PlanetCatfish.com

I was at PetSmart today, and I found a small package of "Mac's" grape driftwood. It is packaged for use in a reptile tank, but it doesn't say if you can/can't use it in an aquarium. I asked the salesclerk, and they had no clue. I have a rubbernose/bulldog pleco, and I wanted to get some driftwood for him. If I boil this all day long, do you think it would be safe to use. The package just says that it is heat treated, and a product of the USA. If I shouldn't use this, what do I need to look for to get for my pleco?

I have used grape vine (intended for reptiles) without any problems & this may well be the same. The only thing to be aware of as it is not an aquatic wood, is that it may be prone to some fungal/slime growths on the wood when submerged

I've used it too, but I would boil the hell out of it! LOL! In my original betta tanks, I boiled it first, to get rid of the tannins, so I had no problems. When I set up my 15 gallon cory tank, I only used the scalding water from my tap to soak it for several days, but that was not enough. There was still a ton of tannins left and it developed this NASTY fungus on it! I posted pix of it in this forum a while back. Ultimately, I took it out, as I found some gorgeous mopani pieces that were much larger and looked much better. This tank is fairly new - just a few months old - and developed brown algae, which was expected. You have to see the job my two little otos are doing on it though! I have a Roman Column decorative piece that is normally kind of a cream color that turned totally brown. I thought it was tannins and some algae, but you have to see it now! The otos went to work on it and well, I'll post some pix when I get a chance and you can see for yourself. They are also working on the brown algae on the wood. It's amazing what these little guys can do!

But anyway... one of the things you probably won't have to do is scrape off the bark that is probably still on it - I assume the pl*co will eat it, no? I'm unfamiliar with their eating habits as I have none. I think the fungus that forms is encouraged by the bark. I also had to scrape it like hell to get the bark off and just leave the hard wood underneath. Boiling it really helps to soften it up and make it easier to remove. I used a steel bristle brush I got from Home Depot to do it. It's also a prettier color when removed. I didn't realize there was bark on it until I boiled it and found that there were soft bits coming off of it. I think that's why a lot of people don't like to use it in their tanks - it doesn't look or feel like bark until it's either boiled or soaked for a long time, and that's when you get the fungus, when you don't do that and remove it. boiling it should inhibit the fungus growth until the plecs eat the bark, if in fact that's what they eat.

I am making an educated guess that Chaetostoma do not often see wood in their habitats. Coming from fast flowing streams, these fish live in nutrient poor habitats that don't really get a lot of organic input, including wood. The natural habitat of these fishes is likely rock.

As far as wood goes, Malaysian wood and Mopani wood are better choices that many people use. However, I also note that large pet stores may not exactly have a good selection of Mopani and may not carry Malaysian.

Thanks guys, I'll be returning this and looking for the other types.

I too am of the opinion that Chaetostoma are not seeing wood in their natural habitat...

--
Mats

MatsP wrote:I too am of the opinion that Chaetostoma are not seeing wood in their natural habitat...

--
Mats

OK, so I don't need to add any wood then?

Chaetostoma will appreciate structures to hide under, whether they be rock, wood, clay pots, pvc pipes, or whatnot. They don't need wood for this purpose. They primarily feed on algae on rocks in their habitats.

I wouldn't think the FISH needs it - if you, as owner of the tank, need it, I can't say... ;)

[As Milton also says!]

--
Mats

Suckermouth wrote:Chaetostoma will appreciate structures to hide under, whether they be rock, wood, clay pots, pvc pipes, or whatnot. They don't need wood for this purpose. They primarily feed on algae on rocks in their habitats.

He has plenty of hiding places...I had just read that Plecos need wood to "chew" on, or feed off of. All of my decorations are store bought, but he has plenty of hiding places. I've dropped an algae wafer in on 2 occassions, and he hasn't touched either one.

MatsP wrote:I wouldn't think the FISH needs it - if you, as owner of the tank, need it, I can't say... ;)

[As Milton also says!]

--
Mats

The only reason I'd be putting some driftwood in there is for the Pleco. My other fish in that tank are Praecox Rainbows, Platys, and Corydoras (Pandas and Rabauti). So if my pleco doesn't need the wood, then I won't bother!

For the record, If you just put this reptile grape vine wood straight into the tank as is, the next day the water will look like milk. Been there, not pretty.

Even if you boil and soak it, it will still float, and go slimy/mouldy.

However if you soak it for a good few weeks, and then keep cleaning it, this actually becomes really attractive wood, and the fungus issues stop. My loved eating it too.

For the record, If you just put this reptile grape vine wood straight into the tank as is, the next day the water will look like milk. Been there, not pretty.

Even if you boil and soak it, it will still float, and go slimy/mouldy.

This was my exact experience with the stuff the time I tried it.

Just a note with regard to wood. There IS wood in every Chaetostoma habitat I have collected in (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela). The fast moving hill streams they live in, especially in the rainy season, erode their banks heavily. Erosion both exposes the root systems of trees and knocks them down and into the stream.
However, and as was pointed out above, while they will appreciate the wood as an additional hiding place/obstacle. There is no dietary reason to add it.
-Shane

Shane wrote:However, and as was pointed out above, while they will appreciate the wood as an additional hiding place/obstacle. There is no dietary reason to add it.
-Shane

Thanks Shane, as I had said, I'd read that they needed it for their diet. Since this is not the case, I won't worry about it. He has plenty of hiding places as it is! I finally found him out in the open this morning!