what is this? - Aquarium Advice

Meredith · 03-06-2005, 04:42 PM

I got two of these little guys with my shrimp. Can you tell me what it is?

**QTOFFER** · 03-06-2005, 05:12 PM

Duckweed!

http://www.mobot.org/jwcross/duckweed/duckweed.htm

Meredith · 03-06-2005, 05:49 PM

ahh. Thanks. I thought all duckweed was that tiny stuff, but mine looks just like the drawing of Spirodela polyrhiza. I didn't know there was a giant duckweed. Thanks again!

03-06-2005, 08:38 PM

To me it looks more like a baby Water Lettuce, Pistia stratiotes. Very hard to tell at that size. Water lettuce matches the color of your pic 1 exactly, and the grooves in the leaves also match. Baby water lettuce has very few grooves, not very deep, just as in your pic. Adult water lettuce has very prominant grooves. Also, duckweed doesn't usually have roots that look like that (pic 2). Duckweed that I'm familiar with, the roots don't branch.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a decent pic of baby water lettuce with a quick google search, and wasn't willing to spend much time on it (sorry).

The more I look, the more certain I am that its Pistia stratiotes, not Spirodela polyrhiza.

Where did you get your shrimp? You could email them with these pics and ask them what the plant is.

Jchillin · 03-06-2005, 08:57 PM

Just for comparison (taken from link posted by QTOFFER).

Jchillin · 03-06-2005, 09:01 PM

And...from a search on Pistia stratiotes

Meredith · 03-06-2005, 09:11 PM

the more research I did on the duckweed, the more I dont think its that. This is pretty big. And the leaves look sorta fuzzy to me. From edge to edge of the big leaves it measures one inch.

Jchillin · 03-06-2005, 09:15 PM

Meredith...although the pic of the Pistia stratiotes above is small, the link I found it on fits your description...if you look at the leaves closely, you will see the fuzz.

Meredith · 03-06-2005, 09:24 PM

It could be. I guess I need to wait and see if the leaves elongate some. The ones it has now are pretty round. I hope they don't die

03-06-2005, 09:38 PM

Fuzzy leaves, that seals the deal for me! Definitely Pistia stratiotes. Can't believe I forget to ask if they had fuzz.

I keep water lettuce in my pond every year, so I am quite familiar with it. It gets huge outdoors, but stays pretty small in aquaria, usually not more than 2-3 inches across. Still, much like duckweed, it can cover the surface of your water, stealing all the light from your submerged plants! The roots can also grow pretty long and bushy, which I don't think looks very good. It certainly wouldn't hurt to keep a few of them in the tank though, if you find them interesting. I would also keep an eye on them for aphids. Outdoors they get a lot of aphids, and I've even had some on them in my tank.

JChillin, thank you very much for posting the pics!

03-06-2005, 04:42 PM	#1
Meredith Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Washington Posts: 3,184 Images: 17	what is this? I got two of these little guys with my shrimp. Can you tell me what it is?

03-06-2005, 08:57 PM	#5
Jchillin Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New York, NY (The Big Apple) Posts: 12,976 Images: 47	Just for comparison (taken from link posted by QTOFFER). __________________ _________________________________

03-06-2005, 09:15 PM	#8
Jchillin Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New York, NY (The Big Apple) Posts: 12,976 Images: 47	Meredith...although the pic of the Pistia stratiotes above is small, the link I found it on fits your description...if you look at the leaves closely, you will see the fuzz. __________________ _________________________________

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03-06-2005, 05:12 PM	#2
QTOFFER Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Kew Gardens, NY Posts: 3,701 Images: 30	Duckweed! http://www.mobot.org/jwcross/duckweed/duckweed.htm

03-06-2005, 05:49 PM	#3
Meredith Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Washington Posts: 3,184 Images: 17	ahh. Thanks. I thought all duckweed was that tiny stuff, but mine looks just like the drawing of Spirodela polyrhiza. I didn't know there was a giant duckweed. Thanks again!

03-06-2005, 08:38 PM	#4
Guest Posts: n/a	To me it looks more like a baby Water Lettuce, Pistia stratiotes. Very hard to tell at that size. Water lettuce matches the color of your pic 1 exactly, and the grooves in the leaves also match. Baby water lettuce has very few grooves, not very deep, just as in your pic. Adult water lettuce has very prominant grooves. Also, duckweed doesn't usually have roots that look like that (pic 2). Duckweed that I'm familiar with, the roots don't branch. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a decent pic of baby water lettuce with a quick google search, and wasn't willing to spend much time on it (sorry). The more I look, the more certain I am that its Pistia stratiotes, not Spirodela polyrhiza. Where did you get your shrimp? You could email them with these pics and ask them what the plant is.

03-06-2005, 09:11 PM	#7
Meredith Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Washington Posts: 3,184 Images: 17	the more research I did on the duckweed, the more I dont think its that. This is pretty big. And the leaves look sorta fuzzy to me. From edge to edge of the big leaves it measures one inch.

03-06-2005, 09:24 PM	#9
Meredith Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Washington Posts: 3,184 Images: 17	It could be. I guess I need to wait and see if the leaves elongate some. The ones it has now are pretty round. I hope they don't die

03-06-2005, 09:38 PM	#10
Guest Posts: n/a	Fuzzy leaves, that seals the deal for me! Definitely Pistia stratiotes. Can't believe I forget to ask if they had fuzz. I keep water lettuce in my pond every year, so I am quite familiar with it. It gets huge outdoors, but stays pretty small in aquaria, usually not more than 2-3 inches across. Still, much like duckweed, it can cover the surface of your water, stealing all the light from your submerged plants! The roots can also grow pretty long and bushy, which I don't think looks very good. It certainly wouldn't hurt to keep a few of them in the tank though, if you find them interesting. I would also keep an eye on them for aphids. Outdoors they get a lot of aphids, and I've even had some on them in my tank. JChillin, thank you very much for posting the pics!