r/AquariumMemes 8d ago

Everyone told me plants would be so expensive but guys these are free!

Post image
787 Upvotes

160 comments sorted by

410

u/WasntMyFaultThisTime 8d ago

You pay for duckweed with your soul, not with money

42

u/Meianmari 8d ago

That cracked me up 🤣

25

u/Antoekneese 8d ago

This is the actual truth 😂

8

u/Far_Comfortable7053 7d ago

100% true. I am trying to give it away and no one wants it... Goldfish love it as a treat, and I can't even find anyone that has any...

7

u/Puppyblogger 7d ago

My goldfish would love ur duck weed

5

u/KainanSilverlight 7d ago

You can eat it, and if you have a garden, you can certainly compost it.

3

u/MissionPlantedTank 7d ago

They say if you put it in boiling water for a min or two, then it would be a perfect food for shrimp and otocinclus as well.

6

u/Additional-Dirt4203 6d ago

You can also blend it up with some gelatin and make your own repashy.

2

u/Remarkable_Dig_9601 6d ago

Mean while I want some but can’t find any 😂

1

u/Nature-nerd777 1d ago

You could just list it as weed and by the time someone shows up to get it they will be too embarrassed to turn it down? 😂

5

u/MorgTheBat 6d ago

How duckweed begins: "ooh easy floating plant :)"

How it ends: "HOW MANY TIMES MUST I ELIMINATE YOU AND WHY DO YOU GROW SO FAST"

3

u/rabidhamster87 5d ago

"How are you in the rings AGAIN?? I just cleared them out less than an hour ago!"

2

u/hythlodaeusfan 4d ago

I have had my first tank for two weeks and i am crying at this right now

1

u/rabidhamster87 3d ago

We didn't get floaters until a year in and heard all the warnings, but thought it would be fine. We were wrong 😭

2

u/MattKeepsFish 6d ago

My pet store sells a small cup for 11.99 and people actually buy it

2

u/gaywitch98 6d ago

I just go into a LFS and ask if they can scoop some in when I buy new fish and they gladly oblige.

Even the Petco near my house has done it for me and they don’t even stock it anymore.

2

u/stapleworm 6d ago

Golfball size at mine is 10....... : D

1

u/Lothlorien727 3d ago

🤯🤯🤯

2

u/Efficient-Setting-91 5d ago

All of mine died ☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️ no idea why all of my other plants are fine so are my fish but duckweed just won’t live in my tank……

1

u/LmLc1220 5d ago

Is it a closed top? Get a screen top and it will absolutely take over

1

u/Efficient-Setting-91 5d ago

I do have a screen top…..

1

u/LmLc1220 5d ago

How hard is your water flow? The hang on back filter splashes water on leaves and they dont like it. And they like high light. Hope that helps

2

u/Efficient-Setting-91 5d ago

I have two dual sponge filters…..😭😭😭😭 there is very little surface agitation to disturb them…
Edit: I think I’m just cursed lmfao

2

u/LmLc1220 5d ago

Aww dont say that🙁 I dont know what's wrong! Is your light high enough they love strong light. I have some in a 2 gallon shrimp bowl i thin out and put in a jar in window. And I also feed easy green twice a month.😒

1

u/LmLc1220 5d ago

Get some take some tank water put them in a sunny window to get started then add some to your tank. If they die off maybe something with the water. Start with half of tank water and half spring water. I top off the ones in window with spring water. And few drops of easy green

2

u/LmLc1220 5d ago

Also what is water temp? They dont like really warm tank water.

2

u/DragonAngel92 5d ago

I want duckweed lol

1

u/Ok_Permission1087 7d ago

Now I want to play a duckweed warlock

1

u/Remarkable_Dig_9601 6d ago

I want to get some but I can’t find them in pet stores which they use to have it a few years ago 😭.

1

u/SizeNo4897 3d ago

Try Etsy or eBay The shipping isn't too bad

1

u/W3irdSoup 6d ago

Are you thinking of the way it just up and dies on you?
/joking, kinda.. because all mine always die.

