Goldie Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 R we going to lose the beautiful twisted and straight vallisneria due to MAF confusing it with the banned giant of the same name???? Is there anything we can do to point out the difference and appeal against MAF confiscating the plants from LFS and banning them to sell the normal sort??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 I know that Environment Waikato has now banned all types of vallisneria in the Waikato. No it is not because they're mistaking if for Giant Vallisneria. It's because people have been deliberately establishing vallisneria populations where it hasn't been found before. Also there has been vallisneria getting 'exported' from the Waikato (I assume) to the South Island - this in itself isn't a problem at all but the vallisneria was getting collected from a lake that had Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum) in it. Hornwort can grow from very small bits and is something they definitely don't want making it into those nice South Island lakes. The guy I talked to didn't know if the ban was going to made nationwide or not. I don't like the idea of banning all vallisneria but it's being caused by members of the public's unthinking/uncaring actions rather than a MAF/DOC/NIWA mistake (this time). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 Hmmm, After looking up some hornwort pictures, I think I want some. Especially if it's hardy enough and fast growing enough to be considered a weed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 I was told when I was in Auck. that the gold fish farm at Te Aroha has been banned from selling their val. Don't know if it was confiscated tho. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 everyone in hamilton i talked to a few weeks ago thinks vallisneria is a dirty word. after managing to find the MAF list of unwanted organisms i found out that local body councils are able to ban whatever in heck they like as long as it is not contrary to nationwide belief. i do have some idea why they are worried - i had some val in a sealed bucket without heating or light for about 3 weeks and it managed to survive enough to grow up again. perhaps we should start an initiative to educate people on the safe ownership of these plants, although i have fears that if MAF get involved that we would have to incenerate our waste water and have inspections every 6 months or something. i can only guess that wellington will not get the ban as fast as the rest of the country if it is done on a regional basis - where i live the closest major waterway is the hutt river, about 30 km away, all our storm and waste water ends up in the sea, and most of our smaller waterways have been piped underground. if possible i'll keep growing it... - just don't tell them where i live! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo Posted February 18, 2004 Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 Too late, the Greater Wellington Regional Council has already banned this plant (but not the twisted variety). They check pet shops regularly. From memory, the biosecurity act states that you are not allowed to sell, propogate or exhibit this plant. Man made lakes had to be filled in in the Waikanae area in late 2002 due to someone planting vallisneria. It was suspected that an aquarium operator was responsible. I was told by a Wanganui Biosecurity officer that the plant was actually responsible for the drowning of a child in Lake Wiritoa where the plant is abundant. They have now banned the commercial harvest of this plant. As some of you are aware, we operate an aquarium business, but were not operating at the time this plant was released in the Waikane lake. We have chosen, in the interest of our countrys biosecurity, not to use this plant and have had to go to a plastic alternative as there are no other plants which grow long enough to provide a backdrop for our hexagonal aquariums. Another nationwide aquarium business continues to use this plant throughout the country and even have the plant exhibited in a MAF office in Wellington! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Posted February 18, 2004 Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 i think thats rather ironic really... :roll: there must me something else that can asthetically replace dear old val. i was reading a book that describes val as a completlely different plant - heightwize - gigantas only apparently grows to about 2 feet long, ther others even shorter. there was also confusion because eelgrass (which MAF rekons is val) is described as another type of plant altogether - same physical properties but greater tendancy to flower and physically much longer. this of course contradicts much information i have read on val from other sources, mainly web, but again some of those resources do not always agree with each other. not that i'm any form of authority but do they have the right plant? whatever the case i know i'm growing the one that they are banning *sigh* so i guess i'm heading home to rip it all out. i'll do some colaboration of references tonight and post them to clarify my vague descriptions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted February 18, 2004 Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 I've found hygro polysperma grows well to the surface of my hex tank, Ummm, about 3 feet and could easily do more. Given enough light of course. And unfortunately the bits near the base tend to start looking pretty pathetic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted February 19, 2004 Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 I'm not sure if the ban is temporary or not. I know Val is currently being assessed for invasive risk. It's already established itself in several waterways in the Auckland and Waikato region. Whether is was purposely introduced by someone or accidental is unknown. However, if it can survice in NZ waterways and out-compete NZ Natives it will be classed as a problem plant. It goes to show the importance of being responsible with anything you remove from your tank. Aquatic plants and fish (live or dead) should never be flushed or dispossed of in a manner that could see them end up in our waterways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted February 19, 2004 Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 Plants seem to grow better in my pond than in my tanks. :-? But, I don't think anything from my pond can get into any waterways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted February 19, 2004 Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 What about birds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted February 19, 2004 Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 you only put them in the pond to cool down warren :lol: Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polgara Posted February 19, 2004 Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 Ok you are all talking about Val........but what Iwant to know is: If you have it in your tanks, and somehow they find out, are they going to make you remove it or fine $ you???