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So, I've noticed something strange. Keep in mind this is not at ALL any kind of scientific discovery, but it's something that I plan on isolating and hopefully repeating.
I have a tank that is plagued with hair algae. I've been meaning to just completely redo it (new substrate, plant dips, etc), but haven't because I'm lazy.
I noticed a couple of weeks ago that I had some Utricularia growing in the tank. Dunno where it came from, but it was there. I thought, "Oh, great, another nuisance that I will stress about in the near future." A couple of weeks later (note laziness factor) I notice that the Utricularia has spread, not to epidemic proportions, but there are many spaces in the tank where it is growing. And, oddly enough, the hair algae that has been there forever now is about 90% depleted. I have done absolutely nothing different in the maintenance of this tank, nothing has changed, nothing has been added. It's been going for, oh, about 5 years now. And I've had hair algae in it for an embarrassingly long time. 
I know Utricularia is a carnivorous plant, but I was under the assumption that it "ate" microscopic organisms, and such larger things as larvae and daphnia. The Utricularia I have has pods (or whatever they're called) that are about 1-2mm in diameter.
Just thought that it was kind of odd. I am not afraid to admit that I enjoy finding things that enjoy destroying hair algae. :) I'm just hoping I may have found something else.
We'll see. I plan on putting some hair algae in a QT that has recently been emptied, and placing some Utricularia in there with it. Who knows? Cross your fingers for me. :)
I have a tank that is plagued with hair algae. I've been meaning to just completely redo it (new substrate, plant dips, etc), but haven't because I'm lazy.
I noticed a couple of weeks ago that I had some Utricularia growing in the tank. Dunno where it came from, but it was there. I thought, "Oh, great, another nuisance that I will stress about in the near future." A couple of weeks later (note laziness factor) I notice that the Utricularia has spread, not to epidemic proportions, but there are many spaces in the tank where it is growing. And, oddly enough, the hair algae that has been there forever now is about 90% depleted. I have done absolutely nothing different in the maintenance of this tank, nothing has changed, nothing has been added. It's been going for, oh, about 5 years now. And I've had hair algae in it for an embarrassingly long time. I know Utricularia is a carnivorous plant, but I was under the assumption that it "ate" microscopic organisms, and such larger things as larvae and daphnia. The Utricularia I have has pods (or whatever they're called) that are about 1-2mm in diameter.
Just thought that it was kind of odd. I am not afraid to admit that I enjoy finding things that enjoy destroying hair algae. :) I'm just hoping I may have found something else.
We'll see. I plan on putting some hair algae in a QT that has recently been emptied, and placing some Utricularia in there with it. Who knows? Cross your fingers for me. :)