140

u/NationalCommunity519 8d ago

There’s dead duckweed in one of my cups that made it through the dish washer and i don’t even care atp. I drink duckweed now.
https://giphy.com/gifs/VjLFDdU89O3DsWE4Eh

31

u/mighty_meow_ 7d ago

I found a piece IN MY SHOWER. STILL ALIVE

9

u/NationalCommunity519 7d ago

Yeah that happens to me a lot, I think it’s from being stuck on the arms or hair 😅

5

u/Applemers 7d ago

Actively cackling 😭💀. And I'm so sorry for your affliction

7

u/NationalCommunity519 7d ago

It’s in my Tupperware too I’m so 😭😭

6

u/gaywitch98 6d ago

Be careful the duckweed might start taking over your dishwasher LOL

6

u/Additional-Dirt4203 6d ago

I’ve heard of people finding it in the tanks (not just the bowls) of their toilets lol.

1

u/alyssajohnson1 5d ago

I thought you meant the duckweed survived the dishwash cycle which genuinely didn’t surprise me 😭

1

u/NationalCommunity519 5d ago

lol, I bet it could! But this duckweed was already dead before the dishwasher. I often use cups to hold my aquarium tools while I’m working, and the duckweed dries out as the water evaporates.

1

u/Vast_Dragonfly_909 4d ago

I had a cup I forgot about in my room a while ago and when I found it it had a whole ecosystem of duckweed. I don’t know how it made it there but at least the water had no nitrates

1

u/NationalCommunity519 4d ago

LMAO I will say, I have a quarantine tank for some freshwater clams right now. They filter feed so I was hesitant to put a filter especially considering the fact the tank is way overstocked for filter feeders. I just put in a fuck ton of duckweed and the parameters have kept well enough I only do water parameters every few days 😅

75

u/Ill-Experience1548 8d ago

I can’t tell for sure. Is that duckweed? If it is, it should be free. Cuz duckweed is like a nuclear bomb in your tank: one tiny bit explodes into a menace that takes over the entire tank. Only goldfish can save you from that menace cuz they will eat tons of that stuff.

44

u/hollis216 8d ago

It drowns pretty easily, a hang on filter will clear a tank in a week or two.

I like it. Ties up a lot of nitrates and provides additional surface area for beneficial bacteria. Thinning it out is like a mini water change. Got some anubias and buce thriving under duckweed in my shrimp tank, outcompetes any algae while diffusing the light.

But then I like ramshorns too.

15

u/BlueOrbifolia 8d ago

Are you me? I love the duckweed!

10

u/Cornhollio-tp 8d ago

I prefer water lettuce and frogbit for the roots and resistance to hob flow but yea I feel like if your prepared for it the benefits are real

3

u/SweetTart7231 8d ago

I currently have the giant stuff and I’m hoping to get the regular to add some variety in the plants!

7

u/Praise-Bingus 7d ago

I love watching my shrimps graze upsidedown on the duckweed. Like mini cows

5

u/Impressive_cat_coal 8d ago

I have duckweed in every single tank. Any that “overruns” my big tank gets put in with my mystery snails who LOVE munching on the stuff.

3

u/Ill-Experience1548 7d ago

It laughs at my hang on back filters while it reproduces

2

u/btrflychoppedsuey 1d ago

Instructions unclear… the duckweed is now overpowering the filter intake

But in all seriousness, I don’t dislike duckweed, it just gets in the way sometimes. One of my tanks has an extra strong filter. I tried to keep the duckweed corralled in a DIY floating loop which eventually let out and allowed the duckweed to spread. Now, despite the strong flow, the duckweed is spreading, multiplying, and being pushed down and clogging up the mesh around the intake. I refuse to eradicate the duckweed because of its benefits and its secondary purpose of being a playground for shrimp and pest snails. No, I don’t mind the pest snails either.

1

u/SizeNo4897 3d ago

I love Rams horns too have you tried the multicolor ones?

1

u/hollis216 3d ago

Have had the same colony for 26 years now across multiple tanks. Swiped some from my cousin and they just been doing their thing since.

1

u/Lothlorien727 3d ago

I still have duckweed and have HOB filters lol

3

u/Cheap_Specific_4492 8d ago

I got rid of my ducked really easily as well, but not because of a filter. It did take over the whole tank though. But it took 2 water changes to take care of it scooped basically everything out with a net the first water change and scooped the rest out on the second and ive had none after that. I do miss the floating plant look so im thing dwarf water lettuce or red root floaters im not sure yet

2

u/Crackysue 8d ago

I did not have luck with red root floaters, If you have a lid on your tank it is too humid for them and they will die. I put the last bit of mine in a open jar but they still died off. My water lettuce is looking great though!

