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Hi my husband bought our synodontis eupterus a dried grapevine for aquarium use. My fish seems to like it but its turing the water a bit brown, will this go away. We already tried soaking it for a while in a bucket. Is grapevine ok, I'm getting worried I'll do something wrong.

The brown stain is from the tannins and is a good thing. The problem with grape vine is that it never seems to "cure" in an aquarium and tends to grow unsightly slimes on it. You will be better off with proper driftwood (grape vine is usually sold for reptile set ups).
-Shane

oh thank you so much. I was asking the pet store guy that and he said Grapevine and driftwood are the same thing. Well thanks for the help I'll have to find driftwood again.I really hate that...some people don't know anything and they sell you the wrong thing.

Very true... although sometimes it works to our advantage as well when the buyer knows more than the seller.
Look out for Mopani wood or Malaysian driftwood specifically. One or both types are carried by most larger fish stores.
-Shane

I have recently heard from some wild Angelfish keepers that they are trying Grape Tree leaves for the tannins. It appears to not be actual grape vine leaves but this is still unclear.It is being sold by someone specifically for aquarium use mainly in Europe and or UK.

I don't see any advantage over common Oak leaves which many of us have used, particularly in Apistogramma set ups.

I have been experimenting with Alder Cones which appear to be concentrated sources of tannins and lignins and have been found useful by Corydoras experts I trust.

I have been using them in straight RO water in two set ups for fish found in exremely soft acid blackwater, Apistogramma iniridae and Nannostomus mortenthatheri, Coral Red Pencils. Both species have responded well to the environment produced. The Coral Red Pencils have been particularly colorful in this "brew."

I have been using "grape" vines (the stuff sold for reptiles) for a while, and while they look better than any driftwood/bogwood, they have serious shortcomings.

As Shane has pointed out they can grow a lot of mould/slime, and very quickly too.

After a few disasters with the tank water going white, I have developed a method that seems to work.

First I put them in the dishwasher on its hottest setting to try to help kill any fungus/bacteria

Then I soak the vines in water for about a month (longer is better) to get them waterlogged. I add melafix and pimafix to reduce the fungal/bacterial load. I change the water every week or so.

They will still grow some mould when added to the tank, but you will just have to keep taking the vines out and scrubbing them.

Eventually the mould doesn't return.

An or grazing on the wood will also help.

Is all this worth it? I think so, as they give a really nice natural effect.

racoll wrote:I have been using "grape" vines (the stuff sold for reptiles) for a while, and while they look better than any driftwood/bogwood, they have serious shortcomings.

As Shane has pointed out they can grow a lot of mould/slime, and very quickly too.

After a few disasters with the tank water going white, I have developed a method that seems to work.

First I put them in the dishwasher on its hottest setting to try to help kill any fungus/bacteria

Then I soak the vines in water for about a month (longer is better) to get them waterlogged. I add melafix and pimafix to reduce the fungal/bacterial load. I change the water every week or so.

They will still grow some mould when added to the tank, but you will just have to keep taking the vines out and scrubbing them.

Eventually the mould doesn't return.

An

Ancistrus

or

Panaque

grazing on the wood will also help.

Is all this worth it? I think so, as they give a really nice natural effect.

I agree with racoll.

I use sand-blasted grape vine in some of my tanks. I love it! I first took a hand-powered electric sander and got off as much rough and uneven edges as possible. Than I soaked it in a plastic garbage bucket for 3 months. Than I took it out and scrapped out the surface again. Than I added it to my tank. I ended up pulling it out one last time and scraping it off. I have had no problems with it even since. It's been in my tank since march. No algae grows on either of my two peices.Although, that could be because of my snails and otos. It also seems to be very intact so far (no rotting).