native shrimp ?

[oO SKIPPY Oo]

do native shrimp cleanup green water in ponds ?

[Stella]

I doubt it, they eat tiny amounts of fixed algae.

I am playing with the idea at the moment of using filter feeding molluscs for bacterial bloom issues.

There is a tiny native bivalve with a variety of names (pea mussel, pea clam, fingernail clam, fingernail mussel, inSpheridae family). They get to no bigger than 10m, usually 6mm,are fairly symmetrical, a domed fragile shell and a pale pink colour. They can reproduce in captivity. They are super cute and whizz around really fast!

This is a really teeny one:

I have some in my critter tank, which has a leaf litter bottom and had terrible bacterial blooms. Since I put some pea mussels in there I have had no problems. I really want to get a whole lot for my mudfish tank as that has awful bloom problems from the leaf litter.

You can find them in lowland farm troughs and silty, slow-flowing soft-bottomed streams. They are fairly common and widespread.

Unfortunately I must recommend against using the native freshwater mussels frequently for sale in pet shops. They are in serious decline in the wild and recruitment of juveniles is terribly low, partly due to the decline in a native fish that is host to the juveniles. I imagine most pet shops are unaware of the conservations issues (or that it is virtually impossible to not starve them slowly to death in aquaria).

[Sharkie]

you should be working for DOC mate people like you could make a real difference with your knowledge and the passion you have in regards to our wounderfull critters we have here.

[oO SKIPPY Oo]

so are you saying here that these pea clam etc will eat the algae ? or is there nothing really that will help cleanup after my dirty goldfish

There is a tiny native bivalve with a variety of names (pea mussel, pea clam, fingernail clam, fingernail mussel, inSpheridae family). They get to no bigger than 10m, usually 6mm,are fairly symmetrical, a domed fragile shell and a pale pink colour. They can reproduce in captivity. They are super cute and whizz around really fast!

[Stella]

well, filter feeders suck up water, filter out all the lumps, and spit the water out again. They are like a living mechanical filter. They will eat single-celled algae and bacteria that cause green or cloudy water.

They won't eat algae that is stuck on or large bits, like hair algae.

Of course they are a sort of long-term project - they will gradually build up to a working population that keeps the water nice and clean for you fairly permanently.

In the mean time, green water is usually caused by too much sun. If the green water is a new thing it is probably because the change in where the sun is at means your pond is getting too much sun.

Can you give us some more details about your pond? How big it is, how long established, etc etc etc?

[oO SKIPPY Oo]

i say pond but in reality its a half wine barrel with black pond liner in - been there for about a year in the same place - its mostly green water thats there - not so much algae - its in a shady position and doesnt really get much sun for long periods as we have a big tree blocking it out.

i would say the water has been green for months - doesnt matter how often i do partial water changes in it it just comes back so thought may be i need some critters in there to help clean it up.

well, filter feeders suck up water, filter out all the lumps, and spit the water out again. They are like a living mechanical filter. They will eat single-celled algae and bacteria that cause green or cloudy water.

They won't eat algae that is stuck on or large bits, like hair algae.

Of course they are a sort of long-term project - they will gradually build up to a working population that keeps the water nice and clean for you fairly permanently.

In the mean time, green water is usually caused by too much sun. If the green water is a new thing it is probably because the change in where the sun is at means your pond is getting too much sun.

Can you give us some more details about your pond? How big it is, how long established, etc etc etc?

[turtlemantaken]

If you don't have fish in barrel a Daphnia population would keep it crystal.

[oO SKIPPY Oo]

If you don't have fish in barrel a Daphnia population would keep it crystal.

i guess thats where the problem lies - we have a couple of fish goldfish in there :bounce:

[HummingBird]

I doubt it, they eat tiny amounts of fixed algae.

I am playing with the idea at the moment of using filter feeding molluscs for bacterial bloom issues.

There is a tiny native bivalve with a variety of names (pea mussel, pea clam, fingernail clam, fingernail mussel, inSpheridae family). They get to no bigger than 10m, usually 6mm,are fairly symmetrical, a domed fragile shell and a pale pink colour. They can reproduce in captivity. They are super cute and whizz around really fast!

I have some in my critter tank, which has a leaf litter bottom and had terrible bacterial blooms. Since I put some pea mussels in there I have had no problems. I really want to get a whole lot for my mudfish tank as that has awful bloom problems from the leaf litter.

You can find them in lowland farm troughs and silty, slow-flowing soft-bottomed streams. They are fairly common and widespread.

I've actually done a similar thing before using Daphnia (they're not native though, obviously). Had a small pump taking in water from the cloudy aquarium into a plastic jug with the Daphnia and then overflowing through some mesh back into the aquarium. Cleared up the water in three days.

[Stella]

Interesting system - good idea!

(There are actually a great many species of Daphnia in NZ, and no doubt there are a bunch of native ones )

[skippy_49nz]

What are these daphnias? I have a bin outside growing mosquito larvae and it has small pin prick sized dots swimming about in it which appear to grow into something like sandflies. I have used them to feed newborn guppys and had great success.

[N1CK]

Most likely daphnia do they kind of move jerkily though the water?

[Caryl]

Daphnia are bigger. I too get those little dots swimming about with the daphnia and mozzie larvae. Not sure what they are called. I thought they might be copepods or amphipods but someone else gave me another name although I can't remember what it was they claimed them to be :roll:

Copepods are crustaceans which are found in freshwater and marine environments. About 12,000 species have been described to date. Copepods have a variety of behaviors and preferred habitats.

Amphipods are larger, and readily visible to the naked eye. They look like giant commas.

Both these things are talked about a lot with marines so I guess there are more saltwater species than fresh.

All sorts of insects and little critters have small larvae that are pretty indistinuguishable uless under a microsope. All are good to feed to fish although I am not sure they are necessarily a good source of nutrients.

[skippy_49nz]

They seem to grow the fish to the point they can eat prepared foods quite well. Sorry for taking the thread off topic!

[Dixon1990]

Most likely daphnia do they kind of move jerkily though the water?

since when have daphnia grown into sandflies? :lol: