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Has anybody used water fleas (Daphnia) ?

MoklesMokles Posts: 30
in Problem solving
Hi,

Just wondering if anybody has introduced water fleas as a natural means of keeping their pond water clean.  I've read that they're good so has anyone got any experience of them?

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Didn’t introduce them ... they just turned up and made themselves at home. 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • MoklesMokles Posts: 30
    And...?
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    Yes we introduced them, but they appeared to disappear very quickly (probably eaten by Damselfly larvae).  They have since reappeared, but I think that happened naturally, as in @Dovefromabove pond.  We set up a brand new pond at our allotment only 4 weeks ago, and it is already populated by them.  Personally I wouldn't waste the money in buying them, just let nature and time take it's course.  
  • GemmaJFGemmaJF Posts: 2,286
    Best left to happen naturally, there are several similar species, you want one that is suited to your particular pond and location. The bought ones are produced on a mass scale as fish food, they have grown in a particular environment and may not thrive in a pond.
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    Many years ago I worked in a tropical and pond fish shop.  Live Daphnia was sold as food for fish so I doubt it would last long in a pond.  You would have some happy fish though.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Plenty of daphnia in my little w/l pond too that arrived from somewhere - good fun watching the newts catch them.


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • MoklesMokles Posts: 30
    KT53 said:
    Many years ago I worked in a tropical and pond fish shop.  Live Daphnia was sold as food for fish so I doubt it would last long in a pond.  You would have some happy fish though.

    That would be interesting as I don't have fish in my pond... :)

    Pete.8 said:
    Plenty of daphnia in my little w/l pond too that arrived from somewhere - good fun watching the newts catch them.

    ... but I'd like some newts.  Hopefully in time, the pond is only a year old.



  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    We have daphnia, frogs, toads, newts, grass snakes ... they all come and go
    ... it’s a wildlife pond ... create the conditions and the wildlife will come. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • MoklesMokles Posts: 30
    I'm hoping mine will be too. :)

    I don't have a very big garden but like to encourage the wildlife.  We're very excited at the moment as there's a robin's nest in the garden - the first time any bird has built a nest and stayed.  At the moment mum and dad are shooting in and out.  It's in an old half cask that has a decorative water pump on one half. I'd had a sort of pond in it until last year and then dh made it into a little succulent garden. There's just enough room for them to get under the piece of wood that the pump is on. I bet it's really cosy in there. I took a video of mum building the nest a few weeks ago.
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