Algae in Nepenthes pitchers

[Clint]

I add fertilizer directly into the pitchers of my Nepenthes, but on N. fusca I've got free floating algae. Of course this is competition for the nutrients, but when the nutrients are used up won't it just die and release anything it's accumulated? Or is this bad? Would an algae coating on the pitcher walls have negative effects on the glandular system or something?

And why only on one pitcher, which isn't even in high light compared to my other pitchers?

 

[poolboy101]

If you want the free floating algae gone take some of those long wooden skewers and put them in the pitcher and roll it, kind of like eating spaghetti. The algae clings to the wood (most of the time)

 

[Clint]

By free floating I meant it's greenwater.

 

[jrod]

Maybe it's time to release some Daphnia into the greenwater pitchers. I've heard that the Daphnia will clean up greenwater in no time. And, they might make tasty Nep snacks. Or maybe a shot of Flourish Excel? Or maybe nothing? Mostly I'm kidding here. I don't know much about Neps, and I'm currently fighting a greenwater outbreak in one of my stagnant fishtanks, so I'm not much help.

 

[phissionkorps]

I'm pretty sure it'll be fine, algae is pretty harmless. I'm pretty sure that happens semi-frequently in the wild as well. It will either help or do nothing, but isn't going to hurt it unless its that same algae that causes red tide (not likely!).