Care and culture of Aldrovanda

[Guest Sheila]

Greg I have the same problem. I keep mine in small glass bowls and have to regularly clear the algae from the plants. Part of the answer would be to use a different container with opaque or coloured sides, this would stop so much of the light reaching the water, which in turn would limit the growth of algae. Most of the algae seems to grow from the peat upwards, latching onto the plant as it grows. I just can't find a container that will sit on my windowsill that the plant would look as nice in.

[taywf1234]

Is it necessary to use a water heater and what happens in the winter: what should i do?

[Guest Sheila]

I used to use a water heater, but haven't bothered for the past three years and the plants do just as well.

[taywf1234]

The only reason i was considering a water heater was because i will be keeping it out in my greenhouse, and im afraid that the water might turn far too cold?

[wobblepip]

The only reason i was considering a water heater was because i will be keeping it out in my greenhouse, and im afraid that the water might turn far too cold?

I used a water heater set to 24C. The Aldrovanda grew extremely quickly and even tried to flower. In the same tank I had U. gibba. It grew lightning fast in this warm water and produced lots of flowers and seeds. However, the species which most enjoyed the warm, tropical conditions were the dreaded algae. They out competed all other species and nearly caused a mass extinction.

Interestingly, the algae only present a summer problem. Even with the heater on, the water clears in the winter. During this time, only the U. gibba threatens the life of the Aldrovanda.

I now turn the heater off during the summer (... but I still have problems with algae).

[taywf1234]

What type of yeast do you use for your generator. Also does it fizz immediatley when you add the yeats, becuase mine didn't?

[Guest Sheila]

I used the granules that you use for breadmaking machines. As well as the added sugar it helps if the water is slightly warmed at first to get the reaction started a bit quicker.

[The Escaped Ape]

You might even be able to find a fish that can live in those conditions that can eat the algae.

Otocinclus macrospilus (dwarf suckermouth catfish) eat algae, as do Caridina japonica (freshwater shrimp). Both are commonly sold for planted aquaria. Trouble would be the water ph, I think.

[jm82792]

I think the best situation is to have a planted aquarium (aquatic plants that grow in a gravel based medium that is sterile) Then algae will not be a problem. I will experiment sometime since I have a heavily planted 10 gallon tank with good CP like lighting and I'm getting my camera so I'll experiment soon.

[jimscott]

Can Aldrovanda grow with U. gibba as a companion plant?

[jm82792]

Now thats an interesting Question :)

I got CO2 injection my filter dissolves the bubbles very easily.

I will post for some Androvanda "Red" when I get things settled and get some money.

And will do some pictures when my camera comes in the post.

Edited March 7, 2008 by jm82792

[Guest]

Edited August 9, 2008 by Macca

[GRB]

Hi all,

How are the Aldrovanda getting on?

I thought I would add that I've had good success with aquatic Utricularia using sphagnum moss in containers. If you put in some tap water, a handful of moss and leave for a fortnight or so. The water takes on a very faint green taint, but is otherwise crystal clear.

I've got U.gibba and U.vulgaris growing rapidly in such conditions, no other plants inside and the water is totally clear. They grow on a windowsill which has decent enough light levels (a couple D.venusta beside them seems to be growing well and flowering after 4 months). I added some clam shrimp and cyclops which I collected from inside the trays that my hardier Sarracenia grow in.

Where did you get Aldrovanda from incidentally? I've been after some for a while, but was never able to track any down (without having to place some huge order for them).

-Grant

[rsivertsen]

Well, I've tried to grow Aldrovanda in containers (unsuccessfully) for at least 20+ years, and after observing them closely where they have naturalized in a privately owned pond near my house, in a natural setting, I'm convinced that they have just too many simultaneous symbiotic relationships going on in a complex micro-ecosystem that attempting to emulate all these processes is a waste of time, and an exercise in futility.

They grow and divide according to how much food they catch and eat; the more they eat, the more they grow and divide. Small snails, copepods and other creatures graze on the algae that begins to attack the Aldrovanda, and also pull out the spent prey from the older traps before filamentous algae gets to them. The large monocot plants that grow in very close proximity to them release a constant source of carbon dioxide from the respiration of their roots which the Aldrovanda use for photosynthesis, and in return, release excess nitrogenous matter for these monocot plants, without this, algae would quickly take over.

Once they have their basic needs met, they grow incredibly fast, up to 2 to 3 whorls per day, (according to Lubomir Adamec) and branch new apical buds every few days, in which they will double their population every 5 to 7 days! This is called exponential reproduction. You just can't keep up with plants that grow like this. If you do the math, you will notice that after about 3 months, you may have about a million plants! If their conditions are NOT acceptable to them, they will quickly go into decline and die off.

One big mistake is growing them in too deep water; they grow best in only a few inches of water, usually near these large monocot hummocks such as Juncus, Carex, Phragmites and Typha. Ankle deep is all they need, anything deeper than knee deep is too deep for them; they are too far away from the roots of their monoct plant associates, and don't get enough CO2, and the population density of the zooplankton community is insufficient. There are deeper areas in this pond, but you won't find any Aldrovanda growing in those deeper places.

They have been growing in this pond for about 10 years now, and have caused no problems with anything else, and in fact, seems to have put a stop to the cycles of catastrophic algae blooms and population crashes, and has allowed several species of Utrics to survive as well without becoming overwhelmed with algae. In fact, algae goes into decline in the presence of healthy Aldrovanda strands! Notice that there is absolutely NO algae on any of these Aldrovanda. The water tests moderately hard, with pH=7.0, neutral, and has a very conspicuous presence of clay. - Enjoy.

Here are some photos of them from previous years:

Edited October 8, 2009 by rsivertsen

[Jefforever]

Fantastic clips Ron! I've never seen that before on film. Excellent job.