# Utricularia gibba - how to get rid of it



## Mr_docfish (Apr 21, 2008)

any ideas how to rid the tank of this stuff???
I am open to any ideas... chemicals, fish that eat it.... anything....


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Pull it, pull it, pull it!!! Every little spec will grow into another.


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## ashappard (Jun 3, 2006)

I was able to finally get rid of it with a toothbrush and a lot of patience.
it loves to get tangled in moss and roots.


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## AQUAMX (Jan 24, 2005)

Yes, plenty of time and patience.

I never had it until i ordered plants from a popular grower in the Northern part of my country. I am still finding little bits now and then all these years on.

Just keep at it, and when you remove it do it as slowly and carefully as you can. You only need a tiny piece to break free and off it goes.


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## Mr_docfish (Apr 21, 2008)

Can't someone develop a shrimp that eats it??? then smuggle it into Australia for me :twisted::hat::-s


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

If someone does develop a shrimp, fish, snail, or whatever that will devour it without harming the rest of the tank they'll make a fortune. I'll go months without seeing any of it and then it makes a comeback and tries to take over the tank. As everyone has said, it's the little pieces that break off that make it a nightmare to remove. 

It must be a relative of duckweed to be such a pest.


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## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

Mr_docfish said:


> any ideas how to rid the tank of this stuff???
> I am open to any ideas... chemicals, fish that eat it.... anything....
> 
> ouch... this is hard to get rid off turn off your filter and power head when you putthem out and suck the water out with a tube in the area you had just work on to make sure you got the little broken peices too.


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## Izzy (Jun 4, 2006)

You just made my night. I have asked several of my plant guru friends to identify that pesky vine. They take the sample, but have not returned a name. It gets tangled in my christmas moss and has caused me hours of toiling in the water to remove it. My goldfish enjoy the duckweed, but nothing so far has touched the Utricularia gibba... Hopefully someone will have perfected an easy great DIY method to harvest this weed.


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Mr_docfish said:


> any ideas how to rid the tank of this stuff???
> I am open to any ideas... chemicals, fish that eat it.... anything....


*Napalm*
"I love the smell of napalm in the morning. It smells like victory."


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

It requires persistence! When you think you have gotten it all, keep checking several times a week for more. As the little bits you missed get bigger and become visible, you can remove them before they get so big that when you pull them out they leave little bits behind.


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