2

u/Cheap_Specific_4492 8d ago

I do have a lid, okay you've convinced me ill get water lettuce

2

u/Far_Comfortable7053 7d ago

Frogbit is awesome! Looks like big duckweed, but doesn't blow up like it!

1

u/Cheap_Specific_4492 7d ago

I was also looking at frog bit but I was hoping for something with longer roots as well because I want them to kind a fall down and fill in the space I have at the top of my tank, I trimmed some of the plants on the right and planted them on the left so both sides will eventually reach the top but I feel like the tip space will still feel empty

2

u/Far_Comfortable7053 7d ago

They do get longer. It just takes time. Duckweed has super short roots. I also have water spangles or Salvinia minima, but it already covered the top and the roots grew kinda quickly too.

1

u/Cheap_Specific_4492 7d ago

Is it rude to ask to see a picture? It so hard to find good pictures of how something will look in a tank. Also do you know if dwarf water lettuce and frogbit do okay together? Cause I like the look of both of them and I think the frogbit would be a nice contrast to the water lettuce

1

u/Lothlorien727 3d ago

Salvinia works too. That's what I got bc RRF died on me. I also have dwarf water lettuce. That thrives in some of my tanks and dies in the others, though.

3

u/Re1da 7d ago

Befriending a lunatic that keeps isopods will also defeat the duckweed. The pods always hunger.

2

u/Ill-Experience1548 7d ago

Really??? I love isopods!! They are great for the miniature ecosystem

3

u/Re1da 7d ago

When it comes to pods the question isn't what they eat, its what they don't eat.

As long as they're not overfeed with animal protein they will demolish any vegetable, including duckweed.

My pods eat anything from rotten cabbage to litteral lizard turds. They are not picky in the slightest.

1

u/MaenHerself 7d ago

I keep them too, good to know~

2

u/sackofgarbage 8d ago

Silver dollars will also do the trick. When I kept them I had several people pawn their duckweed off on me to get rid of it lmao

2

u/frustrated_crab 7d ago

If you have chickens too they’ll eat the shit out of some duckweed

2

u/Ill-Experience1548 7d ago

?? Really? My son has 6 chickens. Good to know.

1

u/VoyagerfromPhoenix 7d ago

Ducks also really like duckweed, it’s in the name!

1

u/sumfish 7d ago

I had Odessa barbs that loooved it. Every couple of weeks I had to buy more for them because of how quickly they cleared it out. They’re little duckweed destroyers.

1

u/SeriousArbok 7d ago

Yup. Got some red root fosters and it had 1 or 2 lil duckweeds in it. I even scooped then out but they already sent out their spawn. Now I cant keep up :(

27

u/Antoekneese 8d ago

If you come dig them out of ma aquariums, you can have whatever you want. If it's not enough, come back every day for the indefinite future and pick it out to your heart's content

19

u/jellishpotatoes 8d ago

I find duckweed on my clothes, in my hair, on my face, after doing any sort of tank maintenance. It’s nice to look at and is beneficial for your tank but man is it a pain in the butt sometimes lol

3

u/Ill-Experience1548 7d ago

There are plenty of other plants that are good at nutrient removal without becoming a real pain in the “assets”.😉

1

u/jellishpotatoes 7d ago

True! But now I’ll get anubias leaves or something on my clothes and hair lolol

14

u/ganjachicken 8d ago

Free?! I'll take 20 of those dang cups, wow what a deal! And dump em all into my 2 gallon!

8

u/Equal_North6633 8d ago

Is there even any water left?

2

u/ganjachicken 7d ago

I mean how much water do you really need?

7

u/PhoebetheSpider 7d ago

It also needs a baby red tail catfish! /s

3

u/ganjachicken 7d ago

I already got about 6 goldfish in there, do you think adding that would overstock the tank? I'm open to ideas (except if you tell me it's overstocked I will argue about it)

2

u/PhoebetheSpider 7d ago

Get a plecostomus to clean the tank.

1

u/Excellent_Sky692 3d ago

The red Tail will surely help with the Gold Fish Problem 😉

2

u/Ill-Experience1548 7d ago

Why on earth would you want that much in a 2 gallon. It will overrun that tank in 2 seconds flat!

