Is this an Algae ?

[wayne6442]

Hi, I have this plant?? growing in my 2ft orange cherry tank, It is growing off a sponge on my sponge filter. This ???? is a pale grean in colour and is very fragile, breaks up easily when disturbed, my shrimp like it. any info would be appreciated. Regards

[bailey88]

It looks like a plant to me but best bet would be to get matt_95 to check it out he seems to be the go to man for plants

[Matt_95]

I'm on my phone now, can't see too well. It doesn't look like what I thought. In the last photo ..... Those little brown things, are they snails? If they're part of the plant it looks to be some sort of carnivour, possibly an aquatic Utriculata or a related plant.

[wayne6442]

Thanks matt, on the first pic the spots are snails,Though i think that the other little knobs on the other pics are buds or drops of water . A cerniverious plant? now that IS scarry! What do I do if you are correct? Matt would you let me send you a sample so as you can identify it for me/ Regards

[Matt_95]

Not the first one, the last one. Could you google Utriculata bladders and let me know if has those little traps? If it is a carnivore I don't know how big it is, most bladderworts can only eat microscopic prey, shrimplets are often to large. Certainly, it looks like a very interesting plant.

[wayne6442]

Hey matt, Thanks for the lead, i have been researching the plant like you sugested and i find it is a Bladderwart, Utricularia Gibba, an australian native, It is exciting having it as they say that they are a collectors plant,but I am still unsure as to how big it will grow. I have some more pics that I have just taken and compared it with a 5c piece. Pleae excuse the quality of the pics, I took them under a table lamp on the phone table.

Regards

[Loach]

Its a pretty looking plant :). I have some in my nano too.

[Matt_95]

That first photo is great! Definitely a carnivour, growth is very different to gibba though, I grow gibba jn a tub outside, it looks unsightly in planted tanks. Yours is more dense, much more atractive. I would love some, I grow a few carnivourus plants, found a drosera and a utriculata today

[Jess]

Awesome Wayne, what a cool plant! Glad you finally know what it is

I wonder how it got into your tank, though? If it's a native, have you gotten any of your plants from Aquagreen? Seems that Dave stocks Utricularia gibba and I know that he is very generous and likes to put samples of native plants in with some orders ;)

[wayne6442]

Thanks Matt, I could only guess that it was Gibba by some pics on the net, anyway you might be able to put a propper name to it when you get some. If you pm me your address I will send you some on Monday. carniverous plants could be my next hobby, the boss wants some garden plants to tend, i might be able to get her to take an interest in these:cower:

[Matt_95]

Thanks Wayne! It may just be gibba in another form. I will flower it and see. If you want a few drosera in exchange let me know.

And I just realised I am spelling it wrong, it's Uticularia. CP's are fasinating plants, give them a go!

[wayne6442]

Hi Matt, I have always had an interest in these as well as tillandsia's I have had (and failed) some of the general carniverious plants( mainly through overcareing) I don't know the drosera, but sounds interesting, I had better google them and find out a bit more. I see you live in Manly(grew up at CurlCurl) so they must be happy with the salt air. I guess they will go ok on the boat, Dont forget to pm me your address and I will get some of this plant down to you.

Regards

[wayne6442]

Hi Jess, I am not sure where it came from, The last stock I got from Dave was about a year ago,and I have only noticed this recently. I do have the habit of picking up pieces of wood and stones from anywhere so it may have come fro there. I usually boil all the stones and wood before i put them in my tanks, but a piece could have been caught on my hand etc and introduced that way. i am still happy that I have it and that it will not hurt my shrimp.

[Matt_95]

Yes, I have killed a few in the past. They're easy as long as you keep them wet and use rain or RO water. I don't live in Sydney Manly, I live in Brisbane Manly. I wonder if ut is an Alovandra (spelling?) they can catch shrimplets...

I'll send one when I can get onto my iPad. I'm in Lenox for the next week on holidays, any chance we could send them next week? I'll grab you a photo of my drosera and see if you want a couple.

[wayne6442]

no problems Matt, Let me know when, and they will be there. Enjoy you break and looking forward to seeing the drosera. I hope this thing is shrimp friendly, it looks good in the tank.