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted February 19, 2004 Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 Hi Polgara, I don't think hobbyists need to be concerned about having it in there tanks, but you shouldn't sell or give it away and should definitely dispose of any unwanted plants responsibly. Val isn't as bad as some water weeds in that it needs to have the base of the plant (where the roots attach) to grow and spread, unlike hornwort which can grow from stem fragments. The official wording (from the Environment Waikato website) is: "No person shall knowingly communicate, release, sell, offer to sell, display in a place where plants are offered for sale or exhibition, propagate or breed any ‘potential plant pest’, as detailed in section 5.4 of this Strategy." Section 5.4 is just a list of plants that they consider 'potential plant pests' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajbroome Posted February 20, 2004 Report Share Posted February 20, 2004 Rob said... > Val isn't as bad as some water weeds in that it needs to have > the base of the plant (where the roots attach) to grow and spread... While I don't usually disagree with Rob, I have to say that I've had some floating in a tank outdoors for the best part of a year and it's definitely sent out runners etc... Andrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted February 20, 2004 Report Share Posted February 20, 2004 I was more meaning that it wont reproduce from just a broken leaf/bit of stem like hornwort, oxgyen weed etc will do - you actually have to have that growing tip at the base of the plant for it to send out runners etc. Yes that base can be floating around sending out runners though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted February 20, 2004 Report Share Posted February 20, 2004 Val is only being assessed at present. If it is classed as a problem plant and becomes banned then it will be illegal to keep it. Hopefully the study will prove it is not invasive so we can keep it. It would be a great loss if it does get banned. Fortunately the people carrying out the study are very sensitive to how important it is to the NZ Aquarium hobby and will only ban it as a last resort. Here's hoping for a positive outcome... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted February 20, 2004 Report Share Posted February 20, 2004 Fortunately the people carrying out the study are very sensitive to how important it is to the NZ Aquarium hobby and will only ban it as a last resort. Wow, MAF has BOTH of their reasonable employees working on the Valis study? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldie Posted February 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2004 Here's hoping that it works out well. Thanks Warren that is good to know and as you say it is a very important plant for us all. It was the first one I managed to get growing in my aquarium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carla Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 what I would like to know is how come that the FNZAS plant survey says: "Vallisneria Americana" - Availability: Noxious B "Vallisneria gigantea" - Availability: Occasionally seen while the http://www.maf.govt.nz/biosecurity/pest ... ord.htm#s1 says: "Vallisneria gigantea" - unwanted organism for the time being from 1 October 2001 until 30 June 2006. A review will be coordinated by MAF Biosecurity Authority before 31 December 2005. So who is right MAF with the banning the gigantea or FNZAS with telling us the americana is noxious? - or are all long-leaved Vallisnerias now temporarily banned? And how come that some Pet shops still sell them under both names in big quantities throughout Auckland??? Are they only banned outside of Auckland? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 The FNZAS Plant Survey book was done in 1999, before MAF changed the noxiousness It gets sold as many don't know what it is - including those supposedly policing it. Many plants are also misnamed or sold as 'bunch plants' but not named. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kim Posted May 9, 2004 Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 so far the shops in auckland havent been told we cant sell it. we cant buy it from out of auckland! but until i get a letter telling me i cant sell it i will sell it and make sure i get lots of people keeping it. we get visits from maf to check on fish and plants ! sometimes they tell you who they are other times they just say they are looking, i do feel its because they are dumb that they are banning it , because the dickhead that we have do the plants couldnt tell me what half the plants are, he was trying to tell me a peace lillie was on the band list :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted May 9, 2004 Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 The people who are doing the study actually have doctorates and certainly are not idiots (quite the opposite actually). The reason it is being assessed is due to it having been released by some irresponsible people into the local New Zealand waterways where it is surviving (Auckland and Nelson areas). If people were a bit more responsible about disposal and/or purposely introducing plants and fish into our waterways we wouldn't lose them from what we are allowed to keep. It's only fair to lose a plant if it can establish itself and out-compete our native plants... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted May 9, 2004 Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 Is Vallisneria the same as "eelgrass" ? thanks Robbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyman98 Posted May 10, 2004 Report Share Posted May 10, 2004 is it in nelson do you know where abouts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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