Maintenance and reproduction of globular cladophores
Cladophora globular looks very interesting. Outwardly, it looks like a soft, fluffy green ball.
It occurs naturally in fresh water bodies of Eurasia with stagnant water. There it can reach over 20 cm in diameter. In home waters, the plant forms a ball no more than 7 cm in diameter.
Cladophora balls can be used to create a beautiful underwater landscape
The plant is a colony of long green filamentous algae. They are arranged radially and form a regular ball. The annual growth is no more than 1 cm. Over time, the algae inside the ball die off and a hollow space is formed there.
The plant has no roots, and it moves arbitrarily along the bottom or in the water column. During the day, the algae produce oxygen, thanks to which the ball becomes buoyant and rises to the surface of the water. At night, in the absence of light, oxygen production stops and the plant sinks. Aquarists often use it to create a beautiful green rug. To do this, the ball is cut into several fragments and attached with a thin mesh to stones or snags.
Features of the content of cladophores
The plant thrives best in a cold water tank. The maximum temperature must not exceed 22 ° C. Warm water provokes algae to grow too quickly, and after a short time it begins to disintegrate into fragments. In a tropical reservoir, the algae can be kept for no more than 7 weeks, and then put it back in cold water for 1-2 months.
The lighting should not be too bright. In nature, the plant lives at a depth of over 20 m, so it does not need bright light.
The plant gets along well with other representatives of the aquarium flora.
Algae loves clear and clean water. But even with a filter, many small particles settle on the surface of the ball. Therefore, from time to time, the plant must be removed from the aquarium and rinsed under running water.
The plant reproduces by dividing the colony. This can happen without human intervention if kept in too warm water.
You can just gently break the ball into several pieces and provide suitable conditions for the fragments. After 10-11 months, new green balls will form in the aquarium.
Cladophora is a useful algae for the aquarium. It can be used to arrange a cozy place for breeding fry, and its decorative appearance will decorate any home pond.