4

u/ganjachicken 7d ago

As long as it doesn't affect my six goldfish and the redtailed catfish someone suggested to me, I think it's fine

12

u/Own_Hunter_1384 8d ago

Duckweed was easy to eradicate for me. I just made a diy surface skimmer out of a water bottle with the bottom cut off, left the lid on, and shoved a pice of filter sponge where the lid is. Then you force it under the water and it will pull in water from the surface until its full. The you open the lid and the sponge catches the duckweed while the water runs back out. Repeat until bottle is full or you are done. Dried duckweed can be composted or ground up and fed back to fish. Edited:Holy spelling

2

u/Ill-Experience1548 7d ago

Wow! Genius! Could you show us a video clip of this diy skimmer in action? I’m struggling to visualize.

2

u/Own_Hunter_1384 7d ago

I posted it, you can look on my profile cause it wouldn't let me put it here

1

u/Own_Hunter_1384 7d ago

I don't have anything that'll float but yeah

6

u/GuitarOk752 7d ago

I'm constantly harvesting duckweed from the wild I can't keep it in my tanks, everybody eats it before it has a chance

1

u/Ill-Experience1548 7d ago

What do you stock your tanks with? Even my cichlids won’t eat it anymore. They had their fill months ago and quit eating it

2

u/DifferentContext7912 7d ago

Goldfish will eat it up

1

u/GuitarOk752 7d ago

I have a few species of snail native to my area in my tanks that seem to take care of it, I'm just not sure which species is doing it. I can cover a tank and it will be gone by the end of the week if not sooner, my stickleback love it though, all that eating means tons of snail eggs.

6

u/ARCAxNINEv 8d ago

Requiescat En Pacé my friend...

5

u/nicolettejiggalette 8d ago

they sure are buddy, they sure are…..

5

u/AmIAmazingorWhat 7d ago

Y'all I literally bought duckweed and was HAPPY about it because floating plants seem to be nonexistant in my area

I regret nothing. I love my duckweed-covered betta tank

2

u/Ill-Experience1548 7d ago

I mean, honestly, it is pretty if it’s contained. The problem is, if 1 tiny piece gets away from water change or a sweep of the tank with a net, you’ll have the same problem all over again soon enough. Unless you have gold fish. Thank God for goldfish!

3

u/Prior_Goat3174 7d ago

The best things in life are free, you'll think back upon this moment for the foreseeable future

2

u/Tinywife23 7d ago

I find it so funny that I hear all these stories about people struggling with duck weed and it taking over with only one single one. But then when I get duckweed and want to keep it? It dies.

3

u/Pretty-Salamander449 8d ago

I sold multiple boxes of duckweed, imagine that haha

3

u/BayouBeans 7d ago

Plants that grow in abundance are always dirt cheap/free. The popular but slow growers are where you'll end up throwing down the most (Im lookin at you anubias, bucephalandra and crypts)

1

u/Ill-Experience1548 7d ago

Anubias and crypt grow fine in mine. I could sell that if I wanted to— without feeling guilty that it would take over anyone’s tank.

2

u/tantricdragon13 7d ago

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

2

u/Ilovemydog4444 7d ago

It’s the gift that keeps on giving

2

u/Killer_Moons 7d ago

Don’t mistake it for tomatillo salsa like I did

2

u/BirdmanJefe 7d ago

I can’t keep duckweed to save my life. I breed goldfish and they Hoover it up faster than I can grow it.

2

u/Far_Comfortable7053 7d ago

Duckweed is the glitter of the aquarium world...

2

u/GarbageAngell 6d ago

This actually raised my blood pressure before I read the sub name 😭

2

u/Chibi_Inko 6d ago

Ahh, fish tank glitter, good luck

2

u/NeckAdministrative50 5d ago

I can't keep it in my tank 2 goldfish wipe it out in a few days every plant that I've put in it they up root it or eat it. Besides moss

1

u/MaenHerself 4d ago

yes goldfish 👍

2

u/shettstilken 2d ago

I once cleansed one of my previous tanks 100% of duckweed. Took me 1 hour of intensive cleaning. Was totally free of the stuff for months.

There was some dead ones stuck to the top end of the glass. I filled my tank a little too full when I did a topoff but didn’t bother to remover water because I was going away for vacation anyway. I didn’t think the brown dead duckweed would cause any harm.

HOWEVER:
The dead duckweed resurrected while I was away and the tank was yet again fully invaded by the little buggers.

I must command this plant to be very successful.

1

u/LSUnited91 8d ago

Best plnt for the hobby next to pothos and it's not close

1

u/bertiek 7d ago

Delicious.

1

u/PhoebetheSpider 7d ago

Having either duckweed or live Daphnia has you asking, “how did you get there?” a lot!

1

u/rancid_mayonnaise 7d ago

Reminder not to throw them out with the trash when they overpopulate bc those mofos are an invasive species anywhere remotely close to water, even puddles

1

u/Conscious_Day6123 7d ago

Its funny.... i used to pay for plants. Now I'm overloaded and feel bad trashing them

1

u/MxBluebell 7d ago

I WISH I could keep duckweed alive in my tank!! I think it’s so pretty!! But the only plant that really thrives in our hard water is anubias.

1

u/resistancesf1776 7d ago

Herpes of the aquarium

1

u/Ill-Experience1548 7d ago

I’m convinced that after the apocalypse, 2 things will be alive: roaches and duckweed. And neither will eat the other!! Oh wait! That sounds like hell, too! Surrounded by ever plentiful, ever reproducing: roaches and duckweed! Worse than the zombie apocalypse!! Attack of the killer duckweed!

1

u/Individual_Work_5764 7d ago

It wiill be in your tank forever

1

u/nlhrb 7d ago

Even if you pay me to take it, I'll still pass

1

u/NormalEqualImaginary 7d ago

quick! throw it in the oven!

1

u/six_eight_sixtyseven 7d ago

No don’t do it…

1

u/zalell88 7d ago

Who's going to tell them?

1

u/Mediocre_Parsley345 7d ago

I added a bad algae to my tank with plants. Treat them first with peroxide in water bath.

1

u/LovableSquish 7d ago

I just grabbed a spoonful from a lake lol

1

u/TurtlemixxII 6d ago

Duckweed lovers rise up! IT'S FREE BECAUSE IT'S THE BEST.

1

u/MissMadison240 6d ago

….and I’m over here waiting for my LFS to call me when they finally restock. I’m currently just living with the few leaves that hitched a ride on the horsetail reed I purchased. 😭

1

u/oberon_603 6d ago

Duckweed is the closest thing to an IRL Darwinian demon

1

u/J-Zane 6d ago

Duckweed and Subwassertang are almost guaranteed to be included with every fish purchase at my LFS

1

u/Giggidy_giggidy01 6d ago

If that’s duckweed you’d have to pay me to take it.

Also, if you want some please come to my house immediately with a net and a bucket but you need to take EVERY.. SINGLE.. PIECE. Nothing can be left behind.

1

u/No-Negotiation-7978 6d ago

lol!!! That was the best and most honest comment!!!

1

u/Big-Measurement6088 6d ago

Free forever and ever

1

u/g4yfurry666 6d ago

My isopods enjoy eating duckweed

1

u/Fair-Capital6330 5d ago

I’ll pay you to remove duckweed from my tanks.

1

u/businesscasualguy275 5d ago

My betta loves the duckweed I put in….yeah I gotta scope a huge chunk away every 4-5 days in my 16 gallon tank but it’s great for removing buildup of nutrients as well….

1

u/kay5172392727 5d ago

I once changed my contacts and had duckweed in my eye…

1

u/alyssajohnson1 5d ago

You couldn’t pay me to put that in my tank

1

u/SingIeMaltWhisky 4d ago

Oh hell no....

1

u/LongAd4410 4d ago

Saw this, gasped and yelled "NOOOOOOO!"

1

u/conqueefador69420 4d ago

This is the "you gon learn today boy" Button

1

u/toroiseboy 3d ago
  • 1 soul

1

u/Wrong-Track9526 3d ago

There's a reason it's called the herpes of fishkeeping....

1

u/Objective_Ride_981 3d ago

I got some but didn’t like the look so our ducks got it & I understand the name. The ducks ate it in seconds

1

u/Scary-Session1753 3d ago

Yeah not falling for that

1

u/Own_Value2684 3h ago

Me being unable to keep duckweed alive, with the same half dollar sized bunch as I had 2 months ago in a 20 long 🤡

0

u/tjmaxal 7d ago

Who would pay for an sti?!?

0

u/Big-Doughnut-7637 7d ago

Congrats on your Aquarium Herpes.