Mr Kashino is that of Japanese duckweed; anyone with info on this?

[desireless]

i may be wrong, but the photos with Mr Kashino is that of Japanese duckweed; anyone with info on this?

Look at the photos again. Examine them closely.

There's no dispute those are algae.

No way duckweed can form this kind of wavy pattern.


And if you're a chinese, you will understand from the word "藻" that it is algae.

[goldrush]

Have a look at the picture on this thread about surface identification on a pond and decide for yourself whether algae or duckweed.See the difference.Duckweed is the smallest flowering plant around so being a higher plant it has roots and even flowers while algae are simple plants which do not possess either





http://www.umaine.edu/WaterResearch/FieldG.../onthewater.htm


Your wasabi looks more like Gleotrichia

look over here for more info on it

http://www.mainecola.org/gleotrichia.htm