Lemna minor / minuta – small and tiny Duckweeds

Duckweeds in aquarium have always been discussed controversially.

There are, similar regarding water snails, two opposing positions. Some people try out everything to get rid of the hated duckweeds, others use them in many ways.

Admittedly, it's annoying to skim them because of their rapid growing, but it's worth a lot.

Like other floating plants (hornwood) duckweeds have the great advantage that they do need CO2 in water solution, but are able to obtain it from the air. In this way they consume pollutants (particularly nitrogen compounds) without competting with the other aquatic plants for the CO2 dissolved in the water. Through the regular siphoning of the duckweed an immense contribution to water quality is made. Their use is therefore also recommended for algae prophylaxis.

Another important reason for the use of duckweeds is their role as an indicator. Duckweeds are professionally employed for the assessment of water conditions. A worsening in the aquarium can be first seen at the growing of the duckweeds, allowing to intervene if necessary in time.

Duckweed are also greatly appreciated as a dietary by some fish species, such as Rosy barbs and Angelfish. Lemnaoideae are used throughout the world by fish, higher animals and humans as food. They contain all essential amino acids (43% protein in dry., 6% fat and 17% carbohydrates) and are therefore very healthy.

8 Rosy barbs and the duckweeds truggle for supremacy in my big tank of 150x50 cm surface. Once a month I have nevertheless partially to skim the duckweeds, just to reveal the winner (-: