I magically have Duckweed?

[MattyM]

Hi all - was doing some tank maint and I believe this is duckweed?!

I never intentionally put it in my tank - the last time I planted new plants was a month ago. 

Does this look like the start of Duckweed, and if so - any ideas how I got it? Maybe it was attached to a plant I got? 

[FlyingFishKeeper]

Hi, that definitely looks like duckweed. It definitely could have come in on a plant, or perhaps if you added any new fish it came in with them? (I've seen leaves that have been less than a mm in diameter so it might've been missable). It's like glitter, it's tiny, annoying, and is like a horror movie, you never know when it'll show up and when it does it doesn't go away easily.

Edited September 25, 2022 by FlyingFishKeeper

[Tanked]

The herpes of the aquarium world.  If you don't want it, start removing it now while there is still time😗  The omnivores might take an interest in eating it.

[RadMax8]

Well, time to burn that tank. Hope it had a good run…

Seriously though, duckweed can come from anywhere and is hard to kill, plus it can reproduce from just one spangle. I’d be willing to bet it came from a plant and you’re just now seeing it, as implausible as that sounds. I’ve had it hang out in the area behind my HOB, only to shake loose after weeks of clear surface.

If you want to get rid of it for good, try the Eheim skimmer. In conjunction with manual removal, I’ve had success eradicating it from a awfully infested 20 long. 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

I've killed it simply by having too much surface agitation. 

[Tanked]

I 've been experimenting with it.  The omnivores keep it in check in the community tank,  Water movement in the pond seems to control it.  In the windowsill bowl and patio tub it is king!