# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Aquatic Carnivorous Plants



## Alex Kawazaki (May 12, 2005)

Besides the "normal" aquatic plants, I maintain in my aquariums some very interesting "carnivorous plants"...

In spite of many reports affirming the need of "hunts" for these plants, I have been maintaining them, at full development, just using the standard techniques for the cultivation of aquarium plants. In other words, injection of CO2, illumination appropriate, frequent partial changes of water, fertilization with trace-elements...

_*Aldrovanda vesiculosa*_








http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid50/p17f9788af51965a869e729c8ca6e1c11/fcaefff3.jpg.orig.jpg









http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid50/pc2b5d0a93a84b0c33ef98219bbfe6858/fcaf002c.jpg.orig.jpg









http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid52/p19615e236d27d086e59bd82c842dc459/fc9abee0.jpg

In this last picture the plant with Artemia salina captured in the traps

_*Utricularia foliosa*_








http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid77/pa2d70c249fb1e4c71c52790a0f3f0a53/fb2fd7ca.jpg.orig.jpg









http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid77/pa2d70c249fb1e4c71c52790a0f3f0a53/fb2fd7ca.jpg.orig.jpg









http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid77/p31967e776b8927b0ce07c2efec0f145d/fb2fd7ac.jpg.orig.jpg

To see the Photos in original size it is necessary you to copy and paste the addresses below the photos in the addresses bar of your web browser (IE or Netscape)

A big hug,

Alex Kawazaki
[email protected]

[This message was edited by Alex Kawazaki on Fri September 05 2003 at 09:13 AM.]

[This message was edited by Alex Kawazaki on Fri September 05 2003 at 05:51 PM.]


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## Alex Kawazaki (May 12, 2005)

Besides the "normal" aquatic plants, I maintain in my aquariums some very interesting "carnivorous plants"...

In spite of many reports affirming the need of "hunts" for these plants, I have been maintaining them, at full development, just using the standard techniques for the cultivation of aquarium plants. In other words, injection of CO2, illumination appropriate, frequent partial changes of water, fertilization with trace-elements...

_*Aldrovanda vesiculosa*_








http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid50/p17f9788af51965a869e729c8ca6e1c11/fcaefff3.jpg.orig.jpg









http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid50/pc2b5d0a93a84b0c33ef98219bbfe6858/fcaf002c.jpg.orig.jpg









http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid52/p19615e236d27d086e59bd82c842dc459/fc9abee0.jpg

In this last picture the plant with Artemia salina captured in the traps

_*Utricularia foliosa*_








http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid77/pa2d70c249fb1e4c71c52790a0f3f0a53/fb2fd7ca.jpg.orig.jpg









http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid77/pa2d70c249fb1e4c71c52790a0f3f0a53/fb2fd7ca.jpg.orig.jpg









http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid77/p31967e776b8927b0ce07c2efec0f145d/fb2fd7ac.jpg.orig.jpg

To see the Photos in original size it is necessary you to copy and paste the addresses below the photos in the addresses bar of your web browser (IE or Netscape)

A big hug,

Alex Kawazaki
[email protected]

[This message was edited by Alex Kawazaki on Fri September 05 2003 at 09:13 AM.]

[This message was edited by Alex Kawazaki on Fri September 05 2003 at 05:51 PM.]


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

great pics Alex, and a fascinating group of plants. Thank you

Robert
King admin
www.aquabotanic.com


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## plantella (Feb 5, 2004)

Hy Alex,

fantastic pictures from fantastic plants !

I am delighted.

Grettings,
Oliver
Picture Gallery -> updated 05.09.03


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## plantella (Feb 5, 2004)

Dear Alex,

where did you get the plants from ?

Greetings,
Oliver


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## Alex Kawazaki (May 12, 2005)

Dear Oliver,

Utricularia was collected, in the natural environment, here in Brazil, for the friend Vladimir Simoes...

Aldrovanda obtained through turions (dormancy forms of the plant) that received of Dr. Lubomir Adamec, responsible for the Aldrovanda vesiculosa Project, in the site The Best Carnivorous plants

Dr. Lubomir Adamec is a specialist in aquatic carnivorous plants, could dispose of many other utricularias species, some with great potential for planted aquariums... Whose facilities fortunately are placed there close to you, in Czech Republic, Europe.

A big hug,

Alex Kawazaki
[email protected]


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## plantella (Feb 5, 2004)

Dear Alex,

thanks for the information looks very intersting. I think I would try a test tank with this amazing plants.

Greetings,
Oliver
Picture Gallery


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## perrush (Feb 24, 2003)

truely amazing Alex, tnx for the link and pictures.

--
English isn't my native language, but I guess you already noticed that ))
--

Perrush


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## Vicki (Jan 31, 2003)

Alex, what wonderful pictures! I have always been interested in terrestrial carnivorous plants, but I've never really had much opportunity to see aquatic ones, except for the occasional U. gibba that's wandered into my tanks. Thanks for sharing those!

http://www.wheelpost.com


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## Alex Kawazaki (May 12, 2005)

Hi Vicky,

Even little time behind I always maintained, in separate, my aquariums of plants and a small greenhouse just with "terrestrial carnivorous plants" and orchids...

Then, after receiving some Limnobiuns infested of U.gibba, I passed being interested for Utricularias and later for Aldrovandas and any other aquatic carnivorous plants...

I was surprised when verifying that some of the Community's of Carnivorous Plants members still ignored the techniques of cultivation of aquatic plants that we have been applying in the cares with the planted aquariums... (injection of CO2, fertilization with elements lines, algae combat, frequent changes partially of water, ...)

Hi Perrush,

My native language is the Portuguese! 
Many times I am apprehensive in causing some misunderstood, because of my little domain of the English language... 
But, in spite of to gaffes, I think I have been getting to communicate in a reasonable way, sometimes hilarious...









A big hug,

Alex Kawazaki
[email protected]

[This message was edited by Alex Kawazaki on Sun September 07 2003 at 01:52 PM.]

[This message was edited by Alex Kawazaki on Sun September 07 2003 at 01:59 PM.]

[This message was edited by Alex Kawazaki on Mon September 08 2003 at 12:35 PM.]


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## Lonestar (Aug 9, 2003)

Hi Alex. Your carnivorous plants are fantastic and I didn't even know there were aquatic carnivorous plants. I have learned so much on this site. Your plants are beatuiful and must be fun to show off. would like to see pictures of the whole planted tank.


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## Alex Kawazaki (May 12, 2005)

Hi Lonestar,

Aldrovandas are floating plants, as well as many of the Utricularias species.

Unhappily the look of my aquariums of the aquatic carnivorous plants is not there very beautiful to admire, therefore I have been prioritizing the propagation of this plants...

If serves as comfort for you, in these link of AGA Contest 2002 has the pictures of one of my aquariums of "normal" aquatic plants. 
http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2002.cgi?&op=showcase&category=0&vol=0&id=12








I could not participate in AGA Contest 2003 because I changed of residence in the middle of the year...

A big hug,

Alex Kawazaki
[email protected]

[This message was edited by Alex Kawazaki on Tue September 09 2003 at 12:09 PM.]


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## Liquid (Nov 19, 2004)

Wow! Absolutely beautiful, will they harm fishes in the tank?


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## Alex Kawazaki (May 12, 2005)

Hi Liquid,

Well... Utricularias has traps so small that it can just capture small beings, as artemia naupli, daphnias babys, cyclops,...

Aldrovandas has larger traps, capable to capture adults artemias, small snails and some alevins...

Usually, the fish are that can cause some damage the plants, when its try to steal the preys captured in the traps of the plants

A big hug,

Alex Kawazaki
[email protected]

[This message was edited by Alex Kawazaki on Wed September 10 2003 at 05:35 AM.]

[This message was edited by Alex Kawazaki on Wed September 10 2003 at 09:48 AM.]

[This message was edited by Alex Kawazaki on Thu September 11 2003 at 05:11 AM.]


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## António Vitor1 (Feb 2, 2003)

Interesting posts!
Great job alex!

this make me think in darwin evolution... it's allmoust like the plant kingdom is trying to enter in the animal domain.









give 1 billion years more of evolution and we might have an inteligent plant!

how they feel that something is on their's traps?
some analogous nervous system aparatus?

