You won't believe this!

[wks]

Hi guys, guess what I saw while I was changing water this afternoon? BBA GROWING ON THE HORNWORT!!!

I always thought hornwort(Ceratophyllum demersum)produces allelochemicals that will inhibit the growth of algae, even the dreadful BBA is not spared. The last thing that can happen is BBA growing onto this plant. Now it looks like BBA has found a way to crack the hornwort's chemical defense mechanism.

Anyone experience this before? Are there any other locally available aquatic plants that are also effective against algae?

I notice one thing though in my tank, no BBA has so far attacked the Blyxa japonica. Can this plant be our next best defense against algae?

[BFG]

I too noticed that no BBA has ever grown on my Blyxa Japonica. My hornwort melted in my tank. It's a chore 2 remove each n every grain of sand that has bba on them.

[budak]

aiyoh.... what u dose the tank ah? [:0] [:0]

I dun think Blyxa got an allelochemicals, they are dirt magnets.

Only plant that is really algae-prrof is Nuphar japonica. It's something in the leaves, so I sometimes cut a leaf and squeeze it underwater so hopefully the antialage chemicals will do some good.

[wks]

Marcus, I'm using Seachem flourish, Fe, K, trace element and Gold 7. Should I stop using any of these to control bba?

[sherchoo]

Could it be the hornwort was dying and the algae decided to pounce on it???

Anyway, I always thought that Nuphar japonica was algae proof due the waxy leaves. Spot algae seem to be everywhere else except the NJ leaves..... but one fine day green spots started to apper on the leaves..... probably due to bad fert regime of mine (not dosing at all).

[wks]

Sherwin, the puzzling thing is that the hornwort is growing at an alarming speed! I only introduced one strand around a week or so ago and now it occupies two-third of my tank.[:0]

[sherchoo]

I believe that the BBA is growing on the hornwort juz as a platform. You also see them growing on gravel, stones and wood while getting nutrients from the water column. I've often seen BBA foating around in air (or rather, water) infesting other areas of my tank..... so, BBA is not really rely on weak plants but probably need someplace to anchor them down.

Juz my idea.

[loupgarou]

I have bba growing on blyxa, on najas indica etc...
I don't keep hornwort now though..

bba is under control.. the only pest is the bba that sprouts like a flower on the gravel!! have to pick up each sand grain one by one

[DEA]

yup
blyxa japonica isn't immune to bba
nothing is
when they say some plant produces potent alleleochemicals, it means just that it's BETTER at suppressing algal growth
when algae starts growing on it, that translates to : damn, the plant lost the chemical war []

[hwchoy]

I once had BBA growing on my wood shrimp carapace. Had to wait till it moult! []

[budak]

The great BBA challenge (BBA=Big Bull-sh*t Announcement)
Round 2
~~~~~~~~

That's nothing! I had BBA sprouting out from between my damp, sweaty toes.

[tawauboy]

i had bga growing on hornwort and staghorn on my b. japonica.

[sherchoo]

Had BBA on my flower snails shell.

[msmurf]

hi wks, just to share, i experienced fast growth of hornwort also. besides, i noticed they trapped lots of dirts too, maybe they are BBA. as for japonice, i agree that they are dirt magnet on the lower part, but so far not BBA found.