Using Bamboo Question

[DrunkenPanda]

Hi Everyone.

After searching all over the North-East UK I finally found some large enough bamboo for Clown Loaches and my Plecos. The problem I have now is getting it to sink and need to know, does bamboo sink in time like driftwood? Or will it need to be weighted down to keep from floating?

[panaque]

You'll need to weigh it down initially but after a while it'll stay down by itself.

[MatsP]

I have used Bamboo for caves for fishes in several of my tanks, and as Panaque says, if you keep it in water, it will eventually sink. It does take some time (and we're talking weeks rather than hours), but it will sink.

--
Mats

[DrunkenPanda]

thx for the replies. i was wondering is it normal for the ends of bamboo to fizz up?, it looks like an air filled slime where the bamboo has been cut.

thx
DrunkenPanda

[MatsP]

I think it's normal - depends on how much it actually "fizzes". The structure of bamboo (as a Panda you should know this ;) ) is very fibrous, and there are air-pockets in the fibre-structure.

You may get better results if you boil the bamboo in a pot first.

--
Mats

[DrunkenPanda]

thanks for that and i will boil it

[apistomaster]

I find if I boil the bamboo caves they sink right away.
Bamboo does break down over time and this can happen very fast if you use the bamboo caves with Panaque spp. I had them with L204.
One thing to be aware of is that the closed joints may be chewed or decayed so a small opening at the segment joint forms. Plecos can get stuck trying to squirm through the small opening and die. I also had an Apistogramma macmasteri female do the same thing. It's hard to save them even if you discover their predicament early.
Other than watching out for this problem, Bamboo caves are easier to work into some 'scapes better than more artificial caves do.