# Utricularia livida



## Conman3880 (Jul 8, 2007)

Is Utricularia livida _aquatic_ or _terrestrial_? I'm getting VERY mixed answers from several resources. I have it in a tank of mine, and it's spreading like wildfire, but if it's aquatic, I dont want it getting into my water and eating my tadpoles!!! :x 

Can someone please give me a solid answer? Aquatic or terrestrial?

Thanks!


----------



## Axl (Dec 9, 2006)

TERRESTRIAL!! it needs wet and acidic soil


----------



## rain- (Jul 28, 2006)

And even if it would spread to your pond (I've understood that _U. livida_ is one of those which can grow underwater too), there's no way it could capture any tadpoles with it's tiny traps. I myself have _Utricularia graminifolia_ growing in my aquariums and their 1 mm sized traps are cute, but no way able to catch anything bigger than a young copepod or something alike.


----------



## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

It will spread from the soil into the water but in my experience it grows very poorly when at least some section of it cannot be based in the substrate. 

As noted above it has very very small traps so is unlikely to be even able to grab even a tail tip. 

Ed


----------



## frogsoftheworld (Oct 20, 2007)

all utrics eat throught there roots and only eat very small things. one way to keep it is to put it on peat moss, then once in a while flood it an inch or so over the leaves. let it evaporate then let it sit for a weak of 2, then flood agian. this inuduces it to flower and the flowers are cool. mine is frlowering right now with little white flowers.


----------



## frogsoftheworld (Oct 20, 2007)

http://www.world-of-carnivores.com/cgi- ... pid_30.htm


----------



## Conman3880 (Jul 8, 2007)

Thanks, everyone! I do have one more question, though. Ever since I got this plant, the small, paddle-shaped leaves have been dwindling, and some mossy stuff (kinda looks like really really tiny clubmoss) has been taking it's place. It this just a different part of the utricularia, or am I being invaded?

I'd get a pic, but my camera doesnt do macro shots.


----------



## frogsoftheworld (Oct 20, 2007)

invaded


----------



## Conman3880 (Jul 8, 2007)

Agh. Now I have to find out what this mystery plant is.


----------



## frogsoftheworld (Oct 20, 2007)

post a pick. i will try to help.


----------



## rattler_mt (Apr 15, 2005)

frogsoftheworld said:


> all utrics eat throught there roots and only eat very small things. one way to keep it is to put it on peat moss, then once in a while flood it an inch or so over the leaves. let it evaporate then let it sit for a weak of 2, then flood agian. this inuduces it to flower and the flowers are cool. mine is frlowering right now with little white flowers.


not quite........some utrics do eat small fish and tadpoles. and technically those arent roots....utrics do not have true roots or leaves. they are modified stollens. you dont have to flood livida to induce flowering, its one of the most free flowering species. it should flower with no interference from you........the thing that is taking over your utric is moss....though thats kinda odd as livida usually grows fast enough that moss isnt an issue, maybe your not giving it enough light? 

interesting study was done in the last few years. some species of Utrics can grow in complete darkness so long as they can trap food. they get enough food from their traps to the point where they dont need photosynthesis to grow. so you can thin out the moss with a tweezers if you wish but i dont think moss can choke out livida as it grows to fast, several times the rate of any moss i have seen in my collection. and lividas traps are to small to catch tadpoles, other species are plenty big enough. the tadpole does not have to fit in the trap to me captured, infact most aquatic Utrics just catch the tip of the tail and slowly work their way up to the head.........


----------



## frogsoftheworld (Oct 20, 2007)

thanks i forgot about gibba and the other water ones that have outside traps that can get preety big. introduce more small things, like water fleas that link i gave you was from a site that i got mine from and mine stillis alive and well. they told me to flood occasionally and i would buy a water flea cuture from them and put it in the flooded plant. you could see them for a day or 2 then it was hard to find any the plant allways flowered when i did that.


----------



## rattler_mt (Apr 15, 2005)

you dont need to flood livida and it would have flowered with out.......dont need the water flea culture....makes no sence unless your growing aquatic utrics cause water fleas are free swimming critters and wont enter the soil where the traps are. there is plenty of micro fauna in you average pot of soil. whenever i repot my cp's i find everything from springtails to small isopods to small earthworms. even sterilized soil doesnt stay that way for long. some of the terrestrials such as dichtoma actually have large traps and if they were ever to grow aquatically and be out in the open where tads are they prolly would catch them.


----------



## skronkykong (Jan 1, 2007)

Mine did the same thing. I can't tell if its kyoto moss or part of the plant. It took it a few months to get established and start blooming again after I planted it so be patient.


----------



## andy83 (May 31, 2006)

Does anybody recommend a good place that has a wide selection of Utricularia to offer? These are some good plants and I'm always thinking about starting up a collection. I know there are a lot of collectors out there but you just don't hear about these guys enough.

It would be pretty cool to have a Utric viv. Does anybody else have other species than this one in their tanks? I've got two cultures of U bisquamata and they are doing alright. I would really like a whole rack of these awesome plants.


----------



## frogsoftheworld (Oct 20, 2007)

ya let me post the link......Carnivorous Plant Nursery

Link shortened - rozdaboff


----------

