# Help please - Bladderwort?



## ropate (Mar 12, 2009)

The pic is of a really small leafy vine type structure that was all through some new plants i got from a local plant aquarist yesterday. most has floated off and I've collected it, but this is an extreme closeup of it still on one of the stargrass stems....thought it was like riccia originally, but not sure, it looks white cos of hthe lightng, but its actually a pale green.

If it is Bladderwort as Dave Monkey suggests in another post, hen is it a problem? New to planted aquaria. Any help much appreciated


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## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

HAHAHAHA!!! Welcome to the World of Planted Aquaria, Ropate! 

That is bladderwort, also known as Utricularia Gibba. Manual removal is the ONLY way to get rid of this plant. It is a bit of a pain, but very common in this hobby! Most everyone has some in their tanks. It poses no danger to your plants or fish, but can become unsightly. Just pick it out, and you'll be fine!

In fact, I don't know what I would do with myself if I never saw any of it in my tank!  Pop a glass of champagne, that's for certain!

PS--Welcome to APC!


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Yes, _U. gibba_ (or something very similar). Better to remove it now than later. It's a notorious pest plant.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...ls.php?id=268&category=genus&spec=Utricularia


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## nfrank (Jan 29, 2005)

i agree with Donald. An evening glass of red wine is the alternative i prefer.

Another reassurance that it will do no harm is that Amano used to recommend using it to help keep riccia submersed. 

PPPTTT is the solution.

Patience, patience, patience, tweezers, tweezers, tweezers. Carefully pull it out trying not to break off any new fragments to repopulate.

Ifit is any consolation:when it does well, so do other plants.

Nevertheless, it drives me CRAZY!!!!


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## ropate (Mar 12, 2009)

Thanks Caven, Donald and Frank!! Its a fantastic thing, this whole planted aquaria scenario. I don't quite know whats happened, but I've just ordered a new custom tank (will be my 3rd) for the lounge... I only started all this about 2 months ago and my staff/family think I've gone insane...not altogether untrue!

As for the Bladderowrt, thanks for that. I thought as much so have removed most of it except for that one photographed on the stargrass which will come out tonight!!!! Being a pedantic virgo means that i will probably go nuts i this takes hold.

Guessing that if its in there when my Co2 system is installed next week then I'll be seeing much more of it.

Also - there is a long stringy very dark green moss that looks quite cushiony that came with the plants as well, its on the repens. But it look exactly like what you see in the LFS in their shrimp tanks, so not too concerned about that....and its proving impossible to photograph!!


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

I have successfully gotten rid of it by checking at least once a week to get the little bits that got missed the last time. Eventually you will get the last little bit.


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## ropate (Mar 12, 2009)

HeyPK said:


> Eventually you will get the last little bit.


I can see that I am going to go insane trying to get that last little bit out


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## maxima (Feb 23, 2009)

I have an even better solution: Change your mind and start loving it


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