Alex, parece que andam aqui muitos falantes de português...








e não te culpes pelo teu inglês, o meu também não é lá grande coisa, tens bom vocabulário, tal como eu, o problema é os verbos e meter as palavras no sitio certo!
hehehe...

I am just telling alex that we all understand him, that is good enough!
My english is not that great either....

um abraço!
António Vitor


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## Alex Kawazaki (May 12, 2005)

Hi Antonio,

Nervous apparatus? No, not! The traps are activate by much simpler mechanisms... 
Usually the traps are activate by organs called "triggers." These "triggers" to the they be touch give beginning the sequence of capture of the trap...

According to the species, we have a type of different trap...

The Utricularias has small vesicles (utriculs), that its are small bags with a "door" and the "triggers", when the small beings touch in these triggers immediately the door opens up and the prey is sucked literally inside of the utricul. This action of sucking if it owes to the vacuum created by the plant when the trap is empty...

In Aldrovandas the traps are of the type mousetrap, when the prey touch the "triggers", small hair disposed in the internal faces of the trap, its activate a hydraulic sequence that takes to the closing of the faces of the trap. The more the prey struggles, larger force is applied in the closing of the trap.

You can obtain more information about carnivorous plants in HP "Plantas Carnivoras do Brasil e do Mundo", in Portuguese.

A big hug,

Alex Kawazaki
[email protected]


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## Alex Kawazaki (May 12, 2005)

Hi guys,

Here just an attempt in shoot a good picture of the pot of Utricularia gibba. 
My intention was to obtain a better focus in the "mouth" and "hair" of the pot, but in spite of the 48 shoots that was the best result than I obtained... 









A big hug,

Alex Kawazaki
[email protected]


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## Alex Kawazaki (May 12, 2005)

More some photos close-ups... Now Aldrovanda traps.









http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid80/p22d595d1814290290c81bc511a930edc/fb064aef.jpg.orig.jpg









http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid80/p46534271d9f13a7655702e6600e9d59d/fb0649d0.jpg.orig.jpg









http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid80/pc8515b116e8d360f06305ca3010ae5b5/fb064892.jpg.orig.jpg

To see the photos in original size it is necessary you to copy and paste the addresses below the photos in the 
addresses bar of your web browser (IE or Netscape)

A big hug,

Alex Kawazaki
[email protected]


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## Alex Kawazaki (May 12, 2005)

I shoot the photos of the traps with prey... 
The preys are Artemias salinas, small crustaceans of salt water used as alive foods for fish of aquariums...









http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid82/pad515f47cfdd9c0baff7be4d3329358e/faed94d4.jpg.orig.jpg









http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid82/p96399849470edcf10d3c57d871b3eefe/faed9595.jpg.orig.jpg









http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid82/p07c78af2e5e17d4364cbbfd39d0487e3/faed947a.jpg.orig.jpg









http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid82/paff832aa62c73df23283426a372c3025/faed9429.jpg.orig.jpg

To see the photos in original size it is necessary you to copy and paste the addresses below the photos in the 
addresses bar of your web browser (IE or Netscape)

A big hug,

Alex Kawazaki
[email protected]


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## Vicki (Jan 31, 2003)

Alex, those are truly amazing pictures. I hope you will continue to share your wonderful photos of these fascinating plants with us! Could you give some information about your photo techniques--type of camera, settings, etc.?

http://www.wheelpost.com


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## IUnknown (Feb 24, 2004)

That is sooo cool!

*Journal Database*


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## Alex Kawazaki (May 12, 2005)

Hi Vicki,

I didn't shoot these photos in the natural environment of the plants.

The plants are photographed in an a small photographic studio that I prepared improvising a small aquarium that is put inside of a cardboard box, covered with black card and illuminated for a small table lamp.

In the first photos I used a camera digital Canon Powershot G5, lenses close-up 1+, 2+, 4+ and 7+, manual focus, aperture priority in f 8.0, shutter 1/3s with manual bracketing, ISO 50 and shot for remote control.

In these photos, of the traps, I used the same camera, with a Conversion Lens Adapter LA-DC58B and a lens of 50mm inverted adapted with a ring "male-male" that I ordered to manufacture...

I have a Canon Flash Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX, but for photos of aquariums I don't use flashes due to the reflexes in the glasses, substituting it for a lamp.

A big hug,

Alex Kawazaki
[email protected]


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