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Re: Oddity (Pond spheres)
>Date: Fri, 23 May 1997 22:39:16 -0700
>From: freshwaterff at earthlink_net
>Subject: Oddity
>
>I was wondering if anybody might know what I have in a client's pond.
>There are suddenly thousands of 1/8" to 1/2" diameter, white, gelatinous
>spheres in the pond. It appears to be some sort of alga, but I'm not
>sure. I thought at first that it might have something to do withthe
>Chara that some ducks introduced a couple of years ago, but now I'm not
>so sure. It is now attached to Echinodorus leaves, Chara stems,
>Ludwigia temes, etc. Any ideas? the wate is extremely hard and
>alkaline, full San Diego sunshine and clear water. Thanks for any
>input.
From your description it can't be ruled out, that the spheres are frog
or toad eggs. Speaking in favour is that they are gelatinous and
attached
to plants, which I believe is the common thing for them, plus the fact
that they have appeared "suddenly". Speaking against is their variation
in size, but maybe the smaller ones just haven't swollen to their full
size yet?
The obvious test for the correctness of this guess is to wait and see if
any tadpoles appear. I have no knowledge of the harmful or beneficiary
effects of tadpoles in a planted pond, but I am sure others on the APD
have.
Jens Stoevlbaek